BS: Bang went the Battery

Subject: BS: Bang went the Battery
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 16 Aug 06 - 12:02 AM

A previous thread, on alternate fuels or some such, had some comment on the hazards of Lithium Ion batteries. I can't recall enough of the other content of the thread, so a new one is needed to bring to the attention of those who may have missed it:

Dell is (again) recalling 4.1 million laptop batteries due to concerns over possible manufacturing defects that could cause overheating of the batteries and "flaming laptops." (Yes, it sounds like a new "table-dance" routine, but it's really about batteries.)

The half dozen incidents with the suspect lots of batteries resulted in no injuries, but if one has a recently purchased Dell laptop a check on whether they owe you a new battery might be in order.

While it's on the borderline of "sensationalizing" the story, the picture at the NY Times of Thomas Forqueran is just too good to pass up linking. Check out the pic, and then go to the slightly more "balanced" view of the problem at PC Magazine, What You Need to Know About Dell's Recall, 08.15.06, By Cisco Cheng and Kyle Monson

John

Subject: RE: BS: Bang went the Battery
From: PoppaGator
Date: 16 Aug 06 - 12:14 AM

We just bought new Dell laptops for our two sons, so I took notice when I learned about this recall yesterday. However, our units are in the clear, I think, because they shipped in August, and the recall notice gives a July date as the end of the period when the computers with suspect batteries were shipped.

Subject: RE: BS: Bang went the Battery
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 16 Aug 06 - 01:34 AM

PoppaGator -

I think the second link first post gives a website that Dell is setting up so that you'll be able to check and be sure. I don't know if Dell even has all the info up as yet. There should be lot numbers, if not serial numbers, on the batteries for positive identification.

There have been at least a dozen prior recalls of laptop batteries since they started using the Li type. Thus far, I haven't seen any reports of injury or even any really serious damage - unless you count that pallet of several thousand cells that all went up in one spit at LA International Airport a couple of years ago.

I haven't attempted to track recalls for any other kinds of devices, but there have been several for recalls of Li batteries in GPS units, cell phones, mp3 players, and others. Most of these are lower volume, and in more fragmented markets where no one producer puts out too many of a given kind, so they haven't drawn nearly as much attention as the computers. And the batteries are much smaller in most of them; but Ya' might take it real personal if a device you had stuck in your ear started spittin' sparks at ya'.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Bang went the Battery
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 16 Aug 06 - 07:48 AM

I bet there's a certain Mr Hicks glad he didn't have a laptop when he was caught by the USA...

Subject: RE: BS: Bang went the Battery
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Aug 06 - 02:23 PM

Our newspaper said there are other manufacturers that use the same Sony battery, and those firms may have to recall laptops, too - any word on who those manufacturers are? This article lists some - Hewlett-Packard, Apple and Lenovo - but doesn't list Sony.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Bang went the Battery
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 16 Aug 06 - 03:44 PM

Joe O

Sony is one of the MAJOR battery manufactures, and they make batteries under many "brand names," often using the "brand name" of the computer - or other device - maker who's buying them. Quite probably the "defect" in question came from only one of several battery factories, and possibly from a single run from a single line in that factory. It make take a while to determine whether any other batteries should be recalled - even if made by Sony in the same plant. Even batteries made on the same production line using different tooling may not be considered at risk.

A device manufacturer who issues a recall offer risks rather serious legal liabilities if the Consumer Product Safety Commission is not notifed and allowed to "give permission" before any public information is released, so "beaurocratic processing" must proceed before any other manufacturers can participate.

It must be noted that only 6 "incidents" have thus far been reported in 4 million batteries in the group being recalled, so the actual risk to users is "close to zero" - based on current statistics - for any particular person who has one of the ones being recalled now. There is said to be evidence that "mishandling" can progressively increase the likelihood of the kind of failures seen, so an early action may prevent a higher percentage of the ones "out there" from becoming a hazard.

You can search the database of recalls at the Consumer Product Safety Commission website. A search about a month ago, using "lithium" and "battery" as search terms, showed:

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

25JAN1996        Release # 96-064        CPSC, Texas Instruments Announce Battery Charger Recall For Travelmate 4000m Notebook Computers
04SEP1997; Rev 18JAN2002        Release # 97-183        CPSC, Digital Equipment Corp. Announce Recall of AC Adapters for Notebook Computers
21JUN2005        Alert #05-582         CPSC, Belkin Announce Recall of Batteries Sold with Bluetooth™ GPS Navigation System

Computer Battery Recalls by Date and CPSC Release Number (#)
These were the ones easy to find

27OCT2000        # 01-022        Compaq: Recall of Notebook Computer Battery Packs
03MAY2001        # 01-140        Dell Computer Corp.: Recall of Notebook Computer Batteries
13NOV2001        # 02-037        Computer Distributors: Recall of Batteries for Notebook Computers
19AUG2004        # 04-201        Apple: Recall of PowerBook Computer Batteries
20MAY2005        #05-179        Apple: Recall of iBook and PowerBook Computer Batteries
22JUN2005        #05-204        Battery-Biz: Recall of Notebook Computer Batteries
14OCT2005        #06-007        Hewlett-Packard Company: Recall of Notebook Computer Batteries
16DEC2005        #06-056        Dell: Recall of Notebook Computer Batteries
20APR2006        #06-145        HP Recalls Notebook Computer Batteries Due to Fire Hazard

Additional Battery Recalls have occurred for Cell Phones, GPS Nav Systems, and other small portable devices.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Bang went the Battery
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 16 Aug 06 - 03:49 PM

It does all make one wonder about that new electric super sports car that, in order to get the performance claimed, probably must be using about 400+ pounds of batteries of this kind(?) which obviously will be built on short-run production lines where it will be very difficult to assure consistent quality.

Maybe(?)

John

Subject: RE: BS: Bang went the Battery
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Aug 06 - 04:15 PM

I checked mine last night after hearing about it from a friend who saw it on the news. I didn't have to take my battery out, though, the numbers were pasted on the outside, plus my model Inspiron 1200 is not on the list, so far. According to https://www.dellbatteryprogram.com/ my battery is not on ther recall list, so far. I will keep checking, though, as it seems there may be more they have not listed, yet.

My laptop is tunred off unless I am using it and I always use it plugged in, so I haven't been too worried anyway.

Thanks, JohninKS!

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Bang went the Battery
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 16 Aug 06 - 07:51 PM

Lithium is a fun metal in pure form - eve more fun than sodium, and that lab display of putting a tiny piece on the top of water is real fun, even for sodium.

Subject: RE: BS: Bang went the Battery
From: robomatic
Date: 16 Aug 06 - 08:35 PM

"Flaming Laptops" sounds like a good name for a band.

Subject: RE: BS: Bang went the Battery
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Aug 06 - 08:37 PM

Or, a lap-dancer...

Subject: RE: BS: Bang went the Battery
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 16 Aug 06 - 08:47 PM

Actually the thread title keeps suggesting a parody along the lines of...

"Clang, clang, clang went the trolley,
Zing went the strings of my heart".....