Four reasons to install battery safe(with charging function) now

'There is more at play than just minimizing fire risk'

In a previous edition of Bouwmat, Remco van Kuilenburg, director of Seefion, explained that a battery safe is optimally suited to minimize the risk of industrial fires. This is because spontaneous ignition is a real problem during the charging of Li-Ion batteries. Seefion's battery safes are a safe solution for companies in, for example, the green sector and at construction companies. But there is more at play at the moment. 

To experience a different perspective, today we are guests of the municipality of The Hague. We are meeting with Edwin van Ruijven, coordinator of technical facilities at the City Management Department. This department recently installed thirteen safes at nine locations. What motivated them in general to purchase these battery safes and why specifically at Seefion?

Safety first

"First of all, of course, the safety of our people and our premises plays a big role," says Edwin. "When charging the lithium-ion batteries, we want to limit any risk. That's why we chose to work proactively on a solution. We had to do something and a battery safe, in which you can store and charge your batteries, simply represents the safest and best solution." Remco from Seefion can indeed confirm that, "Seefion safes meet the strictest standards today and even already meet the future PGS-37-2 standard."

Edwin further reports that there was quite a bit of time pressure on the purchase and installation as far as they were concerned. He expects that the PGS-37-2 standard will become mandatory in the foreseeable future and that the demand for good battery safes will grow enormously. He wanted to get ahead of that. But there are some other issues at play that increased the pressure to purchase: "This project involves more than just the purchase of a battery safe. In this particular case, the power supply to the building had to be upgraded, and for that you knock on the door of the grid operator. Have you seen the lead times there? And then often the distribution board in a hall or shed also needs to be modified. There too, lead times are completely out of control and that demand will only increase."

Remco agrees with the increased waiting times for power grid reinforcement, but stresses that in the vast majority of cases it is not at all necessary. "We can get along just fine with a standard connection," he says.

Flexibility

And why specifically Seefion? Edwin van Ruijven of the municipality of The Hague can quickly answer that too. "Seefion's vaults are adaptable to changing situations after installation. If operations change, back battery packs may no longer be needed at that specific location, and then Seefion can convert the vault. In addition, Seefion's director Remco van Kuilenburg understands a lot about the application and the market. He knows the standards like no other and is in constant dialogue with insurers and test institutes. That creates confidence."