August 16th, 2006
All Sony Batteries Being Examined by Consumer Product Safety Commission
By Michael Santo
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews
Well, not literally, but figuratively. According to U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission spokesman Scott Wolfson, based on the recall of 4.1 million Dell laptop batteries (manufactured by Sony), “We are looking at the complete scope of the batteries made by Sony to ensure that no other consumers are in harm’s way. We recognize that the batteries manufactured by Sony are not unique to just the Dell notebook computers.”
A Sony spokesman in Tokyo said on Tuesday the overheating problem is believed to be specific to batteries supplied to Dell, but recall decisions are up to each maker. Source: Reuters
Earlier today both HP and Lenovo indicated that although Sony is a major battery manufacturer, the problems associated with the Dell batteries do not affect their product lines. However, batteries are batteries, and personally, I didn’t realize that LI-ION batteries were so … well, explosive.
“They (lithium ion batteries) contain a highly flammable liquid in a pressurized vessel. They have a fairly powerful oxidizer. You’ve got to have strict quality control in manufacturing,” he (Ross Dueber, CEO of Zinc Matrix Power) said. “It’s the only rechargeable battery technology has uses a flammable liquid.” Source: News.com
We Say: I think I’m going to stop stuffing my cell phone into my pants pocket. 
Mart says:
From the news.com article: Unfortunately, a short circuit inside a lithium ion battery can lead to what’s known in the industry as a “runaway thermal reaction.”
Reminds me of lines from the Travolta flick, Broken Arrow:
“I don’t know what’s scarier: losing nuclear weapons or that it happens so often that there’s actually a term for it.”
Just think, they have a term for these batteries going nuclear too!
August 16th, 2006 at 10:31 am
Stephen says:
Does anyone know if Lithium Ion batteries are used in the latest Hybrids/electical autos?
August 17th, 2006 at 5:49 am
Lockergnome's Tech News Watch says:
All Sony Batteries Being Examined By Consumer Product Safety Commission
Michael Santo of RealTechNews writes: Well, not literally, but figuratively. According to U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission spokesman Scott Wolfson, based on the recall of 4.1 million Dell laptop batteries (manufactured by Sony), “We are looking…
August 17th, 2006 at 12:45 pm
Carl says:
Batteries that are made with ‘flammable liquid’. It won’t be long until the TSA bans Li batteries.
August 18th, 2006 at 4:28 am