Lithium battery fires are among the most dangerous types of fire. Nearly all lithium batteries connected to solar systems in South Africa are lithium-iron phosphate (LiFePO4), and this type of battery is considered the most stable of lithium batteries. While they are unlikely to experience thermal runaway under normal operating conditions, and for the sake of safety, it is important to understand the risks.
There are three primary causes of lithium battery fires:
- Piercing (physical damage), which can occur if something bumps into or pierce a battery, can lead to a thermal runaway.
- Overcharging, which can also cause thermal runaways, in most cases caused by improper or neglected maintenance.
- Excessive external heat (nearby fire or high ambient temperatures), faulty cabling and poor connections can also lead to thermal runaway.
Read this MyBroadband article for more info.
Regular Maintenance
To ensure the safety and optimal performance of a solar PV system, regular servicing and adjustments tailored to seasonal variations are essential.
- During summer, the battery’s depth of discharge (lower SOC %) may differ significantly from the preferred settings in winter (higher SOC %), as limited energy generation in the colder months often prevents charging the batteries to full capacity. Additionally, setting the charge/discharge rate too high can lead to overheating, especially when ambient temperatures are elevated.
- While there is communication typically between the inverter and the battery controlling the charging/discharging, inverters generally need to be manually programmed to charge/discharge as per the battery specifications to ensure healthy operation throughout the designed lifecycle. Charge voltages, the rate of charge/discharge and depth of discharge need to be checked and adjusted on a regular basis.
- Furthermore, it is very important that lithium batteries are fully charged and reach 100% at least once a week for maintaining their optimal health and ensuring balanced cell operation. Lithium batteries rely on proper charge cycles to prevent cell imbalance, optimise capacity retention, and reduce long-term degradation. Regularly reaching a full charge helps recalibrate the battery’s management system, ensuring accurate readings of its state of charge and overall performance.
If well-serviced and maintained, your investment in solar will outperform grid-supplied power in Rand per kWh, and that gap will grow over the years.
AWPower Solar Maintenance & Support Agreement (SM&SA)
To protect your investment in solar, and ensure a safe & efficient operating environment, we recommend you subscribe to an AWPower Solar Maintenance & Support Agreement (SM&SA) with 1-, 2- or 3-year payment options. SM&SA subscribers will receive scheduled servicing and priority services at reduced rates.
If your solar system was not installed by AWPower, you may consider a once-off AWPower Solar Systems Audit, which will provide you with a 60-point Risk Analysis of how well your installed system was designed and installed to provide reliable energy security, cost savings and safe operation. And importantly, how well your installed system is conforming to local SA insurance requirements.
SANTAM
It is our pleasure to announce that AWPower has been appointed as a SANTAM-approved partner, thereby ensuring that our clients receive the best services, best rates, and best risk mitigation solutions, in the knowledge that AWPower’s designs, installations and support conform with stringent insurance requirements.