Bat Safe? Is this a good idea?

[turbo27]

Is it a good idea to get a Bat Safe? If so where would I put it? Thanks.

 

[WoodiE]

Having a cool, dry and secure area to put your LiPo batteries is always a good idea. It doesn't have to be a bat safe.

That said there are several members here that use the Bat Safe and are very happy with them.

 

[turbo27]

So I have only Traxxas batteries. All Lipo. I always balance charge, and storage charge when done. But I dont want to burn my house down. I have been doing this for a year. So batteries are not old. How should I address the Lipo issue? If it were you, how would you address this issue. Thanks Mike.

 

[DavidB1126]

I use lipo fireproof bags to store mine. I also store mine in my basement as it is dry and cool.

 

[turbo27]

I have those bags, silver? heard it was not a good idea. I just don't know.

 

[WickedFog]

There have been a few other threads on here addressing this. The safest place would be in a basement, surrounded by concrete. People have even used the hollow pockets in concrete blocks as storage cubbies. Fire bricks would be suitable as well.

LiPo's burn upwards of 3600°F. Any LiPo bag will likely burst into flames around 1700°F. There are YT vids showing LiPo's burning right through them.

One thing rarely discussed is the toxic fumes LiPo's spew out when they go up in flames. So having some way to ventilate the area would be a huge plus.

I use a Kennedy roll around tool box. If I had a fire, they would have to melt their way through 5 or 6 layers of heavy gauge steel before making it to the floor. I can roll them all outside before that happens - I hope

 

[biggman100]

There have been a few other threads on here addressing this. The safest place would be in a basement, surrounded by concrete. People have even used the hollow pockets in concrete blocks as storage cubbies. Fire bricks would be suitable as well.

LiPo's burn upwards of 3600°F. Any LiPo bag will likely burst into flames around 1700°F. There are YT vids showing LiPo's burning right through them.

One thing rarely discussed is the toxic fumes LiPo's spew out when they go up in flames. So having some way to ventilate the area would be a huge plus.

I use a Kennedy roll around tool box. If I had a fire, they would have to melt their way through 5 or 6 layers of heavy gauge steel before making it to the floor. I can roll them all outside before that happens - I hope

After you mentioned you put yours in that tool box, I've been putting mine inside lipo bags, inside an ammo can, inside a Snap-On top chest, but, inside the shed, since that's the only place besides the house I can put them. They burn through that, I give up.

 

[Jamr]

I still say an old BBQ lined with clean foil out in the back yard is the best cheapest alternative to a safe storage device. If money is not an issue a well built cinder block outdoor ventilated vault built in the wall of your garage is best. IMO. But who has the $$$ for that...lol

 

[Lukedavis]

i say that if you have an old chimney that you don’t use in your house, convert that into a charging station/storage area and it has vents so if something does go up in flames, the toxins go outside instead of inside.

 

[DavidB1126]

Storing in a ammo can or using blocks in basement / garage are popular. Here is a channel I watch and he shows how he charges and stores.
Skip to 8:50 for storing.

I have those bags, silver? heard it was not a good idea. I just don't know.

Well I use them for storing, charging, and transporting as I go to the track a lot and take my RCs on vacation. I can store about 5 2s lipos in my main bag. The smaller bags I use for charging and can store 2 shorty batteries and 2 full size lipos in those bags. I never experienced a lipo fire myself nor lipos or the bags on fire. But if you have lots of lipos, I would to either a ammo can, cylinder blocks, or that chimney idea : @Lukedavis

 

[turbo27]

There have been a few other threads on here addressing this. The safest place would be in a basement, surrounded by concrete. People have even used the hollow pockets in concrete blocks as storage cubbies. Fire bricks would be suitable as well.

LiPo's burn upwards of 3600°F. Any LiPo bag will likely burst into flames around 1700°F. There are YT vids showing LiPo's burning right through them.

I use a Kennedy roll around tool box. If I had a fire, they would have to melt their way through 5 or 6 layers of heavy gauge steel before making it to the floor. I can roll them all outside before that happens - I hope

Thanks for the reply. That sound like a good idea.

There have been a few other threads on here addressing this. The safest place would be in a basement, surrounded by concrete. People have even used the hollow pockets in concrete blocks as storage cubbies. Fire bricks would be suitable as well.

LiPo's burn upwards of 3600°F. Any LiPo bag will likely burst into flames around 1700°F. There are YT vids showing LiPo's burning right through them.

