Ryobi one+ battery overcharge - fire hazard?

[bogmonster]

Just a heads up, my Ryobi charger has malfunctioned and now overcharges batteries. It is an older design ni-cad unit. I found one of the battery packs melting itself over the charger - all the plastic has deformed. I inspected the other packs and another battery has also overheated. I have contacted Ryobi as I think this is potentially quite dangerous - waiting for a reply.

The battery pack was very hot - not sure if it is a fire hazard but just a warning. Might be worth making sure you don't leave chargers turned on and also make sure they are not on a flammable surface. Mine was on a plywood shelf :shock:

 

[MMUK]

That's nothing. I had a brand new 4Ah DeWalt Li-Ion battery actually get so hot it caught fire - in use!

 

[bogmonster]

All these batteries are inherently dangerous. Hardly any courier company will permit the public to send batteries, especially lithium ones, in parcels. I have had a lithium battery fire as well, at least I was there to deal with it. The charger worried me as it was melting down in my garage workshop attached to my house where the family were all sleeping. Had there been a fire it may have been some time before it was noticed. Reminder to self, check batteries in smoke detectors...

 

[MMUK]

If I need to leave a charger on when I'm not around, I stick it on a mechanical timer plugged into an RCD. If it's a one hour charge time, I set the timer to 1 hr 15 mins, just allowing a little more as stated charge times aren't set in stone on site - some batteries can take a little longer or a little less. One of my Makita batteries takes about 30 mins to charge fully, not 22 mins as the charger says. This is the one that's had heaviest use though and is about nine years old so it may well be on it's way out. had my money's worth out of it though so I won't complain.

 

[carlb40]

If I need to leave a charger on when I'm not around, I stick it on a mechanical timer plugged into an RCD. If it's a one hour charge time, I set the timer to 1 hr 15 mins, just allowing a little more as stated charge times aren't set in stone on site - some batteries can take a little longer or a little less. One of my Makita batteries takes about 30 mins to charge fully, not 22 mins as the charger says. This is the one that's had heaviest use though and is about nine years old so it may well be on it's way out. had my money's worth out of it though so I won't complain.

Jeez 9yrs. I'm lucky to get 18 - 24 months out of my makita batteries :shock:

 

[RogerP]

Jeez 9yrs. I'm lucky to get 18 - 24 months out of my makita batteries :shock:

Recently had a Makita NiCad battery fail after at least 7 years. Only one cell so I'll replace it - eventually.

 

[MMUK]

If I need to leave a charger on when I'm not around, I stick it on a mechanical timer plugged into an RCD. If it's a one hour charge time, I set the timer to 1 hr 15 mins, just allowing a little more as stated charge times aren't set in stone on site - some batteries can take a little longer or a little less. One of my Makita batteries takes about 30 mins to charge fully, not 22 mins as the charger says. This is the one that's had heaviest use though and is about nine years old so it may well be on it's way out. had my money's worth out of it though so I won't complain.

Jeez 9yrs. I'm lucky to get 18 - 24 months out of my makita batteries :shock:

My dad still has my old 12v Ni-Cd and half a dozen batteries. Must be 14 years old now. batteries only started failing a few months ago.

 

[RogerS]

Boeing seem to have a bit of experience in this area....batteries catching fire :-"

 

[bogmonster]

Well, I thought I would update you on what Ryobi had to say.... Here goes......


....
....
....


....that's right, nothing, no acknowledgement at all. I am not very impressed. Shame on you Ryobi.

BM

 

[RogerS]

I'm not surprised. I had a problem with a Makita crosscut mitre saw. Reply? Nope. Nada.

 

[MMUK]

I'm not surprised. I had a problem with a Makita crosscut mitre saw. Reply? Nope. Nada.

Who did you try to contact? Just customer services in general? How old is the saw?

Try contacting Kevin Brannigan. he's the marketing manager but tell him I sent you and he'll have a word.

Steve (DCI Solutions UK) (hammer)

 

[RogerS]

Thanks for the suggestions but the saw is long gone. It was customer services.