First time lipo charging and storage

[GingerBreadMan]

my lipos have finally arrived and I want to use them. I have an imax b3 btw. Should I just plug it in and charge? Are they then ready to be used?

Also where do you store them?

All my airsoft stuff lives under my bed so a bit cautious of that

 

[Sitting Duck]

charge them on a worktop not dining table/carpet/bed

eg in a utility room where washing machine might be located

or in a safe less used area of kitchen

not on carpet or bed - not just lipo but any battery or charging stuff due to possible heat

if you mark the oak or mahogany dining table don't blame me

formica worktop/bench in garage or something - old dinner mat at a real push

but proper kitchen worktop is best durable option I think to withstand marks n heat etc....

as always - keep an eye on anything charging

store them in a nice shady area with picturesque views listening to soothing music

awaken them gently from their slumber asking them nicely if they feel like going airsoft today

just anywhere away from heat - but not the fridge freezer - general common sense I guess

once charged they are primed so they must be used within 180 seconds or they explode - kidding

most charge them night before game

 

[GingerBreadMan]

charge them on a worktop not dining table/carpet/bed

eg in a utility room where washing machine might be located

or in a safe less used area of kitchen

not on carpet or bed - not just lipo but any battery or charging stuff due to possible heat

if you mark the oak or mahogany dining table don't blame me

formica worktop/bench in garage or something - old dinner mat at a real push

but proper kitchen worktop is best durable option I think to withstand marks n heat etc....

as always - keep an eye on anything charging

store them in a nice shady area with picturesque views listening to soothing music

awaken them gently from their slumber asking them nicely if they feel like going airsoft today

just anywhere away from heat - but not the fridge freezer - general common sense I guess

once charged they are primed so they must be used within 180 seconds or they explode - kidding

most charge them night before game

Cheers SD that did confirm what I was thinking really.I'll go charge one now to have a bit of a first person lipo nimh comparison. I know the differences, just want to witness them

 

[Adam3088]

Read the instructions and double check the settings, charging them incorrectly could possibly start a fire.

I charge mine on a block of wood on a worktop, if storing it for a long period of time without use it'll need a reasonable amount of power in it, but not low or fully charged. Probably best not to store lipos under a bed, the chance of one catching fire is very low, but there have been cases of houses burning down due to improper charging etc.

You can get fire resistant lipo charging bags but they're not really necessary if everything's set up correctly.

 

[Sitting Duck]

7.4v will be same as 8.4v nimah's really

11.1v will be - f*ck me that is good but need to watch it ain't too crazy on stock gun

9.9v Life is happy medium but range & choice is very poor compared to lipo

(plus I really think life's don't have the flow through of juice on really beefy upgraded guns that lipo's can deliver)

may not notice much difference if any on 7.4v but you will later on if you need some upgrade grunt from your battery

The B3 or B3 clone is just a plug n charge - there ain't much else to it

they are ok, some clones can fail and only charge one cell but not others

All the same - welcome to next gen of power cells

Now how am I gonna get the USS Enterprise's Dilithium crystal wired up to that mosfet in time for next game

She'll no take it captain - the grip is hotter than the suns of vulcan

(God bless ya Scotty)

 

[Baz JJ]

I wont keep them in tne house and treat them like pyro.

One tip is to keep them in a metal, clippable ammo box which you can get off ebay for not very much. Some even keep them on the top of a bed of sand in the ammo box.

Personally mine live in a fire bag on a concrete floor, away from any flammables.

The problem with them if they do short or develop a problem is the smoke, which cant do you a lot of good if breathed in and the intense heat they generate in combustion.

Its rare to have a problem unless you puncture them, but why take the risk ?

I wouldnt like to think how your house fire risk insurers would view them if kept under your bed.

 

[Sitting Duck]

I store mine next to the oven by the TNT, drums of petrol & 9mm blanks

not at my house - at my in-laws

 

[GingerBreadMan]

Yeah ill find somewhere a little more "cautious" to keep them - ammo tin a good call. ive probably got a metal toolbox laying around i can use

@SD i know that there will be little difference over an 8.4 nimh. I mainly wanted them so i could use a different stock(Got 2 smaller lipos that fit in the buffer tube) I actually got +2 rps on the lipo over the nimh though. Trigger response, no major difference i cant tell either way really. however I think its does seem to fire faster when shooting on semi over the nimh. It obviously has some more oomph maybe

 

[Fatknees]

I started using lipo for the first time about 3 weeks ago brought a WE smart charger £50 a little expensive but money well spent it will change all types of battery nimh,lipo,etc,never going back to nimh,lipo all the way for me now

 

[Baz JJ]

Ive never used anything else in airsoft,

They are so compact and their chemistry makes them capable of high instantaneous start up currents

to give good trigger response.

 

[Sacarathe]

How can you tell the difference between the actual LIPO charging bags and the chinese-not-as-effective-as-they-should-be ones?

 

[Baz JJ]

i dont think you can as there is no mark of quality on them. I bought mine from an established RC model shop in the hope that they would stock the genuine thing and not knock off copies.

How can you tell the difference between the actual LIPO charging bags and the chinese-not-as-effective-as-they-should-be ones?

 

[Sitting Duck]

Maybe I like living on the edge.....

But sometimes I don't use a lipo charging bag - actually I don't own one

BUT - before anybody just thinks they can ultra fast boost charge any battery lipo or nimah....

my chargers only trickle charge @ 800mah to 1000mah

PLUS I do watch them - not like watching paint dry....

But they are charged out of harms way on an old bench/worktop

with me keeping an eye on them frequently, not coz I'm paranoid but coz I want it to finish charging to recharge another one

(c'mon you pile of lipo pooh charger - hurry the heck up)

I feel as long you buy decent brands, look after them, if they look suspect don't use them

basic common sense with any electrical