DANGER & WARNING ABOUT LITHIUM BATTERIES !!!
11-22-2003, 02:20 AM
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DANGER & WARNING ABOUT LITHIUM BATTERIES !!!
I frequently fly electric R/C Helicopters & Occasionally the Draganflyer 4 rotor heli. While most of the time I use Regular Nicad batteries, I heard about the new lighter and longer lasting Lithium Batteries and Decided to Try one out with my Draganflyer Heli. And Yes it's True, My normal 8 minute flights with nicad batteries was now increased to 20 minutes of flight with these new Lithuim Batteries,
BUT! Beware of these batteries When charging them, And never, never, ever leave them unattended while charging!!!!!!!! Here's What happened to me; I purchased a 3 cell lithium battery and the proper charger for it, both from the same company. As I said my first flight was a good 20 minutes, but then my second flight was only about 12-15 minutes and every flight after that, on a full charge, was only about 8-10 minutes long. I then contacted the company and they said to give it a full charge again and take a Voltage reading and let them know what the reading was, they said it was possible that the battery pack had a bad cell. So I hooked up the Lithium battery to it's charger and it began to charge, normal charge time for this particular battery and charger combo was any were from 1-3 hours, BUT after 1 hour the battery pack began to swell and a white mist began to stream out from the battery pack, Kind of like the way dry ice smokes up. The fumes were horrible and I quickly unplugged it from my work benche's power strip! I decided to let it cool off 1 minute later it made a pop like a fire cracker and more smoke came out. I then thought that was it, the worst is over and the battery pack was gone and over with. (Lucky for me I decided to bring the battery pack outside because of the smell)
After bringing it outside, a minute later It then EXPLODED LIKE A FIRE BOMB!!!!!!!!!!!!! It made a 3 foot Diameter Fire Ball!!!!!!!!!! I can't imagine what would have happened if i decided to leave it in the house on my workbench to cool off. I contacted the company and told them what happened, They are going to replace the battery & charger for free but They also want me to take the chard remains of the battery to the Company that Builds them, which is not a problem because it just so happens the manufacture is in Las Vegas, which is were I also live. I have an appointment to see them on Tuesday 11/25/03. I now have a fire extinguisher in my workroom and charge all my batteries outside !!!!!! Read the attached article below, it's kind of funny how they go on to say how you get a "BANG for your BUCK" :-( Flying fish was almost a fried fish)
BUT! Beware of these batteries When charging them, And never, never, ever leave them unattended while charging!!!!!!!! Here's What happened to me; I purchased a 3 cell lithium battery and the proper charger for it, both from the same company. As I said my first flight was a good 20 minutes, but then my second flight was only about 12-15 minutes and every flight after that, on a full charge, was only about 8-10 minutes long. I then contacted the company and they said to give it a full charge again and take a Voltage reading and let them know what the reading was, they said it was possible that the battery pack had a bad cell. So I hooked up the Lithium battery to it's charger and it began to charge, normal charge time for this particular battery and charger combo was any were from 1-3 hours, BUT after 1 hour the battery pack began to swell and a white mist began to stream out from the battery pack, Kind of like the way dry ice smokes up. The fumes were horrible and I quickly unplugged it from my work benche's power strip! I decided to let it cool off 1 minute later it made a pop like a fire cracker and more smoke came out. I then thought that was it, the worst is over and the battery pack was gone and over with. (Lucky for me I decided to bring the battery pack outside because of the smell)
After bringing it outside, a minute later It then EXPLODED LIKE A FIRE BOMB!!!!!!!!!!!!! It made a 3 foot Diameter Fire Ball!!!!!!!!!! I can't imagine what would have happened if i decided to leave it in the house on my workbench to cool off. I contacted the company and told them what happened, They are going to replace the battery & charger for free but They also want me to take the chard remains of the battery to the Company that Builds them, which is not a problem because it just so happens the manufacture is in Las Vegas, which is were I also live. I have an appointment to see them on Tuesday 11/25/03. I now have a fire extinguisher in my workroom and charge all my batteries outside !!!!!! Read the attached article below, it's kind of funny how they go on to say how you get a "BANG for your BUCK" :-( Flying fish was almost a fried fish)
11-22-2003, 04:15 AM
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RE: DANGER & WARNING ABOUT LITHIUM BATTERIES !!!
I would like to know the full specs of the battery and the name of the manufacturer. And it was a LiPo battey...correct?
11-22-2003, 02:43 PM
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RE: DANGER & WARNING ABOUT LITHIUM BATTERIES !!!
The Battery was a 3 cell 12 volt Battery designed for the Draganflyer purchased at RCTOYS.COM and the company that Builds the batteries is called "Advanced Energy" located in Nevada Not sure if it was a LiPo Battery the company put a Velcro tab right over the label and I was never able to read it.
11-26-2003, 11:58 AM
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RE: DANGER & WARNING ABOUT LITHIUM BATTERIES !!!
Sounds like lithium Ion, the old type.
ALSO. before using any li-po type batteries make sure of the amperage draw from your electronics. You are not supposed to draw more than 6 amps from a lipoly cell or it can be damaged.
ALSO. before using any li-po type batteries make sure of the amperage draw from your electronics. You are not supposed to draw more than 6 amps from a lipoly cell or it can be damaged.
11-26-2003, 03:42 PM
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RE: DANGER & WARNING ABOUT LITHIUM BATTERIES !!!
All lithiums have a greater danger associated with them. Both Nicad and NM can get hot if over charged and rupture, however lithiums are worse, plus lithium is it self flammable, unlike nickel and cadnium.
When I went to lithium-poly for my heli, I bought a Great Planes Triton charger along with the thermal probe. This way if the batteries start to get warm the charger will stop.
On multi cell packs you occasionally need to check the voltage of each cell to make sure they are staying together. If one cell of a 3 cell pack has a higher voltage for some reason, from what I have read, when charged it may go over the safe point before the charger thinks the entire pack is charged, but again the termal probe will hopefully catch that before it get very warm.
Steven
When I went to lithium-poly for my heli, I bought a Great Planes Triton charger along with the thermal probe. This way if the batteries start to get warm the charger will stop.
On multi cell packs you occasionally need to check the voltage of each cell to make sure they are staying together. If one cell of a 3 cell pack has a higher voltage for some reason, from what I have read, when charged it may go over the safe point before the charger thinks the entire pack is charged, but again the termal probe will hopefully catch that before it get very warm.
Steven
