this post was submitted on 01 Jan 2025
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[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (3 children)

That’s the first video I’ve seen. It looks almost like fireworks. I’ve only seen smaller batteries explode, but it doesn’t look like this.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (3 children)

That is absolutely not how batteries burn. They offgas hydrogen and that ignites. Like this: https://youtu.be/AWi7AeZaNcI?si=Tl9BGaDbdTOmkvKH

It’s less of an explosion and more of a fast burning flame.

Another example: https://youtu.be/T71cVhxG_v4?si=rawvoZvZxmAPrIxn

Another: https://youtu.be/N98VFQGsxIc?si=OPXGyb7M5GWADfIg

This truck looks like it was blown up.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Hydrogen? It's evaporated solvents.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

Well I stand corrected. I was always told it was hydrogen gas. Looks like that’s a myth propagated by earlier open-cell varieties that would vent hydrogen during normal operation.

What I do know from experience is that the gases smell like toothpaste. At least in the smaller lipo jelly roll packs

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

It used to be hydrogen when charging lead acid batteries, for example. NiMH also produces hydrogen once they are full, but that is internally converted back to water via a catalyst (hence they can be charged at 1/10 forever with only getting warm).

Not sure which chemistry would produce hydrogen during a thermal runaway event.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

That’s how I expected it to look, like a scaled up laptop battery fire.

What do you think those rocket-like projectiles are in the posted video? They honestly look like fireworks, like jumping jacks or helicopters.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago (1 children)

The updated version of the article says it might just be fireworks. It’s Las Vegas and New Years. Not to mention there’s probably a decent intersection between Cybertruck owners and illegal fireworks enthusiasts.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

intersection between Cybertruck owners and illegal fireworks enthusiasts.

Well that's not much of a venn diagram then, just a circle of the entire population with a smaller circle of Cybertruck owners. Because those are the best fireworks.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

Lead acid batteries can off-gas hydrogen.
Not sure exactly what liion batteries create other than 'vapor'. It certainly can explode in a similar way.
https://www.evfiresafe.com/ is a good resource on ev fire behaviour.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago

That’s the first video I’ve seen. It looks almost like fireworks.

That's because it is. Someone stuffed their Trunk full of Fireworks and set them off.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

It looks almost like fireworks

Happy New Year festivities gone wrong?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

Sure looks like it.