RC India

Hello everyone.I flew my stick type plane a week before.Accidently the lipo hit the ground on a hard landing. :banghead: its a 3cell lipo.Actually only 1 cell hit the ground but other two are also puffed.What may be the reason ??? can i use it further? Is it safe to charge and get few more flights with it?  :)

Puffed lipos should immediatly be discarded. They can be really hazardous and may explode or catch fire if charged or used further.

Is it still dangerous to store idle without using or charging it?

There are lot and lot of fire accidents due to lipo useage...

It is highly risky...

Please please please don't take chance my friend.

Better to be safe than sorry.

If you want to keep it keep it in a fireproof bag or something. You never know when it suddenly decides to burst into flames. Dont use it or charge it.

How to dispose them properly?I heard that we must put them in salt water.

Post a pic.
It really is dangerous to use a puffed lipo, but i have one zippy 3s with one cell dead and little puffed, i converted it to 2s and still using it without any issues.

Ashok.P

Edit: If you still do not want them send them to me ;D ;D ;D ;D

I have quite a damaged LIPO from my last crash of my AXN floater...

I would like to know the proper process of disposing a LIPO....

@v2 eagle, sir ill try to post the pic tomorrow morning. :)

http://www.rcindia.org/search2?search=lipo+salt (http://www.rcindia.org/search2?search=lipo+salt)

anwar sir...thank you for the prompt reply... :salute:

I just did some googling and found this....  should have done that before I started using lips :banghead:

http://www.rctoys.com/pr/2007/07/06/safely-dispose-of-lithium-polymer-lipo-lipoly-battery-packs/ (http://www.rctoys.com/pr/2007/07/06/safely-dispose-of-lithium-polymer-lipo-lipoly-battery-packs/)

I have been using puffed LiPo's and charging them for the last 2 years without incident. I charge them in my verandah, far away from all domestic valuables. They work fine. A friend of mine, in the Army, has been using puffed LiPo's with no problems. Why waste it? Post pictures and wait for practical advice.

It all depends on the condition of the lipo after the crash.  The general advice, especially if some of the cells are really puffed, is to not use them. Typically they will lose some of the their storage/discharge capacity with the puffing.

In any case, be extra cautious when you charge it for the first time after the crash.  Absolutely keep it away from flammable material, and stick around / keep an eye on it.

Lipo puff because of discharging them when they have already lost their charges
If you want to get you lipo in right shape charge it  in your freazer to decrease its temperature
It works for me
thanks

Moral of the story is..... be Extra cautious of using puffed lipo....

Kiran, Any update on the Lipo yet???????

Ashok.P

I was reading a lot about puffed lipo since i also have wolfpack puffed lipo. i suggest dump it, its not safe. even if it works its not worth taking risk for it.  I kept on using my Wolfpack lipo for servo testing even my TX was beeping for low voltage. i thought how much servo can consume but i was wrong lipo went dead and puffed. tried to charge it but no luck.

I had been using the wolfpack on my Rx (through powerbox) and even with the Rx and sevo loads the packs started bloating.
A lipo like that is best discarded.
   

I have had several puffed lipos. The best bet is to discard them. But due to scare availability of batteries, i tend to keep them seperately, and use them for low current, non-critical requirements.

A puffed lipo usually works well, if :
- Charged carefully in a lipo bag for precautions
- used for a lower C use
- used where even if it gives half its capacity, is usable.
- used where voltage sagging doesnt matter much.

Puffed lipos can be unreliable due to voltage sag. Can lead to loosing your model, when you give it full power and the  ESC cuts out and your model stalls and noses in.

Lipos gone through accidents, like above should be seriously discarded.

Lipos can be dangerous. Specially the ones which are damaged. Here's a reminder of what a Lipo can do . I am sure everyone here knows the precautions but i have been witness to  Lipo fire at a college student's place and the damage it can do is immense.

Here's a video of Lipo fire, this time though intentional.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn1afWQUtVA (http://)

Its always a best practice to cover the Lipo with foam and use it in planes. this can prevent any damage in the event of crash.
A puffed/opened/compressed lipo is a potential bomb and can go up in flames only when used like charging and discharging so do them both in a open space and not in a model.
But all lipos after  a damage are not dangerous and some can be used with care. Like charge them no more than 1C and use it for purpose like RX battery or a small foamie for trainer etc not on a powerful motor/esc combo that sucks power near the redline. and not surely on multicopters as they always drain the last drop.

Ashok.P

 :iagree: with everyone.lipos can be dangerous and should be stored properly or disposed. :o

So very true, Lithium based batteries should always be used with caution whether that it a cell phone, laptop, toy or anything.
PUFFING/swelling up itself is the sign of electrolyte leakage/damage inside cell. Can be caused by accidental drop, overcharging and even over-discharging. And the irony on top is they can cause physical damage in that condition. even Ni-based batteries hv same problem. but Li- is lot more hazardous
usually the original cell phone/laptop batteries hv advanced ICs monitoring the temp./use cycles/charging rate n even then they are not safe. a little precaution as well as expensive quality battery pack always must

Be safe friends

@abhay: please please don't try the freeze option too much, you might enp up with a tikka in ur freezer someday
i seriously hope not, but its not a good advice. the technique gives u charge from even discharged batteries, its a survival technique to short recharging ur batteries if u r lost or something lol. it sure does come with high chance of short circuit n you know why, thats why its seldom used technique