Hi guys, I’m new here, I have a motorhome but not a T6 but bear with me as this could be life saving for you! Yesterday I took my ALLPOWERS 288wh solar generator I bought in April last year and has worked perfectly out of the camper van to use in the garden with the kids to charge an iPad, (I have just upgraded to the ALLPOWERS 372Wh) it was plugged into the usb socket. We were all lying on the grass as it was a lovely day when I heard a pop inside the unit, I thought that doesn’t sound right so was more alert, then a couple more popping sounds, not loud but audible, I decided to unplug the iPad and move it to a paved area as I have heard about lithium batteries, well 5 seconds later this happened, had I been carrying it I would have been seriously injured if not dead, if it had happened on the grass it would have melted the kids faces, if it had been in my motorhome total destruction! Lucky I had a fire blanket hanging just inside the kitchen door, my walls are scorched both ends, plants and hose melted. I have a Poweroak 2,400 arriving tomorrow and I am SO concerned, I realise I could have been the one in a million with a dodgy one but my message to you all is stay vigilant, if you hear a popping sound from inside ANY device then I suggest taking action urgently. Sorry to intrude but if a life can be saved it’s worth it! BE SAFE OUT THERE
Campervan Lithium power bank HUGE explosion, please be vigilant!
- Thread starter Johns
- Start date
Yes very scary. It was caught on my security cameras at my back door, I don’t know how to down load them so replayed them and videod it with my phone but it does the job to show what happened, it’s just two cameras at the back door.
P
Phil_G
Guest
... one of which has automatic pan & zoom?
No just two fixed cameras, I used my phone to film them playing back on my iPad as I don’t know how to download the footage, I can replay but don’t know how to download, but the phone footage shows what happened. As I said just be careful I have had this since April with no issue, I updated to the newer 372Wh with digital display which is a neat design and seems better constructed than this one, the metal casing certainly did it’s job but that did force the explosion forward and backwards, my walls are scorched, this is the box this morning. My Oakpower 2,400 arrives tomorrow and just afraid of what would happen if that did the same, luckily these seem rare occurrences but my message is just be vigilant and if a gut sense tells you something isn’t right go with it, if I had been holding that goodness knows what would have happened, apart from the little pops there was no smoke or other signs until what you saw.
I’m going to leave you guys to it but happy to answer any questions, not really a lot to say just lucky it was outside and I went with my gut feeling. I had a twisted ankle and had it strapped up but that certainly made me move, at least the kids are OK and only minor damage, I will continue to use my 372Wh one but perhaps be a bit more cautious where I store it, just make sure if you have one you have a fire blanket and a planned escape, also which way you store it, the metal did it’s job but if that jet flame had gone down the centre of my motorhome we would have had big issues.
Im grown up about it and no snowflake, I dealt with the issue, what has happened has happened, I’m not preaching and I’m as keen on technology as the best person, but this was just scary and wanted to let others make their own judgements and safety arrangements, just in case another one in a million happens! Cheers,
Im grown up about it and no snowflake, I dealt with the issue, what has happened has happened, I’m not preaching and I’m as keen on technology as the best person, but this was just scary and wanted to let others make their own judgements and safety arrangements, just in case another one in a million happens! Cheers,
I used to work at sea with Lithium Thionyl Chloride batteries that would occasionally ‘fail’, the emergency PPE kit for dealing with them was what I would describe as
The Hurt Locker Lite.
My vans leisure battery is not lithium and is under the van. No way I’d put lithium inside no matter how much the technology has improved.
Glad nobody was injured.
The Hurt Locker Lite.
My vans leisure battery is not lithium and is under the van. No way I’d put lithium inside no matter how much the technology has improved.
Glad nobody was injured.
Wow! And not in a good way!
P
Phil_G
Guest
One expensive firework! the fumes are toxic too so lay the fire blanket and keep away until its cleared 
I would think this covers you for a claim...Allpowers said:
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I bought it from Amazon but its out of warranty, so I sent a message via amazon to the seller with a link of the video so they can see what happened and hopefully pass it to allpowers for info, I have the new one so just happy nobody was killed or injured, I certainly don't want another of those so have just written it off as an experience and some experience it was at that! It was quite warm yesterday and it was on the grass next to us so no idea if that had any impact, will certainly have a few fire blankets to hand when the Poweroak arrives tomorrow, sorry earlier I said Oakpower which is the US version, also known as Bluetti but they are all from the same factory, this is the one I have arriving tomorrow PowerOak PS10 2.400Wh solar AC/DC generator for Powerbanks
Jeez that's nasty! Is it over 2yrs old? EU regulations give warranty up til then, but one of the major selling points of lithium batteries is how long they last and it certainly gives food for thought if the electronics controlling them become ropey after a few years. Glad no one got hurt.
Bought from a seller on Amazon in April last year, I have sent a message to the seller through an Amazon link to inform them of the situation, I may be lucky as I have just found out that Allpowers give an 18mth warranty, I will speak to Amazon tomorrow, if I get a refund that’s a bonus, just happy to be alive.
OMG . . . . . thats very scary . . .
glad everyone / everything was ok.
