Tech Tips for Non-Tech People!
Original Air Date: Dec 21, 2015
Lithium Battery Fires
By now, you’ve most likely heard about the controversy surrounding the so-called hoverboards that have been catching on fire all around the world.
The likely cause is from shoddy assembly processes from cheap Chinese manufacturers that dump untested products on the world’s markets in hopes of cashing in on a fad.
Improperly matching a charging system with lithium ion batteries is a recipe for disaster, and that seems to be one of the major issues with these hoverboards.
The lesson to be learned applies to everything you charge that has a lithium ion battery: make sure you’re using the proper charger.
We routinely see laptop owners with a multitude of problems because they purchased a cheap universal charger when their original charger went bad.
Not only can a mismatched charger cause overheating, it can shorten the life of your battery.
If you ever detect bulging or excessive heat from any of your batteries, especially while charging, you should stop using them and have them inspected or replaced.