Thread

Vermont replacing power plants with home batteries

389 points · 304 comments · devonnull

alexnewman · 1790725941 · focus · HN ↗
Note I have a Tesla powerwall at home. They installed it inside before I bought the house. I always wonder what happens when these things catch fire
1. margalabargala · 1790726342 · focus · HN ↗
  > I always wonder what happens when these things catch fire
  If you're hoping someone will chime in to tell you they have magic firefighting foam inside them or something, I regret to inform you that what happens if it catches fire is exactly what one might naively expect from large lithium batteries.
  1. SoftTalker · 1790727151 · focus · HN ↗
    Yep. I'd never have a large battery like that in my house. Outside, a safe distance away, maybe.
    bradfa · 1790727339 · focus · HN ↗
    Unless you plan to physically assault it with weapons, it’s extremely unlikely to catch fire.
    fhdkweig · 1790729680 · focus · HN ↗
    Newer LiFePo4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) batteries don't have the fire issues that the previous Lithium Ion generation did. They are a bit more expensive and heavier, but they are superior in every other way (safety, lifespan, max charge cycles).
    Synaesthesia · 1790734447 · focus · HN ↗
    They're actually cheaper than NMC and are the dominant chemistry.
2. medler · 1790730244 · focus · HN ↗
  Which version do you have? I believe they switched to LFP for V3, which should pose significantly less fire risk than the NMC chemistry they were using for V2 and before
  1. alexnewman · 1791067162 · focus · HN ↗
    V2+
3. thelastgallon · 1790754017 · focus · HN ↗
  A battery being tested: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPTgg3joL5E" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPTgg3joL5E
  CATL: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPTgg3joL5E" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPTgg3joL5E

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