How to deal with the exploding batteries. Having once experienced the explosion of an iPhone inside an Apple Store, that might be resulting in a few minor injuries, you might be thinking “Oh shit, how to stop my smartphone/laptop/robot dog from burning house down?” Instead of suggesting you running for dear life, or dousing the device with spring water, here are the steps you are suggested to follow to properly extinguish a battery-related fire.
Smartphone Fire:
A smartphone battery fire is worse if the it is drawing on another power source while it burns. When the battery starts to hiss or bulge, ensure to unplug it from whatever power source it is connected to before you turn your attention to extinguishing fire.
Use Fire Extinguisher:
Safety first means being ready for emergencies like fires that are caused by your smartphone’s self-immolating battery or otherwise. That means you will need a fire extinguisher, so do add one to your shopping list. In terms extinguishers, you should necessarily have one designed to put out Class B and Class C fires. Class B fires do involve flammable liquids and gasses, while Class C fires involve electrical equipment such as motors and batteries. Standard fire extinguisher, that could be costing anywhere from $35 to $80, could handle Class A, B, and C fires.
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There are numerous extinguishers that are available, but searching for a Class ABC extinguisher could yield one appropriate for dowsing his new Pixel 2. If you are on a budget, you can snag smaller fire suppression canisters as they are both cheaper -anywhere from $20 to $40- and smaller as compared to a standard fire extinguisher.
Also, Class D fire extinguishers are available, but they have been designed to extinguish fires involving combustible metals. While you can use one to put out your smartphone, a class D fire extinguisher’s high price tag might put it a bit out of reach, so do not bother about spending the hundreds of dollars needed to get one.
Water or Sand:
Due to the chemical composition of smartphones that are powered by lithium batteries, always is there a chance that pouring water on a smartphone could cause a chemical reaction between the H2O and lithium metal, turning that hydrogen into the fuel for the fire. Luckily, most smartphone batteries have such little lithium the risk is pretty negligible.
Chances are that you find yourself dealing with a smartphone fire armed with a six-pack of seltzer, apply it liberally, and drown your smartphone until smoke is invisible. Your phone is toast. Dispose of your charred battery by searching for a battery disposal location near you. If your iPhone blows up at the beach, cover it in sand or other non-flammable smothering agent like dirt. As with most things that could burn, be sure to avoid inhaling the fumes from your phone’s smoking battery, as they are toxic, carcinogenic, and plain gross.
