Safety requirements for lithium battery station cabinets

Not every cabinet or storage solution offers sufficient protection against battery fires. Many manufacturers refer to existing guidelines, such as EN 14470-1. But these do not address the specific risks of lithium-ion batteries. EN 14470-1 cabinets are designed for storing chemicals. They primarily protect against external fire sources.

The number of lithium-ion battery fires continues to rise – and with it, the associated damage. Insurers are taking notice and are introducing increasingly strict requirements for how batteries are charged and stored. In many cases, a fire-resistant battery safe is even mandatory.

Overheating, damage or a fall can cause internal faults – potentially leading to spontaneous battery fires. This can result in: That's why it's important not only to store lithium-ion batteries safely, but also to understand and comply with applicable regulations.

Additionally, supplementary safety requirements have been formulated. For instance, the doors of the battery safe must always be closed after a few minutes, because only then can a fire be contained within the safe. This can be achieved through an alarm that warns the doors are still open, or by self-closing doors.

Many existing solutions, such as EN 14470-1 chemical cabinets, do not provide the necessary safety in the event of a battery fire. Incidents where batteries become extremely hot and ignite lead to situations where flames shoot out of the cabinet and doors burst open, with all the ensuing consequences.

In general lithium-ion batteries should always be removed from the devices they power and stored at 60-70% of the pack's capacity. If a battery will go unused for three more days, it should be stored in a cabinet or larger store. Once disconnected, storing lithium-ion batteries follows similar principles as the correct storage of chemicals.