Lithium-ion batteries contain a significant amount of stored energy. While battery incidents are uncommon, early action is important if you notice anything unusual during charging, use or storage.

If a Foil Drive battery begins behaving abnormally, remember three steps:

ISOLATE → CONTAIN → MONITOR

Warning Signs

Stop charging or using the battery immediately if you notice:

• Unexpected or excessive heat
• Swelling or deformation
• Smoke or vapour
• Unusual or strong smells
• Leaking
• Hissing, popping or unusual sounds
• Unusual charger behaviour
• Any other sudden or unexplained change in the battery

Do not continue charging a battery to see if the condition improves.

1. ISOLATE

If it is safe to do so, disconnect the charger and move away from the battery.

If the battery can be safely moved without exposing yourself to heat, smoke, flames or other hazards, relocate it outside and away from people, buildings, vehicles and combustible materials.

Place it on a non-combustible surface such as concrete where possible.

If the battery is already smoking heavily, venting, extremely hot or on fire, do not put yourself at risk attempting to move it. Evacuate the area and contact emergency services.

2. CONTAIN

If the battery can be safely handled and there is no active fire or dangerous venting, place the battery into a suitable container filled with fresh water.

Ensure the entire battery is completely submerged.

Full submersion helps cool the battery and surrounding cells. A lithium-ion battery can retain significant stored energy even after the initial incident appears to have stopped.

Do not retrieve, open, dismantle, puncture or otherwise interfere with the battery once it has been contained.

If there is an active fire, significant smoke or rapidly escalating condition, prioritise evacuation and follow the instructions of your local fire and emergency services rather than attempting to contain the battery yourself.

3. MONITOR

Contact your local fire department or emergency services for immediate assistance and advice.

A battery that appears to have cooled or stopped smoking can still present a risk of re-ignition or further thermal events. Keep people away from the area and continue monitoring from a safe distance until emergency personnel advise otherwise.

Once the immediate situation is under control, contact Foil Drive Support and provide as much information as possible about the incident.

Where safe and available, retain:

• The affected battery
• The charger used
• Other Foil Drive components involved
• Photos or video of the battery, charger and surrounding area
• Details of what occurred before, during and after the incident
• Any fire department or incident reports

Do not use your Foil Drive until further notice. This includes charging other batteries.

Following any suspected battery incident:

Do not charge, connect, test or use the affected battery or any Foil Drive components involved in the incident until you have spoken with Foil Drive Support and received further instructions.

Remember

ISOLATE — Stop charging/use and, only if safe, move the battery away from people and structures.

CONTAIN — If safe and there is no active fire or dangerous venting, fully submerge the battery in fresh water.

MONITOR — Contact emergency services, keep the area clear and continue monitoring from a safe distance.

What Can Contribute to a Lithium-Ion Battery Fire?

When used, handled and stored correctly, they are generally very reliable. However, certain types of damage or exposure can compromise the battery and increase the risk of an internal failure or thermal runaway.

Some of the most important factors include:

Water Exposure — Especially Salt Water

Water ingress can damage a battery's cells, electrical connections and Battery Management System (BMS).

Salt water is particularly problematic because it is highly conductive and corrosive. If salt water enters a battery, it can cause:

• Corrosion of electrical components and connections
• Unintended electrical pathways and short circuits
• Damage that continues developing after the battery has been removed from the water
• Internal heating or cell failure
• Increased risk of a thermal event

A battery exposed to water may not show obvious signs of damage immediately. Do not charge or use a battery if you suspect water has entered it.

Dropping or Impacting the Battery

A battery can sustain internal damage even when there is little or no visible damage to the outside.

Dropping, crushing or subjecting a battery to a significant impact can potentially:

• Damage individual cells
• Deform or puncture internal cell structures
• Damage electrical connections
• Compromise internal insulation
• Create an internal short circuit
• Increase the risk of overheating or thermal runaway

Importantly, an impact-related failure does not necessarily occur immediately. A damaged battery may initially appear to operate normally before developing problems later.

If your battery has experienced a significant drop or impact, do not charge it until it has been assessed.

Other Factors That Can Increase Risk

Other conditions that can damage a lithium-ion battery or contribute to a thermal event include:

• Using an incorrect charger — particularly a charger with an incompatible voltage.
• Charging a damaged battery — charging introduces energy into the battery and can escalate an existing internal fault.
• Charging while the battery is excessively hot — always allow the battery to cool after a session before charging.
• Physical crushing, puncturing or deformation of the battery.
• Damaged or contaminated connectors that can create excessive resistance or unintended electrical connections.
• Exposure to excessive external heat, including fire or prolonged high-temperature environments.

What Should I Look For?

Before charging or using your Foil Drive battery, check for anything unusual, including swelling, deformation, unexpected heat, leaking, corrosion, unusual smells, smoke, damaged connectors or evidence of water ingress or impact.

If something doesn't look or behave normally, do not charge or use the battery.

Follow our Battery Emergency – Isolate, Contain, Monitor procedure if a battery begins displaying signs of an active battery incident.