In the last decades, solar-powered light systems have increased in popularity. Many people have questions about technology; some of them have doubts regarding its safety. They often ask can solar panels catch fire? If you are one of them, please read this article, because you will get all the necessary information that you have to learn to clear the doubt.
Solar panels can catch fire due to lithium-ion batteries, which are extremely combustible and volatile. Generally, overheating is the main cause of catching fire. Buying cheap quality products increases the risk of catching fire more than branded products.
In this article, I am going to discuss whether solar panels and lights catch fire or not. If yes, then what are the reasons behind such incidents. So sit back and read this article. It can be an eye-opener for you.
Table of Contents
Can Solar Panels Catch Fire?
Before answering this question, we have to dig deep and find out different types of batteries and how they work. It will help you to understand the reason behind such an accident. First, let me assure you, if you are using solar product, you should not worry about it because it does not happen much.
However, it would be better if you knew the reason behind such an incident. For this, you have to understand-
How Solar Panel Store Electricity?
Solar products store the energy in one or more batteries. A solar panel is attached to the battery with a length of cable that charges the battery during daylight. The solar panel uses a photovoltaic method to convert the light into electricity passing through a controller and storing the energy in a battery.
Most of them come with different varieties of batteries, such as lithium-ion, Nickel-metal hydride, nickel-cadmium, etc.
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Different Battery Types for Solar Panels and Lights
Solar products come with different types of batteries; some of them are more prone to overheating, and others store less energy. Generally, most of the products carry lithium-ion batteries, which are popular in the market.
NiCd Battery for Solar Lights
NiCd batteries are not long-lasting, but they use the full capacity of the cell to save energy. It is not suitable for solar light because it cannot hold power for a long time. Usually, solar light stores energy in the daytime and uses it at night. It does not pose the risk of catching fire.
NiMH Battery for Solar Products
Manufacturers do not like to use NiMH batteries in their products because it takes a long time to charge and cannot provide the desired result. I did not use it personally, but I have read that it makes the time shorter. Thus it is also not suitable for solar panels.
Lithium-Ion Battery for Solar Panels
The best part is that it stores a lot of energy in a very small package. Of course, there is a bad side- it may lead to overheating and pose a fire risk.
The Li-Ion battery is the preferred choice for most manufacturers and users because it causes a lot of power, increasing the productivity of solar lights. Indeed it does not take much time to charge, and it is very volatile. That is why it has a risk of catching fire. If you are using this battery on solar products, do not worry about catching fire because most of the products come with auto-cut technology, which prevents overheating batteries.
How Can Solar Panels and Lights Catch Fire?
Most manufacturers face criticism due to faulty products. Sometimes the battery does not last long; sometimes, users face overheating issues.
The main reason for catching fire is the lithium-ion battery. It leads to overheating because it is very volatile and combustible.
Experts suggest not buy cheap products which are very affordable but do not last long. If you want to decorate your garden with solar lights (it is a brilliant idea!), you should buy branded products with a warranty.
Avoid Cheaply Manufactured Solar Panels and Lamps
In the online world, people like low-cost cheap products. They do not come with a warranty; that is why the products are affordable. It is not a good idea, especially when you are buying solar panels. If you are buying discounted panels, there is a greater risk of catching fire.
You can find the report here.
Manufacturers usually take shortcuts to market their products at a lower cost to attract more customers. Customers also get similar-looking products at a lower cost with similar functionality that encourages them to buy them for their residential use.
In most cases, they come with cheaper photovoltaic cells and panels, which leads to overheating.
The smart controllers which prevent batteries from overheating can be defective, which leads to bursting into flames. Please note that catching fire is a rare incident. If you want to buy outdoor solar lights at a lower cost, you should go for them. Please check out the overheating and its functionality in the first couple of days. If everything is ok for the first seven days, it will last long.
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