Safe battery cabinet/storage- alternative to outdoor shed

[Festus]

I wanted to share my plans for feedback and to put it out there to see if anyone has done the same. I bought a flammable cabinet to store my DIY build. These are double walled 18gauge galvanized steel cabinets that are used in labs for solvent storage. There are cabinets specifically designed for lithium ion battery storage but they are really expensive. The solvent cabinets seem to have similar specifications, are more affordable, as well as more prevalent, and can be found much cheaper used. I paid $137 for mine on a government surplus website.

On the plus side, I was considering building an outdoor shed for added safety, but that would seriously delay finishing this project. I feel more comfortable storing indoors. I think if something catastrophic happened, everything would be contained- no guarantees, of course.

On the downside, they are very heavy, so moving it wasn't easy. I was able to do it solo but only because I had the right tools. The thing weighs close to ~375lbs for a 60gallon (34"x34"x64"). That size is a bit weird, so my pack size will have to be on the bigger size to optimize the deep shelves, probably either 140P or 180P.

This website has been a great resource. I'm still in the harvesting stage, but wanted to share my plans as everyone else's info has been a big help!

 

[gpn]

Given how the only effective way to extinguish lithium battery fires is immersion in water I'm not sure how effective the cabinet will be. It will buy some time but ultimately it will not stop the fire. The good news is that eventually all fires go out but the bad news is that happens when they run out of fuel.

 

[Jennifer]

In a fire at an ammunition factory, the only difference between a low risk expanding round/ projectile popping out of its casing on to the floor and a bullet/missile launching through a wall into someone‘s chest in the next room is one thing, “containment in a barrel and prevention from allowing safe exhaustion of the inevitable energy trying to exit“.

All my Tesla modules are going into a small cinderblock bunker outside of my house, I’m using an EVTV BMS but still wouldn’t have them inside my home, it’s just not worth it.

Jen

 

[Festus]

In a fire at an ammunition factory, the only difference between a low risk expanding round/ projectile popping out of its casing on to the floor and a bullet/missile launching through a wall into someone‘s chest in the next room is one thing, “containment in a barrel and prevention from allowing safe exhaustion of the inevitable energy trying to exit“.

All my Tesla modules are going into a small cinderblock bunker outside of my house, I’m using an EVTV BMS but still wouldn’t have them inside my home, it’s just not worth it.

Jen

I feel the same way about it as well, and that would be my preference, to have an outdoor solution. Eventually I'll get there with building a shop for all things DIY including the powerwall. In the interim I'd like something safer or some mitigation strategy. Guess the consensus here is, if a fire starts, you're screwed no matter what, or your effort is better spent preventing any issues in the first place.

 

[OffGridInTheCity]

I feel the same way about it as well, and that would be my preference, to have an outdoor solution. Eventually I'll get there with building a shop for all things DIY including the powerwall. In the interim I'd like something safer or some mitigation strategy. Guess the consensus here is, if a fire starts, you're screwed no matter what, or your effort is better spent preventing any issues in the first place.

Well... my cells are under my house (e.g. inside the house). There is concrete wall and floor on a couple of sides but above them is corrugated metal (roofing material) to block fire from the sheet-rock and to the side it's open to the 'room'. I do have fuse wires + overall shunt-trip (for shorts) and a fire extinguisher right next to it and a camera to keep an eye on things from my office.....
but of course this will not help in a cascading failure with roman candle like activity shooting out all over the place.

I also have tight BMS / control / monitoring an they operate at low stress and in the middle voltage range. I also live in the city with fire department nearby. But mainly, after nearly 5 years of working with cells, reading, and operating my Powerwall - I'm not worried that there will be a spontaneous fire under these conditions - e.g. low stress, early warning of any cells drooping (going awry), and no chance at overcharging.

Not urging you to go my path - just sharing a perspective to add to the mix