Don't let your eyes off when charging LIPOs

[Gilbert Pun]

Please don't let your eyes off for a single moment when charging your Lipo batteries.

I had almost burnt a whole room down when charging the batteries, after a day's successful running of FE boats, I was then charging in a separate small room which is just located next to my sitting room, at the beginning everything was okay when I did check on them every other three minutes, everything was okay then I sat down to watch some World Cup Soccer results on TV for several minutes, a big bang came out and a lump of big fire start burning from the floor up to waist height, eventually put the fire out but it needed a lot of effort to clear the smoke and clean the whole house.

One of the lucky thing is that I got fire extinguishers in the workshop which is on a different floor.

final count, I lost a baby bed, a queen size bed, some heavy blankets, a wooden GP400 boat and about 11 packs of batteries, four of which melted and disappeared without a trace and 7 others with damage on the packing and melted plugs. And a house filled with smell from burning Lipos.

GP

 

[Duck899]

What caused this?, not just the lipo's blew up, but why did they blow? Incorrect charge rate? Not using a charge bag or box? Just asking, sorry for the incident.

 

[Gilbert Pun]

Really no way to find out, as all four batteries being charged were burnt to the ground, nothing left to be able to know the reason. May be one of the four was on direct charge not balance charge.

 

[Gilbert Pun]

I did use charging bag a year or so ago, but when things are getting on well week after week, I have already put away the charging bag, for some time already, and begin to use direct charge some of the older packs but not balance charge.

 

[darryl whitman]

sorry to hear brother , I charge all batts at 1C rate, also I stay with them as they charge, I use my wifes broiler pan with the lid , LOL

she don't know that. I know of a guy, who flies RC turbine Jets , he was charging lipos in garage ,wife asked him to run down to the store , as hes coming back , fire trucks are at his house, long story short, he last over 300,000 $ in the fire , an his wife left him,

as she told friends his DUMB toys cost us my dreams. WOW ,

 

[Grimracer]

I store and charge all my Lipos in my race trailer.. If the trailer goes I dont care.. I dont want to loose my house or life.

Lipos sometimes.. just do what they want.. Most of the time you can conclude user error.. but not all the time.

Grim

 

[jayt]

http://www.flyinggiants.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51563

http://rc.runryder.com/helicopter/t519305p1/?highlight=lipo+fire

http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1584

.

 

[Ray Sametz]

So much for the "Wave of the future", no thanks.

 

[ron upton]

he lost 300k house and his wife? id say he was lucky insurance paid for the house and got away with no wife...man that's living

 

[Duck899]

Looks to me like most incidents are caused by human error (improper charging). I'm new to lipos so just learning but I do know how to read instructions with my chargers. Where is the best place to store batteries when not in use? Currently, Like Mike Z, mine are in my trailer away from the house but next to my garage in the back yard.

 

[NITROSNIFER]

My lipo/a123 packs are always stored in a metal container and on a steel bench with no flamables around. I have had a few go up in my planes when I've pushed them a little too hard. Never a good thing as balsa burns quick LOL.

 

[HTV Boats]

Thanks for sharing info on what is an embarrassing event for anyone. Knowing what mistakes might cause a failure helps. I won't store my trailer as it gets pretty warm in the summer sun. My garage has too many chemicals/paint/solvents/oil & gas cans. That leaves me my workroom which stays at 73 degrees. Lipo's in a fireproof metal document safe that fits in some old metal filling cabinets. When we went to a paperless office we dumped our file cabinets cheap. I made a wooden charging station and completely lined it with ceramic tiles. Add a lipo bag and it may be safe?

Class "D" extinguisher can run 300+ dollars but fireproof blankets are fairly inexpensive. Just some ideas.

Mic

 

[Grimracer]

I have video (I CAN NOT SHARE, SORRY) of a lipo going up in a metal ammo can................ I do it too (easy to trasport) but BE CAREFULL.

I have said it before.. best you can do is direct the flame..

BTY.. those lipo bags we sell with the snaps.. thats the best way to contain the burst pressure.

Grim

 

[Don Ferrette]

I did use charging bag a year or so ago, but when things are getting on well week after week, I have already put away the charging bag, for some time already, and begin to use direct charge some of the older packs but not balance charge.

You don't balance charge some of your packs??? WHY would you not do that????????

 

[Grimracer]

I did some testing regarding "balancing" and I was very surprised.

I flew my 3S heli packs for one summer (about 7 months) WITHOUT balancing them.. I was "Shocked".. no I wasent.. lol.. they were just as good as new after MANY months and MANY cycles without a balance charge. (put them back on the test stuff in the lab)

Is there a good reason to balance.. sure.. if you feel you want to. BUT.. necessary.. not from what I have tested..

BTY.. those batteries (Flight power) are STILL going great gonzo after now in there 4th year.. (pack quality might have something to do with it)

Grim

 

[Don Ferrette]

I did some testing regarding "balancing" and I was very surprised.

I flew my 3S heli packs for one summer (about 7 months) WITHOUT balancing them.. I was "Shocked".. no I wasent.. lol.. they were just as good as new after MANY months and MANY cycles without a balance charge. (put them back on the test stuff in the lab)

Is there a good reason to balance.. sure.. if you feel you want to. BUT.. necessary.. not from what I have tested..

BTY.. those batteries (Flight power) are STILL going great gonzo after now in there 4th year.. (pack quality might have something to do with it)

Grim

Most good balancing chargers let you check individual cell voltages while charging and often you can see right away if there are any potential issues with a cell which is usually the tip off of impending battery problems. Not saying it's perfect but I've heard of many individuals catching a potential issue early on before it could potentially become catastrophic. I myself will not charge any of my LiFe or LiPo packs without balancing.

And Z where do you fly up north that has a 7 month summer??? LOL!!

 

[ron upton]

think ill take my batteries out from under the couch....

 

[Doug Smock]

Every pack that I have retired gave me clues (taking longer to balance) that they were failing.
Eventually they puff a bit during a discharge cycle and at that point I'm done with them.

Some say you don't have to balance charge but "once during a race weekend" or "occasionally".

I balance charge every time from the first cycle to the last and wouldn't suggest that anyone do otherwise regardless of the packs age or manufacturer.

The horror stories scare the crap out of me, if I have a problem I want to know that I did all I could to avoid it.

Thanks for posting Gilbert. We need to remind ourselves of the potential of these things once in awhile.

 

[Gilbert Pun]

A good lesson learned, a bit scare when thinking back, but you don't give up your hobby just like that.

It is good to keep vigilance at all time when handling these LiPO batteries especially when charging.

I am now looking for some fire proof bricks to build a protection bunker unit for them.

 

[Gilbert Pun]

I did use charging bag a year or so ago, but when things are getting on well week after week, I have already put away the charging bag, for some time already, and begin to use direct charge some of the older packs but not balance charge.

You don't balance charge some of your packs??? WHY would you not do that????????

Don,

I was stupid , did see that not every one cell in the pack were the same voltage, but thought that I could use the packs for a few more times by direct charging them before it's done forever. I've done that direct charge many time with success before, now I know it is not a good practice.