Our daily devices are in regular recharge and often without paying attention. However, with lithium-ion batteries, a simple error may be enough to cause overheating, fire, or even an explosion. Faced with the multiplication of accidents, the authorities call for vigilance. Here are the right reflexes to adopt to recharge your batteries safely.
Batteries lithium-ionBatteries lithium-ion : They are everywhere, but their risks remain largely underestimated. Bad load habit may be enough to cause a accidentaccident grave.
Why be careful when recharging batteries?
France has an average of 15.7 aircraft equipped with lithium-ion batteries per household (source: MAIF foundation, December 2024). This is the technology used for almost all of our daily equipment: smartphones, tablets, bikes and electric scooters.
Also, accidents linked to their use are multiplying: between 2017 and 2024, scooters and bicycle fires were multiplied by 6 in France and 16 % of the users interviewed in 2024 have already had an incident, with injuries in 11 % of cases.
Current causes include exposure to high temperatures, humidity, shocks, the use of unsuitable chargers and inappropriate charging practices. Reinforced vigilance is essential.
Batteries: the official rules to be observed
For the recharging of battery equipment, the DGCCRF (Ministry of the Economy) recommends nine essential precautions:
- Respect the conditions of use of your lithium battery;
- Never use an unsuitable charger;
- Do not load on a non -flammable surface;
- Avoid areas close to emergency exits, especially for bicycle or scooter loads (the recharge location should not block outings);
- Disconnect the battery from the finished load;
- Stop the load if the product heats;
- Check the official alerts on reminder.conso.gouv.fr. ;
- Watch the damaged batteries (leaks, swelling …);
- Recycle used batteries (compulsory recovery from distributors).
Good complementary practices
Beyond the official instructions, a few simple gestures make it possible to extend the durationduration life of your batteries while limiting risks. Temperature, load level, connection location …, here are the good habits to adopt on a daily basis.
- Better to charge in the subload: do not systematically load 100 %. A charge around 80 % is recommended to extend the lifespan and limit risks (source: Ministry of the Economy).
- Avoid extreme conditions: Do not load more than +40 ° C or below 0 ° C, except equipment provided for these temperatures. In addition, keep the load areas away from sources of heatheathumidity or flammable objects.
- Beware of defective batteries: if the battery appears inflated, hot, fleeting or giving off a strange odor, stop the load immediately. Defective batteries must be isolated, kept away from others and recycled via A specialized manifold (source: INRS).
The spaces to be avoided: pillow, bed, closed room unattended
The MAIF Foundation recalls that you should not leave a device load under the pillow or on a sofa. Load the batteries in a day room equipped with an operational smoke detector and make sure to stay nearby.
Battery accident: What to do in an emergency?
In the event of thermal runoff (violent warm -up, flames, smoke), immediately call the firefighters. Battery fires burn at more than 1,000 ° C and are particularly difficult to put out.
Do not try to extinguish such feufeu With water without having previously isolated the battery and warned the emergency services.