LiFePO4 battery leak is relatively rare, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. Although the LiFePO4 battery safety is high, in some extreme cases, there is a risk of damage, such as liquid leakage.
What is LiFePO4 Battery Leak?
LiFePO4 battery leak generally refers to the leakage of electrolyte, that is, the liquid usually between the positive and negative electrodes of the battery. This kind of liquid generally emits a special odor, and some are also toxic, so this needs to be paid attention to when battery leakage occurs.
Battery electrolyte is an important part of battery charging and discharging, and also an important part of judging battery performance. Therefore, battery leakage will have a certain impact on the performance of the battery.
How does LiFePO4 Battery Leak Happen?
The LiFePO4 battery leak is relatively rare, and the main reason is that the structure of LiFePO4 batteries is relatively complete, and the production process is relatively stable. But this is all based on the premise that LiFePO4 batteries are high-quality products. The probability of leakage of some inferior LiFePO4 batteries is much higher than that of high-quality LiFePO4 batteries. Therefore, we need to reject fake LiFePO4 batteries.
The LiFePO4 battery leak mainly occurs in the case of improper human operation. Generally, it can be considered that there are 2 reasons for the LiFePO4 battery leak.
- Overcharge and over-dischargeof LiFePO4 batteries. Overcharging and over-discharging are very harmful to the battery. In this state for a long time, it will lead to the problem of battery swelling. If the swelling battery continues to be used, battery leakage may occur in the future, and because the battery leakage is caused by the swelling, this means that the internal chemical reaction is more violent, which will lead to increased danger and the smell of the electrolyte. It will be more intense, more, and it will take on a burnt flavor.
- Battery leakage caused by physical damage. Generally, electrolyte leakage caused by damaged battery packaging or violent collision. The smell of battery leakage under normal conditions is not so strong, but it will also have an irritating smell.
What should I do if the LiFePO4 Battery Leak?
Generally speaking, if the leakage of LiFePO4 battery has occurred, it can be basically considered that there is no way to save it. Unlike some common items, LiFePO4 batteries can be used as long as the damaged parts are filled. LiFePO4 battery is a kind of industrial product. Inside the battery, professional equipment controls the quantity of each component, and finally it is professionally produced. Liquid leakage means that the internal environment of the battery is directly exposed to the air, and it is difficult to judge whether the chemical substances inside the battery have changed due to this.
So in the unfortunate event that your LiFePO4 battery leaks, you should consider replacing the battery as soon as possible, which is responsible for your safety.
But there are exceptions, what we call “Fake Leaks”, which are salvageable. “Fake Leaks” refers to the fact that the manufacturer did not conduct a thorough inspection of the battery when the battery was shipped from the factory, resulting in residual electrolyte in some parts of the battery. If this happens, just scrape the electrolyte away with a knife and wipe it clean with a dry paper towel.
Not only LiFePO4 battery leak, any battery leakage will have a bad effect on us. At present, the electrolyte of LiFePO4 battery is a combination of lithium hexafluorophosphate and organic solvent. Lithium hexafluorophosphate is easily decomposed to generate hydrogen fluoride, which is a highly toxic substance, and organic solvents are also toxic to a certain extent. Of course, there are other toxic products as well. Therefore, we need to pay attention, in case of spillage splashing on the skin, wash it with water as soon as possible, and in case of unfortunate splashing on wounds or eyes and other parts, you need to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Summary
Although LiFePO4 battery leak is not a common fault, it is always good for us to know about it. Every time we learn more, LiFePO4 batteries have more benefits than we can discover.
My old LiFePO4 battery was on its side in a plastic case. I had kept it just for measuring the case/foam fit for my new battery which I was going to purchase in the spring. I used this old on my kayak and just had it strapped into a basket. The kayak tipped over and was overturned for quite a while before I could right it. Straps kept the battery in the basket, but obviously the post were exposed to the water. I let it dry out a few days and then charged and tested it a few times, but it appeared dead – no surprise. This lead to my deciding to put the battery into a watertight case. So I had this old battery to size everything for the new battery, and never saw anything odd about it. I let the old battery in the case, laying on its side. Now a few weeks later I go to work on setting up my harnesses for this set up and when I pick up the case, this clear liquid runs out!! I had no idea what it was, but quickly put the case on its side again. I am reading about this, and seems that the stinky electrolyte is probably what was running out, BUT, there is no visual swelling or damage to the battery! Could it have leaked out somewhere that I can’t see? and why? I thought this was the perfect battery for this cause, but now I am kind of afraid of it. For this instance I need to have it on its side, which I thought was perfectly fine for it. I am just looking for some solid knowledge on what may have happened, what I should do differently with a new one so this doesn’t happen while I am out in my kayak. I have a solar panel and controller that I charge the battery with while I am out in the kayak using my trolling motor. Any info is appreciated.