Heating Mat for battery warming - thoughts / recommendations ?

[John_S]

Sporran, Stinsy maybe Pablo,

You are probably aware that since earlier this year, Energy Storage Systems, ie batteries, are no longer allowed to be installed in attics and lofts.

I am not sure how legacy installations are affected, but, at the very least, it would be wise to install a heat and smoke detector/alarm in the battery enclosure and link it to smoke alarms in the rest of the house. Also, check with your insurance company.

[SporranMcDonald]

Unfortunately, I don't know the risk of a Pylontech Battery fire. ( The installer chose the location and did not discuss any pros&cons . . . . 8 months prior to the change in battery location guidance. )

I can see that it would be difficult for the Fire Service to fight a battery fire through a ceiling hatch.

Also ceiling joists not designed for such a loading would certainly dump the burning batteries through the ceiling once the fire gets established.

Yes, it is time to get some fire-warning devices up there. Thanks

[AE-NMidlands]

Isn't this yet another storm in a tea-cup - based on people with inadequate or outdated knowledge taking decisions on policy?

AIUI car-type batteries (Li-ion) - and Tesla Powerwalls - do have a problem with runaway energy release and fire risk after a fault of some sort, hence not putting them in lofts any more, or on building evacuation routes...
whereas Pylontechs, GivEnergy and presumably loads of others now are Li-Iron-phosphate and almost intrinsically safe. Wikipedia says

Because of their low cost, high safety, low toxicity, long cycle life and other factors, LFP batteries are finding a number of roles in vehicle use, utility-scale stationary applications, and backup power.[7] LFP batteries are cobalt-free.[8] As of September 2022, LFP type battery market share for EVs reached 31%, and of that, 68% were from EV makers Tesla and BYD alone.[9] Chinese manufacturers currently hold a near monopoly of LFP battery type production.[

My battery is in the front porch and I'm not worried about it at all... even if it did blow up we could either go out of the back door or get out through the front room windows!
A

[AGT]

Lots of. Noncompliant installs, discussed

https://mcscertified.com/wp-content/upl ... s-V0.1.pdf

Section 5.7 I think

[NoraBatty]

Look at germination mats for gardeners.
Low wattage, so you can set the temp you want it to run at, it comes with a temperature probe already to stick in the soil/battery stack, and they have wifi/remote operating options along with various options to switch on/off when temp gets too low.

[AE-NMidlands]

Lots of. Noncompliant installs, discussed

https://mcscertified.com/wp-content/upl ... s-V0.1.pdf

Section 5.7 I think

I think that this is a classic example of an organisation getting control of something and over-interpreting it in their own interests (more difficult = more expensive.)

5.7.1 All components shall be located so that escape routes from the premises are not
impeded.
5.7.2 Storage batteries shall be located so that a fire in the battery does not compromise
protected escape routes.
5.7.3 All storage battery enclosures, battery rooms, and locations in which battery enclosures
are installed, shall have adequate ventilation to prevent overheating

which takes no account of relative risk from different battery chemistries. I shall have to get ISBN 978-1-78561-278-7 from the library to see what it really says...

[AGT]

Just sharing info, only found this out last week when I did the battery training course

[Oliver90owner]

Apart from seed germination mats, there may be reptile warming mats (but the controllers would need the temperature range altering - likely difficult but not impossible. I used those for controlling fermentation temperature.

First need to know the rate of cooling expected and how much power to counteract it?

[SimonSays]

Sporran, Stinsy maybe Pablo,

You are probably aware that since earlier this year, Energy Storage Systems, ie batteries, are no longer allowed to be installed in attics and lofts.

I am not sure how legacy installations are affected, but, at the very least, it would be wise to install a heat and smoke detector/alarm in the battery enclosure and link it to smoke alarms in the rest of the house. Also, check with your insurance company.

PAS 63100:2024 is a specification, but it's not a British Standard, it's not in legislation, and it won't be retrospective.
Quoting from the document;

Code: Select all

Regarding battery location, the basic premise is that the best place for storage batteries is outside
dwellings and away from habitable rooms. Where it is not practicable to locate batteries outdoors,
some basic requirements are provided for locations containing storage batteries, based on the
principles that:
• batteries are separated from habitable rooms, and means of escape for inhabitants, by suitable
fire compartmentation;
• fire detection is provided for the battery location, interlinked to a fire alarm system to warn
inhabitants of a detected fire; and
• means of escape for inhabitants are not inhibited. 

[AGT]

However the electrical energy. Storage systems 3rd edition is an IET CoP linked to BS7671