15,000 devices replaced: Now another solar storage system is on fire

Once again, a photovoltaic home storage system has caught fire. The manufacturer has already replaced 15,000 older devices with safer models, the affected device was still an old model. Whether the storage tank was the cause of the fire is still being investigated.

At the end of August 2024, a basement fire broke out in a single-family house in Hechingen, involving a photovoltaic home storage system from Senec. As the company confirmed to the online edition of PV Magazine, it was an older model that had not yet been exchanged for a safer lithium iron phosphate (LFP) storage system as part of the ongoing replacement campaign.

Since the start in the summer, around 15,000 devices have already been replaced throughout Germany. The exact cause of the fire is still unclear, as the house is currently being renovated. According to Senec, other causes in connection with the construction work cannot be ruled out.

Fire brigade fights against heavy smoke development

When the Hechingen fire brigade arrived, dense smoke came out of the light shafts and the entire house was heavily smoked. After the fire was brought under control and the basement was cleared, it turned out that the electricity storage system had burned. The extinguishing work created an alkaline solution and the extinguishing water reacted to lithium hydroxide. The environmental agency and waste disposal company had to be consulted.

Since March 2022, there have been several fires of Senec home storage systems throughout Germany. In response, all systems were first shut down remotely and later transferred to a conditioning operation with reduced capacity utilization of no more than 70 percent. Affected customers will receive a compensation payment for the limited usability. At the same time, Senec launched a large-scale campaign in the summer in which the older V3 and V2.1 models are exchanged for more secure LFP memories free of charge.

Those affected should act now

If you own a Senec memory from 2022 or earlier, you should urgently take care of replacing it if it is not already planned. To do this, contact your installer or Senec directly. Only by installing a new LFP storage system can you ensure the safety of your photovoltaic storage system and minimise the risk of fire. For more information, please visit the manufacturer's website.