Right now your e-bike battery is probably just sitting in the shed.
Usually that goes fine. But a battery that has fallen, or that charges unattended, needs a spot where it cannot take anything with it if things go wrong. That is what a closed case is for.
Three moments when a bicycle battery becomes a risk.
Not every battery is dangerous, and most last for years without any trouble. The risk sits in a few recognisable situations, and those are exactly the ones simple equipment can cover.
While charging
This is what the Dutch fire service's public information focuses on: charge while you are home, always use the original charger, unplug it as soon as the battery is full, and place the battery on a non-combustible surface.
After a fall or a knock
The damage sits inside and is often not visible from the outside. A battery that has fallen can still show a problem days or weeks later. Have it checked, and do not charge it unattended until then.
While in storage
Between October and March the bike often stands idle and the battery sits somewhere. Keep it at room temperature, not in freezing cold, and preferably in something that closes.
What you can use at home
4 products
E-Bike Battery Safety Case
UN 3480 · P908 · 4H2/Y13/S HomeBusiness
Mobility Scooter Battery Safety Case
UN 3480 · P908 HomeBusiness
Large Battery Safety Case
UN 3481 · LP904 HomeBusiness
HT-IV 1000 Fire-Resistant Insulation Blanket
Thermal insulation HomeBusinessLooking for something for multiple batteries, a storage room or a business? The rest of the range is on the for business page.
Questions most often asked at home
Do I have to comply with rules as a private individual?
No. PGS 37-2, the guideline for battery storage, is aimed at commercial storage. The draft decree meant to anchor those rules in law explicitly states that private individuals with a home battery or an electric vehicle fall outside it.
So you are not required to do anything. The reason to arrange something anyway is that a battery fire indoors develops quickly, and your insurer will look afterwards at what you could reasonably have done.
Am I allowed to charge my e-bike battery indoors?
Yes. The Dutch fire service advises: always use the original charger, charge as much as possible while you are home, unplug the charger as soon as the battery is full, place the battery on a non-combustible surface, and install a smoke alarm where you charge.
Can I leave my battery in the shed?
Charging outdoors is safer than indoors, but an uninsulated shed is not a good place to store a battery, especially in autumn and winter when the bike stands idle. Store the battery at room temperature, not in freezing cold.
If you do want to keep it in the shed, do so in a closed, fire-safe case on a non-combustible surface.
My battery has fallen. Can I keep using it?
A battery that has fallen can be damaged inside without you seeing anything on the outside. Such damage can still show up days or weeks later.
Have a battery that has fallen checked, and do not charge it unattended until then. The same applies to a swollen or deformed housing: that battery no longer belongs on the charger.
How do I put out a battery fire?
Call emergency services first and get yourself to safety. A lithium battery generates its own oxygen during a thermal runaway, which is why extinguishing does not stop the reaction. Cooling does work, but has to be kept up for a long time.
A fire-resistant insulation blanket can contain the fire on the spot and stop it spreading to the bike, the car or the rest of the garage. Only use it if that can be done without risk.