One thing rarely discussed is the toxic fumes LiPo's spew out when they go up in flames. So having some way to ventilate the area would be a huge plus.

I use a Kennedy roll around tool box. If I had a fire, they would have to melt their way through 5 or 6 layers of heavy gauge steel before making it to the floor. I can roll them all outside before that happens - I hope

Thanks. I need to try something. I have about 10 Lipos
Right now they are in an ammo can.

 

[Hammer Down]

I love my Bat-safe’s! I have 3 medium and 2 small. My packs are always stored, charged and transported in them. They give me a small piece of mind, granted I haven’t had any issues thus far..

Oh and I keep them stored on a wire rack/shelf just in case…

 

[Jamr]

Here is what you can expect with a Batsafe and the worst happens.

Ventilation is key given the smoke and flames with larger batteries.

 

[bill_delong]

That chain reaction in the video is terrifying... I see far too many people place all their batteries too closely together which makes me do a facepalm...

After a local racer in my area had his garage burn down, because he stored all his batteries together... I have learned to minimize the number of batteries I own at any given time and keep each battery installed in each car. I have seen many LiPo fires at the tracks to see that very rarely has there been a total loss... most LiPo fires in cars result in the replacement of a few cheap plastic parts and they're back to racing the same day.

I have also dealt first hand with LiPo fires inside the pit room at the track where I find it a lot easier to carry a burning car by the bumper to get the fire outside far more quickly than having to kick a burning LiPo causing flames to spread faster by agitating the battery with each kick.

Yeah a Bat-Safe would make it easy to carry a burning LiPo too, but how practical is it to have separate Bat-Safe's for each individual battery?
The cost for a Bat-safe is around $70 each and I doubt I've seen $70 in parts to replace in the average LiPo fire in a car of those I've personally seen.

There is no "best" method for storing our batteries, it comes down to calculating the replacement cost for each method of storage.

I will close by saying the "worst" method of storage is placing 2 or more packs in close proximity of each other.

Good luck with whatever method you decide to go with!

 

[turbo27]

I love my Bat-safe’s! I have 3 medium and 2 small. My packs are always stored, charged and transported in them. They give me a small piece of mind, granted I haven’t had any issues thus far..

Oh and I keep them stored on a wire rack/shelf just in case…

So I was thinking of doing the Bat safe. And putting that on 2 bricks. with sheet metal under all that. But it's in my room in the house.

 

[tntpoof]

a bat safe is good but its not there idea. had this since 1997

buy a small cat liter box file 1/4 with sand have a bucket 1/2 full in case

 

[WickedFog]

After you mentioned you put yours in that tool box, I've been putting mine inside lipo bags, inside an ammo can, inside a Snap-On top chest, but, inside the shed, since that's the only place besides the house I can put them. They burn through that, I give up.

Lol. That should do it man

 

[bill_delong]

not all LiPo bags are the same quality, very important to place a single LiPo battery per bag and some decent testing here against a bunch of brands of bags to see which one works the best (of those tested):

 

[Hammer Down]

What I take away from that Bat-safe video is… DON’T!!! over load your Bat-safe!
ALWAYS FOLLOW MANUFACTURERS SPECS!!

That said, I’m not as concerned with storing them as I’ve never heard of them spontaneously combusting. My biggest fear and concern is whilst they are charging. Most fires I’ve seen or heard of were either during charging or in use.
So, I always charge my packs in a Bat-safe and stay within eye and ear shot just in case.

 

[bill_delong]

... I’m not as concerned with storing them as I’ve never heard of them spontaneously combusting...

I cautioned above in an earlier post, the local racer in question is Tyler Hooks:
https://blog.teknorc.com/2018/08/24/tyler-hooks-wins-13-5-4wd-roar-nationals/

Anyway, ask him for more details if you like, but his garage was a total loss after a battery had spontaneously combusted within a few hours after he returned from the race track. No apparent damage from any of his batteries, no cracked cases, no swollen cells, all batteries were in good working condition and no notable crashes on the track. He stored all of his batteries together in a plastic rolling tool box. It created a chain reaction, fortunately the fire department was able to put out the fire in the garage before it had spread to the home, but all the contents of the garage and roof of the garage were completely burnt to the ground.

Takeaway for me are

1) Do not store any batteries close together so you don't risk a chain reaction
2) Keep batteries in a cool/dry place, preferably inside an HVAC home
3) Ensure the storage space can be ventilated (open window) in the rare event a fire erupts