Phoenix Battery Commander BS1932 – Lithium-Ion Battery Storage & Charging Cabinet

338L Lithium-Ion Battery Storage & Charging | 90-Minute Fire Protection | 8 Charging Sockets

The Phoenix Battery Commander BS1932 is a specialist high-capacity safety cabinet designed for the storage and charging of large volumes of lithium-ion batteries.

Developed to help protect people and property from the potentially serious consequences of lithium-ion battery fires, the Battery Commander combines 90-minute EN 14470-1 fire protection, integrated charging, heat-protected ventilation, internal temperature monitoring and automatic-closing doors within a substantial 338-litre cabinet.

Available with a choice of Key, Electronic or Fingerprint locking, the Battery Commander is particularly suited to businesses and organisations managing significant quantities of rechargeable batteries for power tools, e-bikes, e-scooters, garden equipment, drones and other professional equipment.

Designed for Lithium-Ion Battery Storage & Charging

Lithium-ion batteries can present a significant fire risk if damaged, defective, incorrectly charged or exposed to excessive temperatures.

One of the principal risks is thermal runaway, where an uncontrolled increase in temperature can result in ignition and an intense fire that can be extremely difficult to extinguish.

The Battery Commander provides a dedicated environment in which batteries can be stored and charged, helping businesses implement a more controlled approach to lithium-ion battery management.

Typical applications include batteries used for:

• Power tools
• Garden machinery
• E-bikes and e-scooters
• Drones
• Laptops and mobile equipment
• Commercial and industrial equipment
• Rechargeable household batteries

90-Minute EN 14470-1 Fire Protection

The Battery Commander has been tested to:

EN 14470-1 for 90 minutes

providing substantial fire-resistant construction designed for safety-storage cabinets.

This represents an important distinction from Phoenix's smaller Battery Titan and Battery Fighter ranges, whose stated NT Fire 017 ratings relate to the protection of paper documents against an external fire.

The Battery Commander is therefore the more specialist solution where the management of larger lithium-ion battery inventories and their associated fire risks is the primary consideration.

Integrated Battery Charging

The Battery Commander allows lithium-ion batteries to be stored and charged within the cabinet using integrated power outlets.

The current specification includes:

2 × 4-gang PDUs providing 8 charging sockets

with the option to add further PDUs through the pre-wired control system.

This allows businesses to establish a dedicated central charging location rather than leaving batteries and chargers distributed around workshops, offices or other working areas.

Heat-Protected Ventilation

The Battery Commander incorporates air ventilation ducts as standard to help manage heat generated during normal battery charging.

These ducts are protected by a thermal fuse operating at approximately 75°C.

If triggered, the ventilation ducts close to help seal the cabinet in the event of an internal battery fire or external building fire.

An external extraction fan can also be connected to the upper ventilation outlet. Phoenix recommends forced extraction to help prevent excessive heat build-up while batteries are charging.

Internal Temperature Monitoring

An internal temperature monitor with external display is included as standard.

This provides an easily visible indication of the temperature inside the cabinet and can provide early warning of an abnormal temperature increase associated with an overheating battery.

For businesses routinely charging significant numbers of lithium-ion batteries, temperature monitoring provides an important additional layer within an overall battery-management strategy.

Automatic Closing & Locking Door

The Battery Commander incorporates an automatic-closing and automatic-locking door.

This helps ensure the cabinet remains properly closed and sealed in the event of a fire.

An advanced multipoint locking system further secures the door, helping maintain the integrity of the cabinet during a serious battery incident.

Heavy-Duty Adjustable Shelving

The BS1932 provides a substantial 338 litres of internal storage capacity and is supplied with three heavy-duty perforated, height-adjustable shelves.

Each shelf is capable of carrying loads of up to 100kg.

The perforated design assists airflow around batteries and chargers, while the adjustable configuration allows the interior to accommodate batteries of different sizes.

An internal base sump is also fitted as standard.

Fire & Impact Tested

The Battery Commander has undergone a 9.1 metre fire and impact drop test, assessing its resistance to the type of impact that could occur if the cabinet fell through the burning floors of a building during a serious fire.

Fire-Resistant Construction

The Battery Commander uses substantial double-wall construction with Phoenix's patented Styronite F fire-resistant insulation, providing considerable strength together with resistance to fire and heat.

The cabinet is also supplied with appropriate safety warning labels in accordance with relevant European safety signage requirements.

Three Locking Options

SafeFort offers the Battery Commander BS1932 with a choice of three locking systems.

BS1932K – Key Lock

Fitted with a high-quality Key Lock and supplied with two keys.

This provides simple, reliable mechanical access without requiring codes or batteries.

BS1932E – Electronic Lock

Fitted with an advanced high-security Electronic Lock featuring:

• Clear LED display
• Dual-control functionality
• Hidden Code
• Scrambled Code

The Electronic Lock can also be upgraded to incorporate multiple-user audit trail functionality, allowing authorised-user activity to be monitored.

BS1932F – Fingerprint Lock

The advanced touchscreen keypad and biometric lock provides:

• Fingerprint access
• Up to 32 fingerprints
• Clear LED display
• Battery indicator
• Internal alarm
• Multiple User Codes
• Dual Mode
• Hidden Code
• Scrambled Code

The Fingerprint version is particularly suitable for workplaces where several authorised members of staff require convenient access to the battery cabinet.

Optional Enhanced Safety Features

The Battery Commander can be further enhanced with optional battery-monitoring and fire-safety equipment.

Options include:

Safe Monitor

Monitors internal temperature and humidity and connects to a mobile-phone app, providing an alert if a pre-set maximum temperature is exceeded.

Automatic Fire Extinguisher

An optional condensed-aerosol fire-extinguisher unit can be fitted within the cabinet.

Controller

A full alarm and fire-suppression control system is also available for applications requiring a more comprehensive level of battery monitoring and protection.

These options can be particularly valuable for organisations storing and charging significant quantities of lithium-ion batteries.

SafeFort Recommendation

The Phoenix Battery Commander BS1932 is an excellent choice for businesses and organisations storing or charging significant quantities of lithium-ion batteries.

Its combination of 90-minute EN 14470-1 fire protection, integrated charging, heat-protected ventilation, internal temperature monitoring and automatic-closing construction makes it a considerably more specialist solution than a conventional fire-resistant safe or storage cabinet.

With 338 litres of internal capacity, three heavy-duty adjustable shelves and eight charging sockets as standard, the BS1932 is particularly well suited to workshops, maintenance departments, fleet operators and businesses using rechargeable power tools, e-bikes, e-scooters or other battery-powered equipment.

For most commercial applications, SafeFort would consider the BS1932E Electronic Lock an excellent balance between security and convenient multi-user access. The BS1932F Fingerprint version provides additional biometric access for environments where multiple authorised users regularly need access to the cabinet.

For organisations requiring the next level of specialist lithium-ion battery protection, the Phoenix Battery Commander Pro BS1940 introduces certification to the newer VDMA 24994:2024-08 lithium-ion battery cabinet standard.

The Battery Commander should form part of a wider lithium-ion battery safety strategy, including appropriate battery inspection, charging procedures, ventilation, fire-risk assessment and emergency planning.