Lipo Damage

[PvtSpoon]

last weekend i drop my 8400mah 11.1v 3s pack on the floor from about waist hit and dented the edge in, it dident swell and keep my eye on it all week and its been fine, would it besafe to charge ? or is it order new pack time pic below hope you can see the damage



Thanks for help

[TheShaughnessy]

i've crashed lipo into the ground doing well over 40 mph in an rc plane and still used it after. I'd say its safe to charge just make sure you don't charge it next to any flammables and have a plan to get rid of the battery in case something does happen.

[Bduncan]

I agree and be careful never to drop a swollen pack especially in an enclosed area. I dropped a friends really swollen pack in my garage last year and it shot out fumes like a roach bomb. Couldn't get the garage open fast enough.

[Bduncan]

I think several companies make secondary hard cases by size. I need to get a few myself.

[tlandauer]

I agree and be careful never to drop a swollen pack especially in an enclosed area. I dropped a friends really swollen pack in my garage last year and it shot out fumes like a roach bomb. Couldn't get the garage open fast enough.

Bduncan, I hope you don't mind my asking you with this subject further: did it burn after it shot out fumes, I am careful as everyone else, but I still want to know what happens when lipo actually catches fire, I know the temp is EXTREMELY high, but I am curious the actual size of the fire just by itself, assuming there is no flammables around.

[785boats]

That crushed corner can become a problem. The Lithium can crystallise & begin shorting out. Keep a close eye on that cell If the IR starts to get higher than the other cells Stop using it.
Another indication of the cell going bad if you don't have an IR checker is that the cell will will not get up to the same voltage as the other cells on a balance charge. Also, if it is at a lower voltage than the other calls after a discharge run in your boat.

Tlandauer.
This might give you some idea. It's more of a test on the cheap lipo bag.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEkewCjiDs0

[tlandauer]

Tlandauer.
This might give you some idea. It's more of a test on the cheap lipo bag.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEkewCjiDs0

Thanks so much for this link, this is what I was looking for. I saw something like this a long time ago but back then I wasn't using lipo and wasn't as keen on these things.

[PvtSpoon]

That crushed corner can become a problem. The Lithium can crystallise & begin shorting out. Keep a close eye on that cell If the IR starts to get higher than the other cells Stop using it.
Another indication of the cell going bad if you don't have an IR checker is that the cell will will not get up to the same voltage as the other cells on a balance charge. Also, if it is at a lower voltage than the other calls after a discharge run in your boat.

Tlandauer.
This might give you some idea. It's more of a test on the cheap lipo bag.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEkewCjiDs0

Thanks for all the advice guys, yeh I got a IR temp checker and a cell checker. Better get another pack on order just incase

[kevinpratt823]

He means IR as in "Internal Resistance", not IR as in Infa Red temp checker. A lot of chargers will read the Internal Resistance of individual cells.

[785boats]

Thanks Kevin.
I should be a bit more precise with the terminology.
Cheers.
Paul.

[madmikepags]

I had a 4 cell 5000 lipo pack go up in flames in my back yard, about 15" circle burnt into my grass and 8-12 foot high flames for 12-15 minutes, extremely hot and pungent odor, This was probably 6-7 years ago before I was using all balance chargers, luckily it didn't go up in my house!!!!

[tlandauer]

I had a 4 cell 5000 lipo pack go up in flames in my back yard, about 15" circle burnt into my grass and 8-12 foot high flames for 12-15 minutes, extremely hot and pungent odor, This was probably 6-7 years ago before I was using all balance chargers, luckily it didn't go up in my house!!!!

Thanks for sharing , I guess it is a good idea to charge them in the fire place, I mean deep inside where the flame will go up the chimney incase there is fire.

[785boats]

Unfortunately, if the the foil of the cell splits on the edge of a cell the flames can shoot sideways. Best to make sure it's in a GOOD Lipo sack.

[tlandauer]

Unfortunately, if the the foil of the cell splits on the edge of a cell the flames can shoot sideways. Best to make sure it's in a GOOD Lipo sack.

Good advice! Thanks!

[PvtSpoon]

He means IR as in "Internal Resistance", not IR as in Infa Red temp checker. A lot of chargers will read the Internal Resistance of individual cells.

Battery charged fine no swelling or geting hot