Four dead in E-Bike fire in NYC
Discussion
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/four-dead-and...
Nightmare for all concerned.
This is surely going to be happening more and more as we move to electrification of transport?
Nightmare for all concerned.
This is surely going to be happening more and more as we move to electrification of transport?
Countdown said:
Are these E-Bike fires happening because the original design is faulty or because people are doing "aftermarket upgrades"?
Could be either.. or a custom home build that was done badly. Also probably left on charge overnight with poor/no protection against overcharging.
I’m sure it’s not all batteries/chargers, but the state of batteries/chargers is just utterly rubbish.
On Amazon you can buy any old rubbish made to god knows what standards.
I’ve had used button batteries explode while stored in my utility room.
I’m increasingly weary having any batteries in the house that aren’t of a known good specification, bought from a reputable brand/retailer.
I’d guess this is just rubbish batteries and rubbish chargers all combined.
Until we properly regulate all batteries and chargers and the retail of them, expect more and more.
On Amazon you can buy any old rubbish made to god knows what standards.
I’ve had used button batteries explode while stored in my utility room.
I’m increasingly weary having any batteries in the house that aren’t of a known good specification, bought from a reputable brand/retailer.
I’d guess this is just rubbish batteries and rubbish chargers all combined.
Until we properly regulate all batteries and chargers and the retail of them, expect more and more.
Countdown said:
Are these E-Bike fires happening because the original design is faulty or because people are doing "aftermarket upgrades"?
Depends on the bike and the battery. There's a combination of issues with low quality design and also low quality manufacturing.The more electrical devices that move to LFP batteries the better. It doesn't prevent electrical fires but does greatly reduce the risk of the battery contribution to any fire.
ts electric bike blocking the only exit .Evanivitch said:
Depends on the bike and the battery. There's a combination of issues with low quality design and also low quality manufacturing.
The more electrical devices that move to LFP batteries the better. It doesn't prevent electrical fires but does greatly reduce the risk of the battery contribution to any fire.
NYC (I'm there just now) is absolutely ridden with cheap chinese e-bike/scooter etc imports. Stuff that is illegal to own and use, producing massive output -legal limit is 750w/20mph - I see bikes going significantly over this, at least double that at a conservative estimate. The green bike lanes around this city are the most dangerous part of crossing the road - no limits, no rules, no observance of traffic signals.The more electrical devices that move to LFP batteries the better. It doesn't prevent electrical fires but does greatly reduce the risk of the battery contribution to any fire.
The electrical safety of this stuff is non-existent. This isn't an e-vehicle issue itself, its the complete unenforceablity of safety rules.
Order66 said:
This isn't an e-vehicle issue itself, its the complete unenforceablity of safety rules.
Agreed, electric bikes or scooters aren't any more dangerous than having a large power tool charging, just that the build quality of many cheap ebikes is quite poor, and the cheaper ones are used and abused for work far harder than people who can afford more expensive bikes.Certainly the UK seems to have almost non-existent checks for the safety/approvals of stuff being imported. Basically if it's not illegal to own outright then it can come in. Compared to other countries where you hear of shipments of electronics being held up because there's a document missing in a lengthy chain of certificates, and customs actually opened the goods to check that what is being imported matches up.
Order66 said:
The electrical safety of this stuff is non-existent. This isn't an e-vehicle issue itself, its the complete unenforceablity of safety rules.
The US doesn't have the same consumer protection standards as the EU/UK. Many of their standards are voluntary.https://www.cpsc.gov/Regulations-Laws--Standards/V...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshi...
Three dead in Cambridge in what looks like an e-bike fire
Three dead in Cambridge in what looks like an e-bike fire
biggbn said:
Should we ban all ICE cars because of the amount of people who die in them? I think @300 ICE cars go on fire a day in the UK, ban them immediately. 
Now, obviously I don't think that. It would be ridiculous.
Perhaps erecting a speed camera would be the response for an ICE vehicle.Now, obviously I don't think that. It would be ridiculous.
biggbn said:
Should we ban all ICE cars because of the amount of people who die in them? I think @300 ICE cars go on fire a day in the UK, ban them immediately.
Now, obviously I don't think that. It would be ridiculous.
I think we do need a massive campaign on dodgy batteries and better consumer protection. Batteries are incredibly difficult to purchase with good certification behind them, and I say that from an Aerospace and Defence experience.Now, obviously I don't think that. It would be ridiculous.
I'd have to agree that unless you're being incredibly careful the quality of a lot of stuff on Amazon these days is just diabolical, counterfeit goods all over the place.
Electrical stuff in particular it's gone from being very competitive to not even knowing what you're going to get.
Electrical stuff in particular it's gone from being very competitive to not even knowing what you're going to get.
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