A fire which destroyed two caravans at a Bundaberg dealership has been blamed on a ‘failed’ lithium-ion battery, but travellers are being assured that such events are relatively rare.
The Queensland Fire Department (QFD) was quick to respond to Monday’s blaze but was unable to extinguish it before it had spread to a neighbouring van.
Workers were able to move other caravans out of the way and, besides the two vans, there was no damage to other property.
A QFD spokesperson told the ABC that investigations revealed a ‘failed lithium-ion battery next to a mattress’ was the cause of the fire.
It is unknown if the caravans were new or second-hand.
Emergency services were on the scene very quickly. PIC: QFES
The Caravan Industry Association of Australia (CIAA) told the ABC it had only seen a ‘minor number’ of battery incidents in caravans over the past few years.
“There are issues from a [battery] industry perspective, this isn’t necessarily specific or unique to caravanning,” CIAA’s communications manager Luke Chippendale said.
He also said there were significant changes to the Australian Standard regarding the electrical supply in new caravans which took effect in November last year.
“The new regulations stipulate that a lithium battery cannot be installed in habitable living areas, such as inside of the van’s sleeping area, or the trailer itself,” Mr Chippendale told the ABC. “So, most of the installations now are occurring in a sealed-off area away from that, and it’s vented to the exterior environment.”
The ABC reports that, from July 1, all caravans or motorhomes in Queensland will also be required to have photoelectric smoke alarms installed on the ceiling at the start, or transfer of the registration period.
QFD’s Mark Halverson told the ABC that, when caravanning regulations were followed, the risk of a fire was ‘very low’.
“When people go outside of those recommendations and do things that we would deem as quite silly, then the risk of fire increases quite dramatically,” Supt Halverson said.
Supt Halverson said it was important to always use a correct and undamaged charger and ideally charge a device outdoors.
An ABC report in March found that more than 1.000 fires had been caused by lithium-ion batteries in the past year, according to data from state and territory fire authorities.
Are you a Grey Nomad member yet? Click here to find out about the discounts, competitions and other benefits on offer.
Are we talking about Lithium ion or LifePO4 batteries?
They are are all lithium ion batteries the LFP/NMC just different chemistries. LFP’s are not so prone to thermal runaway. The key tp Lithium batteries is to have a proper Battery Management System (BMS). Most, if not all batteries sold for caravans are LFP’s which are considered to have the safest chemistry. Most importantly is a dedicated BMS.
How can you make a statement like “Most, if not all batteries sold for caravans are LFP’s which are considered to have the safest chemistry”. This is simply not the case. I have seen pouch type Lithium batteries, being offered for sale by a leading Australian retailer.
Caravans are powered by lifepo4 so what was the lithium ion battery for
I’m glad you others have brought this up. Lithium ion is different chemistry to lithium iron and the fire service should acknowledge this.
I have heard, but have not yet confirmed, that QFD indicated that the failed “Lithium-ion battery next to the bed” was something like a USB battery bank on/ next to the bed. This does sound more probable than an LFP battery failure under the bed.
Not only does this match the description closer but also more probable, not being LFP and generally having less quality control.
Unfortunately the authorities are refusing to differentiate between lithium ion and lithium ferrous phosphate and that is causing unnecessary alarm in the rv sector.
I agree that who ever publish this report would clarify the style of battery and not lump all lithiums together. Any decent LIFEPO4 battery has a BMS that shuts down that battery prior to reaching any point of danger.
I agree with Rick. Mark, John and Campbell, who are obviously more clued up than the others .
THE BUILT IN BMS (BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM) MAY NOT “SHUT DOWN” IF EXCESSIVE HEAT IS BEING GENERATED INTERNALLY DUE TO SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. MOST COMMON ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS ARE RATED FOR A MAXIMUM OF 85 DEG C..
LiFEPO4 BATTERIES REQUIRE MAX APPLIED VOLTAGE of 14.6 D,C. Proper multi type chargers can have a setup to vary the max applied voltage to suit the particular battery type installation.
Lithium iron phosphate batteries don’t needing venting to the atmosphere, that is for lead acid, strange regulation which doesn’t understand the difference, what gov. bought in this uneducated regulation?
Probably due to the heat generation when/if failure occurs. Also toxic fumes can be generated when LiFePO4 batteries burn.
If a battery contains lithium ions, then it is a lithium ion battery, regards of whether it contains iron or not. Te reason that these batteries are now required to be sealed off drom the living environment, is because the emissions from a lithium battery in thermal runaway are toxic in the extreme. They will incapacitate or kill you in short order,
I’d be interested to know more about the battery… was it the house battery or in some device?
We have two 100A deep cycle batteries mounted out side the van in metal storage cassings.
Sadly these batteries are so often installed with the best intentions, but again no circuit breakers/ fuses on incoming and outgoing, poor wire size or grade choices, some of these decisions are made for cost savings, lack of knowledge, the other thing that have come across is that old mate said it will be good. Be honest with yourself, you your partner, children may well be asleep in the RV, there will never be a better dollar or two spent on ensuring that you expand the protection on your system and then fit heat sensing protection on your batteries, you may even save yourself and your loved ones