Is a home battery safe?
Home battery safety starts with the cell chemistry, and that is on the datasheet rather than in a reassurance. We checked 458 models, sell 333 of them and rejected 15. Which ones is named.
This page substantiates a claim rather than repeating it. For every model we sell, the cell chemistry was looked up in the manufacturer's datasheet or installation manual, and our cell chemistry page records per model which document that was. The models that failed the test are listed there too, with brand and type.
Is a home battery safe?
With LFP cells the risk is small and manageable, and the way to check that is the datasheet rather than the brochure. We looked up the cell chemistry of 458 battery models in the manufacturer's own document. Of the 333 models we sell, 333 are lithium iron phosphate, which is all of them. 15 models were rejected and set to DRAFT: 12 turned out to be NMC, 1 NCA, and for 2 no document settled what was inside. Those rejected models are named with brand and type on our cell chemistry page, because a shop that publishes what it refuses to sell is making a checkable claim, and a shop that writes that it only sells safe batteries is not. Where the battery stands, and whether it may charge there, is the second half of the answer.
What is the difference between LFP and NMC?
They are two different cathode materials, and that difference governs how the cell behaves when something goes wrong. NMC stands for nickel manganese cobalt and NCA for nickel cobalt aluminium; both reach a higher energy density, which makes them attractive in a car where weight and volume cost money. LFP, lithium iron phosphate, is heavier and bulkier per kilowatt hour, and in a utility room or garage that is no drawback. What you get for it is a chemically more stable cathode, less prone to entering a self-sustaining reaction when overheated or damaged. That same material is why LFP cells reach more charge cycles, which shows up in the warranty terms.
We quote no thermal runaway onset temperatures and no fire statistics on this page. Those figures circulate freely in this market with no source attached, and we hold no primary source for them. What we can show is which chemistry is inside a specific model, with the document that proves it, and that is exactly the figure you need when your insurer asks.
Which models we rejected
A policy that never costs anything is not a policy. 15 models from 5 brands are unavailable from us because the document did not come out at LFP. They are not quietly missing from the catalogue; they sit on DRAFT with the reason recorded, so you can verify the rule was actually applied rather than merely written down. These are well-known brands we otherwise stock: it is a statement about a model, not about a manufacturer.
| Brand | Rejected models | Finding |
|---|---|---|
| LG Energy Solution | 10 | 10 NMC |
| SolarEdge | 2 | 2 NMC |
| BYD | 1 | 1 not established |
| Pylontech | 1 | 1 not established |
| Varta | 1 | 1 NCA |
Our own evidence is not equally strong everywhere, and we say so. Of the 333 models we sell, the finding rests on a manufacturer datasheet or manual for 315 of them and on a supplier document for 18. The latter is weaker evidence. The source is recorded per model on the cell chemistry page, so you can see for yourself which category a model falls into.
Which certifications actually mean something?
Not every mark measures the same thing, and the best known measures the least. A CE mark is the manufacturer's own declaration that the product meets European rules; no independent test is involved, and 195 of our battery models carry one. The standard that actually tests cells and battery systems for stationary storage is IEC 62619, and IEC 63056 is the part written specifically for this application. Of the 252 models that publish their certifications, 213 name IEC 62619 and 54 name IEC 63056, so 159 models name the general standard but not the storage-specific part. That does not make those models unsafe, but it is a difference you should be able to weigh when comparing.
| Standard or mark | What it means | Models naming it |
|---|---|---|
| IEC 62619 | tested safety requirements for industrial and stationary lithium cells | 213 |
| IEC 63056 | additional safety requirements specific to grid battery storage | 54 |
| UN 38.3 | transport test: vibration, shock, pressure, short circuit and thermal cycling | 214 |
| UL 1973 | North American safety standard for stationary batteries | 26 |
| CE | the manufacturer's own declaration, not an independent test | 195 |
Every product page carries the certification field as the manufacturer states it. 252 battery models publish that list; for the rest it is absent, and we do not fill that gap with an assumption.
If you want to select on that difference, you can. These are the three brands with the lowest price per kilowatt hour among the models that name both IEC 62619 and IEC 63056, so not our bestsellers but the result of applying exactly the criterion set out above.
Where can a home battery safely go?
Practical safety depends less on the cell than on the location. Three requirements recur in every brand's installation manual: clearance around the unit for cooling, no flammable material stacked against it, and remaining reachable for maintenance and for the fire service. A fourth is often missed: charging below freezing damages LFP cells, so an unheated garage or shed is not a valid location for many models. Which ones and which not is in the temperature range on the datasheet, and the counts are in installing a home battery. A loft is almost always the wrong choice: too hot in summer, too heavy to get to and too hard to reach when there is a fault.
Tell your insurer about the installation. Some policies set conditions on storage inside the home and a few ask specifically about cell chemistry; with the cell chemistry page you can answer that per model with a document rather than an assumption. Ask your installer for the commissioning report as well, because after damage that is the evidence it was built to NEN 1010.
What does the fire service do with a battery fire?
You do not put out a lithium fire with a bucket of water or a powder extinguisher from the meter cupboard. The fire service cools such a fire with a lot of water over a long period to stop neighbouring cells heating up in turn, which is exactly why accessibility and clearance around the battery appear in every installation manual. What you can do is choose the location well, respect the clearance, and ask your municipality or safety region whether local rules apply to storage above a certain capacity. We publish no extinguishing instructions: that is work for the fire service and not for a web shop.
How do you check this yourself at another shop?
Ask for the datasheet of the exact type rather than the product line, and find the field stating the cathode chemistry. If it says LiFePO4 or LFP, it is lithium iron phosphate. If it says NMC, NCA or merely "lithium-ion", you do not know and you have to keep asking. If you cannot get the document, that is the answer in itself. The same goes for certifications: ask for the certificate number and the issuing body, because a logo in a product photo is not a certificate. That is why we hang the datasheet and the installation manual under the product page itself, so you do not have to ask.
Frequently asked questions
Can a home battery explode?
A lithium battery can enter a self-sustaining reaction after severe damage, overcharging or overheating. LFP cells are chemically more stable in that respect than NMC and NCA, which is why we sell only LFP: 333 of the 333 models in our catalogue, evidenced per model on the cell chemistry page. Correct installation, clearance and a suitable location do the rest.
Which cell chemistry is safest for home storage?
LFP, lithium iron phosphate. It is heavier and bulkier per kilowatt hour than NMC or NCA, which is a drawback in a car and not in a utility room. We therefore stock LFP exclusively and set models that are not to DRAFT: 15 so far, named with brand and type.
Is a CE mark enough?
No. CE is the manufacturer's own declaration that the product meets European rules, with no independent test. Look for IEC 62619 and, more specifically for storage, IEC 63056. Of the 252 models that publish their certifications, 213 name IEC 62619 and 54 name IEC 63056.
Can a home battery go in an unheated garage?
Often not. LFP cells must not be charged below freezing without damage, so a large share of models state a lower bound of 0 degrees or above. An IP rating says nothing about this: it covers dust and water. The per-model counts are in installing a home battery.
Do I have to inform my insurer?
Yes, tell them. Some policies set conditions on storage inside the home and a few ask about cell chemistry. For every model we sell you can answer that with a manufacturer document rather than an assumption; the source per model is on the cell chemistry page.
See all home batteries, or compare the brands on warranty and certification in best home battery.