Did the box get very hot? . . . causing the pouch cells to expand , vent , explode?
did you have it in direct sunlight?
Lipo pouch cells are known to cause issue if they get too hot ( widely used in the RC radio control circles)
*****
The ALLPOWERS 372 uses a bunch of 1860 cells and not the pouch cell Lipos if that puts your mind at rest.
****
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i think the number one rule with lithium is dont let them got hot . . . . ie above 45degC
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you need to email the support email straight away . . . (they normally reply within a couple of days)
and show then the video and what happened.
that should be a warranty claim as the product become unsafe and failed.
let us know what there reply is . .
***************************
ALLPOWERS solar products
glad everyone / everything was ok.
Did the box get very hot? . . . causing the pouch cells to expand , vent , explode?
did you have it in direct sunlight?
Lipo pouch cells are known to cause issue if they get too hot ( widely used in the RC radio control circles)
*****
The ALLPOWERS 372 uses a bunch of 1860 cells and not the pouch cell Lipos if that puts your mind at rest.
****
.***************************
i think the number one rule with lithium is dont let them got hot . . . . ie above 45degC
****************************
you need to email the support email straight away . . . (they normally reply within a couple of days)
and show then the video and what happened.
that should be a warranty claim as the product become unsafe and failed.
let us know what there reply is . .
***************************
ALLPOWERS solar products
I was lying out on the grass in the garden with my 11yr old reading stuff on an iPad, temperature was 24 degrees and sunny, not roasting hot, had the iPad plugged in the usb socket and that was it, we were in the shade of a sun umbrella that sits in the centre of a garden table so we could read the screen and the power box was in the shade as well, if it had exploded where it was with an end facing us it would have melted our faces, the fumes were horrific and still linger in the garden, plants were incinerated. I don’t think it’s sunk in how lucky I was, but I just want others to be aware of how these types of things can go wrong, as I sai I may be the one in a million but you have to plan thing in case your number is called, my gut instinct saved me, had I taken no notice of the slight popping, had a music playing or earphones in I would not be hear today typing this! I’m not having a go at Allpowers as I have another 2 of their units, just lessons need to be learnt. I had an email this morning, they have a team investigating this as they are taking it seriously, maybe to try and get more safety features added but that doesn’t help those who already have one. All I can say is if you have one, watch where the explosion came out and don’t have that facing a human, you could be driving along and imagine that going off straight at you! I works also even think of having it in a fireproof box of some sorts, definitely have a fire blanket handy!
My mind keeps going back to what if, but hey I’m alive albeit with singed hairs and a constant smell of smoke in my nose, but hopefully sharing this will keep others safe, it’s all about being careful and understanding and managing risk, I just wouldn’t put it near gas bottles or a fuel tank which I admit I have in my camper without thinking.
I have been asked to remove the video from YouTube in case it creates panic, should I do this or leave it to alert others to the danger? if a young family got burnt alive I don’t think I could live with myself for not at least doing something to show how things can happen, the short film is just pure fact, not putting blame on anyone. Let me know your thoughts, thanks!
The metal casing seems to have done its job but unfortunately it’s just directed the ferocious jet fire out both ends as can be seen in the film, so watch what direction you point one of these at as I guess most types will have a metal case forcing fire from vulnerable points. The force of the fire that emits is rather scary and could do some damage in a T6!
I’ve done that and they are taking it seriously, see previous post I made.
I will leave you guys to it as I had an email showing a post questioning if this as real, this was the post but I don’t see it on here which is odd:
“Is this for real? or an anti-marketing ploy? seems to have gone to a lot of effort to post this as a new member...
This message will self destruct so that only mods can read it..“
I‘m just trying to help people be safe, take what you can from my incident to make your set up safer if not already. It’s taken my time to inform you but I think you have enough info now. I will monitor replies that appear in my email if one I requested otherwise will leave you in peace, I’m off to France next week so getting my camper ready. Cheers and keep safe out there!
@Johns I take it you have posted this info on the other camper / motorhome / battery forums?
id leave it on YT for now . . . .
if there is a RECALL of the units i would want to know . . . .
and after seeing your post/Vid on "THAT PARTICULAR UNIT" . . . . . if i had one i would stop using it.
having said that i love the ALLPOWERS 372wh box and have two of them, plus other Lithium products.
it just shows that any stored energy product can be dangerous and deserves respect . . . . whether is a petrol generator or a lithium power pack.
No I don’t do the social media stuff, a friend made the video and it was another friend with a T6 said I should put it on here to help others, I can’t go round all the forums it’s been bad enough being believed on here never mind going to lots, anyway if people want to share my experience without frightening others feel free, it’s more looking at what happened to me and being safe yourself, it’s certainly made me think where I put mine now, and it doesn’t just have to have been that make, I guess if something goes wrong any make could go like that, even a battery on its own, I’m no expert but having seen that go up from 4ft away in the open it’s made me think what a confined space would be like, we can’t live wrapped in cotton wool but we can be aware of risks and manage them best we can.
As I said in my first post I’m sorry to intrude, I don’t need thanks for sharing the information and taking the time to write all this but even if it makes one person think, which could be better positioning just in case then it will have been worth it.
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