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Main Boards => Gear => Topic started by: alan de enfield on 08:55:03, 07/07/19

Title: How Safe Are "Power Banks" ?
Post by: alan de enfield on 08:55:03, 07/07/19



An overnight Virgin Atlantic flight from New York to London was forced into making an emergency landing after a phone charger triggered a fire on-board.


 All 217 Passengers had to abandon the Airbus A330 when firefighters were called to the plane at 9pm last night in Boston.
 Smoke appeared in the cabin only 25 minutes into its journey to Heathrow from JFK airport (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/07/05/virgin-atlantic-london-flight-makes-emergency-landing-on-board/), information from Flightaware showed.
 
 The police believe a mobile phone power bank may have caused the fire.


 “Preliminary investigation suggests it is a battery pack consistent in appearance with an external phone charger”, a police spokesman told reporters after the incident.


 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/07/05/virgin-atlantic-london-flight-makes-emergency-landing-phone/ (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/07/05/virgin-atlantic-london-flight-makes-emergency-landing-phone/)


(https://i.postimg.cc/p5m9TGHN/Power-Bank-Fire.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/p5m9TGHN)
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Title: Re: How Safe Are "Power Banks" ?
Post by: Bigfoot_Mike on 09:32:28, 07/07/19
If they contain Lithium ion batteries then there is an inherent risk of fire. These contains flammable materials and can experience thermal runaway if overcharged or damaged. This is why you are not allowed to transport batteries in hold luggage. There are a huge number of batteries in use, but only a relatively small number of fires. Where the fire occurs determines how dangerous it is - in a plane hold is not good.
Title: Re: How Safe Are "Power Banks" ?
Post by: Patrick1 on 11:36:00, 08/07/19
Power banks are one thing I do stick to big name brands with, as there is clearly a significant risk of fire from them, and they're left unattended, especially when charging, for long periods of time. Of course, I'm sure even the main brands aren't completely immune from the risk, but I like to think it helps to minimise it.
Title: Re: How Safe Are "Power Banks" ?
Post by: ninthace on 13:41:38, 08/07/19
Could get one of these containment bags
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZB7qj_pqXg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZB7qj_pqXg)
Title: Re: How Safe Are "Power Banks" ?
Post by: BuzyG on 23:18:50, 08/07/19
Nothing new that charging batteries can be hazardous.  It's a chemical reaction after all.  Heck of a lot safer than they once we're.  That though is offset by the fact that now we all have a half a dozen appliances dotted about  the home and garden that run on them.