FAQ Group: Performance Issues

Q. How can a Lithium Battery catch Fire? And How can we prevent this?

Please watch this video on our channel by OKOYAMA Electric Scooters. It explains in detail on how, Electric Scooters Catch Fire.
A. Lithium-ion Batteries, or Secondary Batteries, are rechargeable and provide high energy density. These batteries contain no free Lithium metal but do contain Lithium Ions and highly flammable electrolytes. Common applications that incorporate li-ion technology include laptops, cell phones, electric vehicles, hospital equipment, and energy storage systems, Electric Vehicles to name a few. If you visit the Wikipedia page for Lithium Ion Batteries it contains a list of the various type of batteries in this category based on their different cathode material :

  1. Lithium Polymer Battery
  2. Lithium Cobalt Oxide
  3. Lithium Iron Phosphate
  4. Lithium Manganese Oxide
  5. Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide

All these batteries operate on a similar principle of a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte.

Lithium batteries are capable of spontaneous ignition and subsequent explosion from overheating. That may be caused by –

  1. Electrical Shorting
    1. Due to external shorting of wires within the Electric Vehicle wiring.
    2. BMS Failure in which the BMS is shorted internally due to a component failure.
  2. Rapid Discharge
    1. It can happen when the vehicle is overloaded or is carrying weight beyond its rated Capacity.
    2. The vehicle is very old and unmaintained and thus it draws more current than required.
  3. Overcharging
    1. It can happen due to use of Over Rated Charger or use of LEAD ACID Chargers with Lithium Batteries.
    2. It can happen due to the malfunctioning of charger leading to a higher than rated voltage.
  4. Manufacturers Defect
    1. Missing insulation between cells to provide for proper protection from inter heating or shorting exchanges.
  5. Poor Design
    1. If the battery box is sealed without proper heat dissipation then temperature could rise within the cabinet when the battery is charged or discharged. Using high current fast chargers can also increase the battery temperature, while heavy loading on a long trip could also increase the battery temperature significantly. With no vent for hot air inside the battery box, temperatures could rise significantly leading to a thermal runway condition.
    2. The BMS also heats up significantly therefore proper heat sink must be provided to the BMS with vents for the hot air to escape.
  6. Mechanical Damage
    1. If any cell is punctured then it could heat up and start a spontaneous fire. It could happen due to transportation damages or any accidental damages.

      Overheating results in a process called Thermal Runaway, which is a reaction within the battery causing internal temperature and pressure to rise at a quicker rate than it can be dissipated.

      HOW CAN YOU PREVENT LITHIUM BATTERY FIRES :

      Lithium Battery fires are rare but they can range from minor sparks to deadly explosions. As all technologies we use in our day to day life, we all need to be aware of the hazards of lithium batteries which will lead to fewer fire cases. Follow these precautions to prevent a lithium battery fire incident.

      1. To prevent Electrical Shorting : always get a trained technician to wire SUMATOTEK Battery to your vehicle. Take care that there should not be any loose wires in the vehicle which can cause an electrical short.
      2. To prevent Rapid Discharge : always drive the vehicle at a nominal speed. Do not accelerate or increase the speed quickly. It is recommended that you drive slow specially with heavy loads or multiple passengers. Always service your vehicle at regular intervals to prevent excess current being drawn by motor and controller.
      3. To prevent Overcharging : always use a authenthic SUMATOTEK Charger with SUMATOTEK Batteries. You can find the max charging voltage mentioned in the product description of all our products.

Q. My SUMATOTEK Lithium-Ion Battery mileage is less than what is shown on the website. What should I do?

A. If you have recently purchased a new SUMATOTEK Lithium-Ion Battery then we recommend you

  1. To service your vehicle for optimal tire pressure and no friction between the brakes and the wheels.
  2. In addition to this, you can also check your horn and light for any damages as they consume extra power when not in working condition.
  3. The wheels should be free to rotate by hand when power is switched off.

    ->Even after doing all the above, your mileage doesn’t improve then you must check
  4. If your charger is properly charging the battery to its fullest. All full charge voltages are mentioned in the product description. Please ensure the battery is charged to its fullest.
  5. Also, discharge the battery and check if the Lower CutOff Voltage falls within the same range as specified on the individual item description.

    ->Even after all these steps if your mileage doesn’t improve check the Stall Current consumption of the motor.
  6. Stall Current Consumption refers to the current consumed by the motor when there is no load i.e no one is sitting on the vehicle. The Current Value should within 5-7A for most vehicles or even lower for low-powered vehicles. If it is higher than 10A then your motor is consuming more power than required.

    ->Further, if your issues are not resolved then you can check
  7. If the battery pack is balanced i.e all rows are at the same voltage. If they are not balanced then the battery 🔋 will not deliver its maximum mileage. But if they are balanced then the issue might be elsewhere.

    Finally the ultimate test would be to put the battery in a charging-discharging machine and check the Battery Capacity. If the Battery Capacity is within 90-100% of the rated value and the rows are balanced then the battery is ok and you should check or change the vehicle. If the battery capacity is less than 90% and the rows are unbalanced then you should send the battery for replacement in case of warranty.