New British Standard for Protection against fire of Battery Storage systems
New British Standard for Protection against fire of Battery energy Storage systems for use in dwellings.
A new British Standard for the fire safety of home battery storage installations, which came into force on the 31st March 2024, will have significant impact on how and where new home batteries are installed.
You can download the new standard PAS 63100:2024 here: PAS 63100- 2024
Battery Storage is now a common element of Solar PV installations in the UK and in some instances, where space is at a premium, batteries have been installed in loft spaces or under stairs.
The new PAS 63100 regulations change that significantly and states that the best location for battery storage is outbuildings and/or away from habitable rooms. Where it is not practicable to locate batteries outdoors some basic requirements are provided for locations containing storage batteries, based on the principles that:
- batteries are separated from habitable rooms, and means of escape for inhabitants, by suitable fire compartmentation
- Fire detection is provided for battery location, interlinked to a fire alarm system to warn inhabitants of a detected fire; and
- means for escape for inhabitants are not inhibited
It should be noted that fires from energy storage batteries are extremely rare. The majority of domestic batteries use Lithium Iron Phosphate technology (LiFePO4). Whilst this technology makes for a heavier battery, it is known to be very safe and does not catch fire under any normal circumstances.
Under the new P63100 standard, batteries shall not be installed in any of the following locations:
- rooms in which persons are intended to sleep
- routes used as a means of escape that are not defined as protected escape routes including landings, staircases and corridors
- corridors, shafts, stairs or lobbies or protected escape routes
- firefighting lobbies or staircases
- storage cupboards, enclosures or spaces opening into rooms which persons are intended to sleep;
- outdoors within 1m of escape routes, doors, windows, or ventilation ports
- voids, roof spaces or lofts
- within 2m of stored flammable materials and fuel storage tanks or cylinders; and
- cellars or basements that have no access to the outside of the building
The new standard also covers Power Conversion Equipment (PCE). Specifically Inverters.
Where an inverter is placed in an infrequently accessed location such as a loft space, a smoke detection or alarm system must now be installed.
The other major requirement in the regulations refers to the Battery connections. This is included to prevent persons without requisite electrical knowledge unintentionally or intentionally causing an electrical arc, which might lead to fire and burns.
Section 4.2.1 states:
“It shall not be possible to remove DC power cable connections without:
a) the use of a tool; or
b) removing a cover secured by the use of a tool.”
Section 4.2.2 states
“Fuses for DC circuits of batteries shall be:
a) accessible only by the use of a tool; or
b) arranged so that fuses are only capable of being removed after opening an isolator suitable for on-load isolation.”
Existing Installations
The new standard came in to force on the 31st March 2024 and does not retrospectively apply to installations before that date.
You may however wish to read the standard in detail and consider whether any changes to your own installation are appropriate given the requirements of the new standard. For example if you have a battery or Inverter installed in your loft or under the stairs you may want to retrospectively install a fire detection system, or even move the battery to a new location (with the appropriate help from a qualified electrician).
