PhilO Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 To all you electric buffsI'm new to lipo and bought my first pack (Flightpower EVO 4250mAh 3S about 5 months ago) Charged it up and put it into a Tucano but due to heavy work commitments, weather and christmas,did not get around to flying it. Came to trying it out today and found the thing had discharged. Put it onto charge and my all singing/dancing charger (bought with it) tells me it is detecting low voltage and doesn't want to play ball. I can only detect about 2 volts with my multimeter. Is there any way around this or the battery knackeredRegardsPhilo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 When you say you "put it into a Tucano" did you connect it to the ESC by any chance? Because if you did, it will have certainly discharged itself...and if it is only reading 2V on a DVM then its naff.Theres no way a good quality pack like F/P ( or ANY pack for that matter ) would self discharge from 12V+ to 2V in 5 months. It must have been connected to something which slowly drained it. If a 3S pack is allowed to drop below about 7V , then its pretty well had it.You could try a very low trickle charge at around 12V from a simple charger....but frankly as you are presumably inexperienced around electronics....I am reluctant to suggest even doing that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Foreman Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Phil, what sort of charger is it? Some of the good balance chargers (FMA Cellpro) can sometimes rescue battery packs, although they will never be as good as new, you will still get some use out of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 I spent a sleepless night, I am now tired and grumpy.Why, I became worried about my Lipos, keep them on the bench until I go flying, no airtight, electricaly insulated metal tin. Just standing there, like a small atom bomb.Well this morning, I immediatly swung into action, ripped the back of my wifes mobile phone, and removed the battery. She protested, I explained she would thank me one day. How will I phone she wailed. Safety is more important, I quickly replied. Any way I have made out some forms so you can request the battery for one phone call under controlled conditions, there is another for when you need to charge it, ohhh do not forget your "Risk assessemnt form" and have you attended the safe working with "Mobile phone course".I would have done the same with my own, but the battery is flat, and anyway I have decided I am excempting myself (just like goverment ministers, with bus lanes, speeding whilst on official business, DNA test when interviewed for curruption investigations).Next was the portable computer, followed by my Navman.As I remember it Nicads are both explosive and toxic if abused. So I have started on my transmitter, you can never be to safe, can you?I am worried that I have missed some equipment and have I introduced sufficient safe guards, procedures and documentation?Each battery is placed in the garage on a 2m grid, with 100mm of insulation underneath and to raise above any flooding that may occur. A fire supression system is being introduced comprising of a large container of water (20 litres) suspended above each battery, by a network of sticks. These will combust in the event of a fire, dumping the water onto the fire source.My wife stated that I was mad to believe these scare stories, regarding the dangers of batteries. She went on to suggest that ordinary citizens should not be allowed to fill their cars with petrol, only trained personnel, if risk is to be eliminated. I was glad to see that she was beging to see the reality.As she went through the door, she said I better get it all sorted out by the time she returned from work. Or that single person living may become appropriate. Now if a government was to be so stupid, do you think they would get re-elected she said? Now get it sorted.Need another garage I thought!Erfolg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Sharp Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 I took four very tired three cell lipos, charged them up, then put on my saftey glasses, took the packs into the garden and chopped each pack in half with an axe. Nothing happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Well then in that case ....stick 'em back in amodel and go fly! You did say NOTHING happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Sharp Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 It would be pointless putting them back in a model because they had reached a point where the performance was sadly lacking. Hence my above statement.I meant, they failed to catch fire, they just lay there looking submissive, like a sticky bun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilO Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 TomThe charger is a Bantam e-station BC6. The problem is that there seems to be no way of overiding its desire to block access to the pack.Philo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myron Beaumont Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Erfolg Nice one You forgot to mention the possible effect of earthquake happening.Goodness knows the loss of valuable property( ie models surrounded by the sticks/water/ accident/fire precautional but dodgy preventative measures) & lesser valuable disposable items ( ie wife/ partner/house/car/sanity) Calls for a serious rethink on priorities I think .I should Know ,Been there- done it !Have put a new thread /subject on the forum & would like your comments before you & / or wifey sustain injuries from a predictable source for which you've obviously taken about 3 useless safety measures .It's to do with water . Don't worry ! You only drown in it Guess who ?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piper Cub Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Can someone tell me how lipo's should be stored when not in use!? Obviously unconnected but what's this storeage charge I've heard of a few times? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Just to get this thread back onto some sort of serious note, if only for Piper's benefit, approx 3.5V per cell is best for storage, and at a nice low temperature too.. the fridge is best if the wife allows.There is little if anything to fear from an undamaged LiPo whilst it is merely sitting there, any scare stories of spontaneous combustion and other such nonsense is just tha - nonsense. There are NO recorded incidents of a LiPo battery igniting / exploding / whatever whilst at rest. All such incidents have occured through either one /some /all of the following operator induced factors.Overheated. Overcharged. Over dis-charged. "Pushed" past stated maximum C rate. Physically damaged. Shorted out ( same as overheated really )Now stop worrying and get flying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myron Beaumont Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 No Timbo ! Before you say it--- I'm not keeping your fridge full of explosives at my place if 'er indoors doesn't allow yours with her food / superglue/epoxy's .etc. It wouldn't ever be within firing range of my nice safe Ni-cads /methanol /ether/kerosene/(paraffin to foreigners )(who are not even metric proper)or gin/or beer In fact anything we're used to keeping at "home" in the so-called "civilised world " of uncertainty (or as it's known in other more intelligent peoples circles )- chaos ! even maybe quantum mechanics .Do you have any of them around your neck of the woods (where there are no trees)?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Salomon Posted January 22, 2008 Author Share Posted January 22, 2008 Bartender, give me a pint of whatever Myron is on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 I believe it may be illegal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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