This was my yearly reminder to pay attention. PHOTO

I bought a new 5s 2600 pack. Charged / cycled the lipo three days ago. This morning noticed it was at 96% instead of 99%. Threw it on my charger with auto detect cell count. I did not notice it set itself to 6 cell instead of 5. Few minutes later the wrapping exploded and all the cells were ready to blow. Threw it in the parking lot, FIRE!!!

Yep-My fault 100% . I was talking and helping a new member, while trying to rush to make a speed run with my new 5s pack in a Phase III f-16 (avatar) . So i was excited. Should be around 155-160mph.

Could have been disastrous if i would have done this at home.

One reason I dont use auto detect chargers. If you get complacent, they will "burn" you. Pardon the pun.

Originally Posted by Bunky F. Knuckle

One reason I dont use auto detect chargers. If you get complacent, they will "burn" you. Pardon the pun.

For two years it has never been an issue. Yep got complacent.

Also be weary of night flying and using a red headlamp messing with red and white wires. They look exactly the same!! I took some 2 cells off the bus board and plugged my 3 cells in to charge. Missed the balance plugs on the 2s packs still plugged in due to the light condition. Man, what a smoking fiery mess! Thank GOD I had them in a flame proof container!

It happens. Glad nothing important got torched. A few years back I remember some guy charging in his trailer on his way to an IMAC comp and his entire trailer, planes, radio, fuel cans, etc... burned in front of his driveway. Total loss of all equipment. Now I charge everything in my little casserole dish away from flammables!

Is anyone aware of fire stories with Li-ion batteries? I see a lot of fire issues with Lipo's, so I always charge Lipo's in a safe container. But I've been charging my Li-ions in the plane. Is there the same risk?

Pete

Originally Posted by Bunky F. Knuckle

One reason I dont use auto detect chargers. If you get complacent, they will "burn" you. Pardon the pun.

I use nothing but auto detect chargers (CellPro) and the only time I've ever had it get confused was if someone had previously used a manual charger set to the wrong cell count. Even then it recognized there was a problem, due to the number of cells it detected at the balance tap and the over all pack voltage and refused to charge it. I always balance charge so the charger can use the tap to verify the cell count..

Originally Posted by pcastine

Is anyone aware of fire stories with Li-ion batteries? I see a lot of fire issues with Lipo's, so I always charge Lipo's in a safe container. But I've been charging my Li-ions in the plane. Is there the same risk?

Pete

Not as much risk to these batteries. That doesn't mean you can't explode them etc. They don't tend to burn white hot like LiPo do though so they are safer.

I have never met a modeler who takes Li-ons out of there plane to charge them.

Originally Posted by sweetpea

Not as much risk to these batteries. That doesn't mean you can't explode them etc. They don't tend to burn white hot like LiPo do though so they are safer.

I have never met a modeler who takes Li-ons out of there plane to charge them.

Sorry you are incorrect. I had a liion pack on the bench blow up and catch fire when the charger sensed the voltage in error. They scatter pieces 20 feet or so when they rupture. All of it burning at several thousand degrees. Several planes within 15 feet of the battery had NUMEROUS holes burned in thir wings...made a hell of a mess..

No one balance charges? Auto detect cell count? Why not just plug in the balance tap also? If you use a charger without a balancer your asking for trouble.

It was caused by another modeler coming by and pushing the buttons on my charger as it was in the 30 seconds of beeping at the end of charge cycle and he didnt want to hear it. It shouldnt have restarted but it did and 2min later boom. I was about 20 feet away happily flying when it happened. I didnt even realize he was f'ing with it. Everything can screw up. Dell had to recall 4 million laptops due to lion fires due to charger/battery issues. Do you think a hobby grade charger underwent as much reasearch, testing, etc as a dell laptop had to undergo?Does your charger have a UL listing on it! Bet it doesnt.


Oh another thing to note, read the warnings that come with your charger and your batteries, A guy at the field has his charger hooked up to his truck battery, it caught fire and burned his truck to the ground. His insurance agent did some research and read all of the warnings that came with his charger and the lipo batteries and declined to pay to replace his vehicle as he was 50 feet away drinking coffee in the shed and his batteries were "unattended", his charger not UL listed, and he was negligent in charging.