Storing lipos - how and where?

[Uncle Pauly]

Question: how and where do you store your lipos?

So I’ve capitulated and bought my first AEG for use during colder, winter months (I otherwise run GBBRs). It runs on 7.4v lipos and I’m wanting to know the safest method for storing them.

Reading up on this, opinions seem to range from: “They’re much safer than people make out; just store them at 3.8v” to “They’re like mini-nukes and could detonate at any moment”.

My current plan is:

• Batteries stored in individual lipo bags
  
• Bags and batteries placed inside steel ammo box (drilled with a few holes around the lid)
  
• Stash in shed (unheated)
  

Curious to know how and also where you guys store yours… fireproof safe in the bedroom? Cheesecloth bag above fireplace? Anderson Shelter in back yard? Casually tossed in sock drawer?

Cheers ?

 

[Steveocee]

Mine live in all together in a plastic box in a Lipo bag in a draw in my mancave. I can't see a battery going nuclear when there is no load on it, it has a moderate charge in it and it has no faults.

 

[E21A]

In a lipo bag in the garage with whatever charge is left in them 

 

[Adolf Hamster]

i keep mine in a box with bb's and speedloaders.

as long as there's nothing metallic in the container that could cause a short, and you take the other associated lipo precautions (proper charging equipment, keep them dry etc) then there's very little chance of getting any kind of issue.

more chance of it going up when it's in the gun on a rainy day.

 

[Uncle Pauly]

Thanks for the quick input guys. I like how this could develop... sort of "Colonel Mustard with the candlestick in the conservatory" ?

Keep 'em coming.

 

[Guest]

No garage here, but generally in a LiPo fire bag, doesn’t hurt to be cautious.

And at the first sign of distress, dispose of it sensibly

 

[Musica]

I storage charge my lipos with my charger (sets them to 50%) from what I understand a LIPO that does go bad the resulting explosion is directly related to how much power is stored in them.  

I am just waiting to get a bat-safe mini in the UK at a decent price https://www.bat-safe.com/bat-safe-mini as no amount of DIY solution will filter the harmful chemical they output as well IMO. A DIY Ammo box will provide puncture protection and contain the batteries and usually prevent heat transfer combustion of surrounding material but the gasses still need to get out the top otherwise you create a pipe bomb. 

Often they go nucular when charging so always watch them when charging and charge on a non flammable surface in a lipo bag.  If you keep them in a crush proof container for storage/transport they will reduce the second type of time they no nucular which is from puncturing.  We don't have to worry as much as the RC community as we don't have them going at 50MPH and getting damaged when we are actually using them to power our kit so it's mostly something to be concerned about when storing/transporting and charging them. 

I don't want to store them outside as I can't imagine the temperatures are good for them.  

 

[Uncle Pauly]

Cheers guys!

The storage temperature for my batteries is listed as being -20 to 40 Celsius (recommended -5 to 25), so I'm hoping they'll be good in the shed.

Regarding moisture, I'm obviously going to be keeping them dry... but if I bring them in from a cold shed to a warm indoor room (i.e. when prepping for a game day) I assume there might be some risk of condensation due to the sudden change in temperature/humidity - ? If so, is it just a case of letting them sit at room temp for a good while before using them in my RIF?

 

[Steveocee]

Cheers guys!

The storage temperature for my batteries is listed as being -20 to 40 Celsius (recommended -5 to 25), so I'm hoping they'll be good in the shed.

Regarding moisture, I'm obviously going to be keeping them dry... but if I bring them in from a cold shed to a warm indoor room (i.e. when prepping for a game day) I assume there might be some risk of condensation due to the sudden change in temperature/humidity - ? If so, is it just a case of letting them sit at room temp for a good while before using them in my RIF?

You could put a bag or two of silica gel in with them (those little sachets you get with trainers and various other items). Would remove moisture but if you were bringing them inside, chances are you'll open the box anyway so acclimatisation would happen faster.

 

[Lozart]

I regularly microwave mine. Helps keep them the nice round shape they go once you've looked after them properly.

(they're in a LiPo safe bag, I'm not actually that mental)

 

[Uncle Pauly]

Thanks guys ?

They're going in a lipo bag, inside an old steel box in the shed. That way if they do spontaneously "nuke the site from orbit", they'll save me the job of clearing out the shed (which I've been putting off for years). It's a win either way.

PS: those Bat Safe products do look good, albeit a bit expensive. Great business idea.

 

[djben9]

not sure if its me or people panic about lipos....mine sit in lipo bags in a draw under the bed....occasionally look at them but nothing wrong with them, remain charged from last use or full if i never used them..... so far so good...

it is the wifes side so i can only hope!!  :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Uncle Pauly]

it is the wifes side so i can only hope!!  :lol: :lol: :lol:

Haha!

*sings* "It's getting hot in here; so take off all your clothes..."

No, I mean it really is getting hot in here. The f****** bed is on fire!! ?

 

[RobHedley]

I understand that Lipo batteries are a little more volatile than the former NiCd or NiHm batteries but I really don't understand the absolute fear around them. Firstly the batteries cannot just combust on their own when sitting in a drawer or wherever you store them. If left too long (and they would take a very, very, very long time) and they drop really low, they can expand but will not burst into flames. The only point at which a LiPo will be capable of igniting is under charging when one of the cells is fully charged and the other aren't so the charger keeps pumping power into it, cell expands, gets hot and *may* ignite from a short. Simple fix, use a balance board or a balance charger. The other time it may happen is under massive, fast discharge where the draw is greater than its capacity. You do this to any battery of any type and you will have trouble. I had a 12v Car battery pop its side out and spray its contents everywhere after it was shorted out.

I have used LiPo and LiFe batteries since they first came into general availability back in the late 90's / Early 2000's right up until the present day in RC Cars, Planes and Helicopters. I have stuffed them into the ground at high speed in Planes, sliced massive chunks out of them when a 600 sized Heli decided to stop spinning its tail rotor when it was about 30 feet off the floor. Still no fire or nuclear explosion or mass genocide or zombie apocalypse. In fact I found one of the Batteries that I storage charged about 8 years ago then lost at the back of a cupboard the other day. Very slight bulge in it and i mean 1mm maybe 2mm fatter than the original, popped it on the balance charge as an experiment  (I did sit it in the middle of the garage on a metal plate just in case, I am not a complete idiot) and it charged right up. There are faulty products in every industry and if they really were as volatile as everyone makes out where their sole aim is to burn everything to death, would they be allowed to be sold in the first place, would they be put in nearly every device including those that you stick in your pocket? All batteries should be treated with respect and using a bit of common sense, LiPo batteries are no different.

 

[Uncle Pauly]

^ Nice post! Reassuring. Thanks Rob ?