INDIANAPOLIS -- It’s no exaggeration to say lithium-ion batteries power our high-tech world, but while there are a lot of advantages to using them, they can also be dangerous.
Lithium-ion batteries are lightweight and portable enough to be used in something as small as a phone, but as we’ve seen in recent months, using them also comes with a risk.
We’ve seen cell phones and e-cigarettes exploding, hoverboards blowing up and now headphones catching fire and all of these have had one thing in common: they used lithium ion batteries.
Amy Marconnet, Assistant Professor of Engineering at Purdue University, said to keep you and your family safe, make sure you are using your devices the way they were designed to be used.
“If your phone, for instance, is not meant to quick charge and you quick charge it – you’re stressing it in a way that it wasn’t designed for,” said Marconnet. “Using it out of its intended purpose, using it when it’s damaged and various things like that can all cause thermal issues.”
While many of these “explosions” have happened in the air, Maconnet said that being on a plane does not make your battery more likely to explode. But she says you should be keeping your devices accessible if you do take them on a trip, just in case there’s an issue.
Some tips to keep safe while using devices with lithium-ion batteries:
- Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions
- Only use the batteries that were designed for your particular device
- Only use a charging cord that came with your device or is made for your device
- Charge your device on a hard, flat surface. Never charge your device on carpet, furniture or on top of clothing or bedding
- Keep your battery and device out of direct sunlight/store at room temperature
Stop using your device if you notice any of the following:
- An odor coming from where the battery is
- Extreme heat
- Change in shape
- Leaking
- Odd noises
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