Post by thread:[EE]:: Worldwide LiIon battery shortage / Tek LiIo

Old news but I hadn't heard it: A) A fire in the Matsushita factory that made 15% of all LiIon batteries has caused worldwide shortages - apparently expected to extend into mid 2008. 14. /... www.tek.com/service/safety/tds3000b/faq.html On September 30th of this year, a fire stopped production at the Matsushita Battery factory which manufactures the Panasonic Lithium-Ion battery cells used in the TDS3BATC battery pack. This factory provided 15% of the worldwide supply of Lithium-Ion cells and the fire instantly created a worldwide supply shortage. We are completing the additional UL testing needed to substitute Sanyo Lithium-Ion cells in the TDS3BATC. Unfortunately, because of the worldwide shortage, Sanyo (and all the other providers) has put the cells on allocation. At the end of each month, we will be informed how many cells we've been allocated for the upcoming month. Matsushita is building a new factory for the manufacture of Lithium-Ion cells but is currently publishing a completion date of May, 2008. Until the worldwide supply shortage is resolved, we will continue to be unable to guarantee a delivery date for the TDS3BATC battery packs. Tektronix regrets any inconvenience this may cause. B) If your Tek scope bursts into flames, don't be alarmed, that's what they do. A few anyway. Total Recall (but no Arnie)(We can remember it for you wholesale). Only the TDS3BATB battery. http://www.tek.com/service/safety/tds3000b/pdfs/TDS3000_Recall_English.pdf http://www.tek.com/service/safety/tds3000b/faq.html C) BUT even though they self-immolate, and eat up scopes, they are still safe to shop by air, as they, apparently, "pass all transportation requirements". Also: www.tek.com/service/safety/tds3000b/faq.html 13. Can the TDS3BATB (Lithium-Ion) battery be shipped by air? Yes, the product passes all the transportation requirements and designations for air travel. That would SEEM to me to be the height of ignorant stupidity. But, maybe I'm missing something somewhere. Given that they say http://www.tek.com/service/safety/tds3000b/ " ... We have identified the source of the failure. We have performed exhaustive testing to redesign the battery pack and make it safe for its intended use. We have added 3 new safety features inside the battery pack to prevent any such failure from occurring in the future. ..." They are saying that the battery NEEDS extra internal protection and that (a few) scopes catch fire with the battery in them BUT it's still OK to send them by air based on their prior approvals and "meeting all specs". That was October 2007 so hopefully they've sorted it all out without incident.

> -----Original Message----- > From: spam_OUTpiclist-bouncesTakeThisOuTmit.edu [.....piclist-bouncesKILLspam@spam@mit.edu] On Behalf {Quote hidden}> Of Apptech > Sent: 24 January 2008 09:45 > To: PIC List > Subject: [EE]:: Worldwide LiIon battery shortage / Tek LiIon battery > recall /Burns scopes but OK by air > > > They are saying that the battery NEEDS extra internal > protection and that (a few) scopes catch fire with the > battery in them BUT it's still OK to send them by air based > on their prior approvals and "meeting all specs". That was > October 2007 so hopefully they've sorted it all out without > incident. Perhaps the "vent with flame" incidents are due to charging issues, e.g. cell balancing is not working so some cells get overcharged, or doesn't disable the battery if the cell voltages have fallen too low? This may make the pack essentially safe whilst it's sitting around doing nothing, but turns it into an incendiary device whilst charging? Regards Mike ======================================================================= This e-mail is intended for the person it is addressed to only. The information contained in it may be confidential and/or protected by law. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, you must not make any use of this information, or copy or show it to any person. Please contact us immediately to tell us that you have received this e-mail, and return the original to us. Any use, forwarding, printing or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. No part of this message can be considered a request for goods or services. =======================================================================

Thanks for the head up. Thankfully I don own that model. John --- Apptech <apptechKILLspamparadise.net.nz> wrote: {Quote hidden}> Old news but I hadn't heard it: > > A) A fire in the Matsushita factory that made 15% > of all > LiIon batteries has caused worldwide shortages - > apparently > expected to extend into mid 2008. > > 14. /... > www.tek.com/service/safety/tds3000b/faq.html > On September 30th of this year, a fire stopped > production at > the Matsushita Battery factory which manufactures > the > Panasonic Lithium-Ion battery cells used in the > TDS3BATC > battery pack. This factory provided 15% of the > worldwide > supply of Lithium-Ion cells and the fire instantly > created a > worldwide supply shortage. We are completing the > additional > UL testing needed to substitute Sanyo Lithium-Ion > cells in > the TDS3BATC. Unfortunately, because of the > worldwide > shortage, Sanyo (and all the other providers) has > put the > cells on allocation. At the end of each month, we > will be > informed how many cells we've been allocated for the > upcoming month. Matsushita is building a new factory > for the > manufacture of Lithium-Ion cells but is currently > publishing > a completion date of May, 2008. > > Until the worldwide supply shortage is resolved, we > will > continue to be unable to guarantee a delivery date > for the > TDS3BATC battery packs. Tektronix regrets any > inconvenience > this may cause. > > B) If your Tek scope bursts into flames, don't be > alarmed, that's what they do. A few anyway. > Total Recall (but no Arnie)(We can remember it for > you > wholesale). > > Only the TDS3BATB battery. > > > www.tek.com/service/safety/tds3000b/pdfs/TDS3000_Recall_English.pdf {Quote hidden}> > > www.tek.com/service/safety/tds3000b/faq.html > > C) BUT even though they self-immolate, and eat up > scopes, > they are still safe to shop by air, as they, > apparently, > "pass all transportation requirements". > > Also: > www.tek.com/service/safety/tds3000b/faq.html > 13. Can the TDS3BATB (Lithium-Ion) battery be > shipped by > air? > > Yes, the product passes all the transportation > requirements and designations for air travel. > > That would SEEM to me to be the height of ignorant > stupidity. But, maybe I'm missing something > somewhere. > > Given that they say > > http://www.tek.com/service/safety/tds3000b/ > > " ... We have identified the source of the failure. > We have > performed exhaustive testing to redesign the battery > pack > and make it safe for its intended use. We have added > 3 new > safety features inside the battery pack to prevent > any such > failure from occurring in the future. ..." > > > > They are saying that the battery NEEDS extra > internal > protection and that (a few) scopes catch fire with > the > battery in them BUT it's still OK to send them by > air based > on their prior approvals and "meeting all specs". > That was > October 2007 so hopefully they've sorted it all out > without > incident. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --