Safety and Maintenance of Lipo Batteries

[RubiconX]

Hey guys,
Some of you might have already read that I've engaged in an electric buggy build after a few year absence from the hobby. This is my first experience venturing out to electric, previously I only built and ran nitro.

One of the things that enticed me about electric is the simplicity of running with little after maintenance. However, after picking up my RC8.2e kit last night I started doing some research and mapping all the things I'll need to run this thing and lipos were on the list. Having no previous experience with these batteries I was very discouraged to see so many videos online of RC vehicles catching fire when landing wrong or flipping while being powered by these batteries. I also saw countless videos of some guy blowing up his bedroom while trying to charge these packs. OK OK, I get it, likely user error and if precautions are taken 99% of these instances can be avoided, however, after doing some more reading on these batteries, I also learned that they behave differently than the rechargeable batteries I'm used to. For example, I need to monitor the voltage of the battery when in storage mode. I need to recharge and discharge the battery every couple of months of storage. I need to be attending the battery at all times when charging to watch for swelling or potential issues. I need to monitor even cell power distribution. I need to store, charge and transport these batteries in safety packs and metal boxes in case they swell up and go off. I've even read of instances when these batteries blew up or caught smoke after sitting in storage for a month.

The issue I have is that I will need to store and charge these batteries inside my house, likely I'll do this in the basement. Unfortunately for me, I am also one of these overly cautious and often too paranoid individuals so at the back of my mind I will always be thinking if one of these batteries has swollen and just maybe tonight is the night I'll be woken up to smoke coming from the basement.

Another thing that bothers me is that I'm the kind of basher that I may not run my RC vehicle for a month but then I'll want to take it out for a good full day of basing somewhere out of the City. If my run time per battery is 15-20 minutes and I want to bash on and off for 3-4 hours, I will either need around 12 battery packs (all of which I need to transport safely in pouches and boxes, not to mention maintain in storage), or do what the guy at the hobby shop recommended, and just buy 2-3 and as I run two, keep charging one in my car. Problem is if I'm charing the battery in my car which is often infused with heat from the sun, I'm leaving the battery unattended which is a problem.

I know this thread is just a long runt but I'm hoping some of you more experienced folks can give me some tips on these batteries and hopefully convince me that I'm just being overly paranoid.

Thanks in advance.
Cheers
M

 

[griff7373]

Buy a good quality charger, a LIPO storage bag and or ammo can to put the batteries in, monitor them and you should be fine. Make sure you charger has a storage mode on it.

 

[RubiconX]

Buy a good quality charger, a LIPO storage bag and or ammo can to put the batteries in, monitor them and you should be fine. Make sure you charger has a storage mode on it.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[Greywolf74]

Lipos have a potential to be a real fire hazard and as such should be treated with proper care and respect. That being said they arent as volatile as a lot of those videos make them out to be. Most lipo fires are due to either improper maintenance or shorting 2 or more cells out.

Typically in order to short 2 or more cells out some type of puncture that pierces 2 or more of the cells has to happen. Sometimes blunt force trauma can cause a lipo to catch fire but they almost never do it right away. Usually they will swell and puff up and become hot first for 5-15 minutes before they actually erupt into flame if its going to at all. Mostly they just puff up without actually catching fire. I generally recommend that after a wreck where the lipo has taken some sort of major blunt force hit (lipo is thrown from the vehicle, lipo has obvious markings/dnets/scratches etc) I will immediately take that lipo out and use a different one. If no swelling has occurred by the time that pack is dead then I'll go ahead and pop the other one back in and go ahead and use it up as well.

As for maintenance, make sure you dont skimp on a lipo charger if you can help it. The cheap chinese chargers tend to not be very reliable long term for charging packs or reading cell voltages completely accurately. That can lead to damaged lipos even if none of them ever actually catch fire. Starting out Id recommend something like this iCharger. At about $100 shipped its fairly inexpensive for a good quality charger. Not only will this help insure that your lipos are getting charged properly but iChargers can also read the IR (or internal resistance) of each of a lipos cells. This enabels you to keep an eye on the overall "health" of the lipo so is a very nice feature to have and its also a feature you wont get in a lot of chinese lipo chargers. Also make sure you charge your lipos in a lipo bag. A lipo bag helps to contain the fire in the event that one happens. Also make sure you have an ammo can handy so if your lipo does start to puff or smoke while its being charged you can simply clamp the lid down and run it outside to a safe spot where it can burn out. I keep a bucket of sand handy so that if it ever happens to me (hasnt yet *crosses fingers*) I can pour sand into the ammo can in an attempt to smother the fire.

Like I said, if you treat and charge your lipos with care and respect then you'll not likely have many issues with them at all.

Oh and if your lipos puff, dont use them...replace them.

 

[RubiconX]

Lipos have a potential to be a real fire hazard and as such should be treated with proper care and respect. That being said they arent as volatile as a lot of those videos make them out to be. Most lipo fires are due to either improper maintenance or shorting 2 or more cells out.

Typically in order to short 2 or more cells out some type of puncture that pierces 2 or more of the cells has to happen. Sometimes blunt force trauma can cause a lipo to catch fire but they almost never do it right away. Usually they will swell and puff up and become hot first for 5-15 minutes before they actually erupt into flame if its going to at all. Mostly they just puff up without actually catching fire. I generally recommend that after a wreck where the lipo has taken some sort of major blunt force hit (lipo is thrown from the vehicle, lipo has obvious markings/dnets/scratches etc) I will immediately take that lipo out and use a different one. If no swelling has occurred by the time that pack is dead then I'll go ahead and pop the other one back in and go ahead and use it up as well.

As for maintenance, make sure you dont skimp on a lipo charger if you can help it. The cheap chinese chargers tend to not be very reliable long term for charging packs or reading cell voltages completely accurately. That can lead to damaged lipos even if none of them ever actually catch fire. Starting out Id recommend something like this iCharger. At about $100 shipped its fairly inexpensive for a good quality charger. Not only will this help insure that your lipos are getting charged properly but iChargers can also read the IR (or internal resistance) of each of a lipos cells. This enabels you to keep an eye on the overall "health" of the lipo so is a very nice feature to have and its also a feature you wont get in a lot of chinese lipo chargers. Also make sure you charge your lipos in a lipo bag. A lipo bag helps to contain the fire in the event that one happens. Also make sure you have an ammo can handy so if your lipo does start to puff or smoke while its being charged you can simply clamp the lid down and run it outside to a safe spot where it can burn out. I keep a bucket of sand handy so that if it ever happens to me (hasnt yet *crosses fingers*) I can pour sand into the ammo can in an attempt to smother the fire.

Like I said, if you treat and charge your lipos with care and respect then you'll not likely have many issues with them at all.

Oh and if your lipos puff, dont use them...replace them.

Greywolf, thank you.
I really appreciate the detailed info.