Electric GSE : Battery Inspections Matter

Feb. 5, 2013
Batteries should be regularly inspected in accordance with the manufacturer’s manual or any time that area of equipment is opened up for other reasons

All this talk of the Boeing 787’s problems with lithium ion batteries has caused some talk among electric GSE owners and those considering buying electric GSE – regardless of the type of battery.  Of course, anyone using any battery to power their equipment needs to be concerned about how those batteries work and whether there is any possibility of a fire starting. 

Naturally, a fire on the ground doesn’t begin to compare with a fire on an aircraft at altitude, but is nonetheless a cause for concern.  The Boeing 787 battery that caused a fire on the ground at Boston’s Logan International Airport did considerable damage to the aircraft and could have caused injuries and worse but for the quick thinking cleaners who immediately rang the alarm when they smelled smoke.

When it comes to batteries, an ounce of prevention is truly worth a pound of cure.  This means that batteries should be regularly inspected in accordance with the manufacturer’s manual or any time that area of equipment is opened up for other reasons.  Particular attention needs to be paid to any signs of heat damage – such as discoloration – or any sign of leakage. 

This may sound pretty basic but in my experience some of these basic inspections often get short shrift under the press of hectic business.