Loose 18650 lithium batteries may cause overheating and explosion.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a warning that consumers should not purchase or use bulk 18650 lithium-ion batteries, as they may cause fires.
18650 lithium batteries are very safe to use with the correct equipment. However, purchasing or using bulk 18650 lithium batteries is a very dangerous thing for consumers. CPSC states that rechargeable lithium batteries ("loose batteries") that are not installed in devices or are not part of a complete battery, and are not properly protected, may pose a risk to consumers when handled, transported, stored, charged, or used to power devices. Specifically, these battery cells may have exposed metal positive and negative poles, which can short-circuit when they come into contact with metal objects such as keys or loose change in pockets. Once short circuited, loose batteries may overheat and suffer from thermal runaway, igniting the internal materials of the battery and forcibly expelling the burning contents, leading to fires, explosions, serious injuries, and even death. Back then, Samsung's Note 7 was recalled globally due to a rare manufacturing error that caused the positive and negative poles to come into contact, resulting in multiple phone explosions.
In addition, if consumers use loose batteries in inappropriate chargers, it may lead to thermal runaway, resulting in charging beyond battery specifications. Unfortunately, an increasing number of small electronic products, such as e-cigarettes, small fans, night lights, and some toys, are using loose 18650 lithium batteries. CPSC is collaborating with e-commerce websites including eBay to remove bulk 18650 lithium batteries.
The injuries related to 18650 lithium battery explosions have been recorded for several years, but with the increasing sales of online e-commerce, the frequency of accidents has also increased.
There are many types of lithium batteries, why did CPSC only mention 18650 lithium batteries? CPSC explains that 18650 lithium batteries are easily available and often used as standalone consumer batteries, but without protective circuits. If you need to purchase, please also purchase 18650 lithium batteries with protective circuits.
