Lithium Polymer batteries (LiPo, Li-Poly)
Fire can be caused by but not limited to: Overcharging your battery, using the wrong charger or charger setting, unbalanced battery load, charger fouled by poor power supply, charging a damaged cell or pack, short circuit, crash damage, Over discharging, running too flat and/or too hot, discharging an unbalanced battery load, charging the battery whilst still in your rc model, charging in a car, charging from car battery, punctured battert. It is highly recommended you read up on safe use of your Li Po battery before use and first charge
Charging guidelines:
1. Always charge on a surface that cannot catch fire easily, concrete, steel etc...Do not charge on carpet, paper or any other items that can catch fire easily!
2. Never over discharge your battery. What does this mean?
It means when you notice a power drop (when using your helicopter), stop! Immediately!
It also means disconnect your battery from the helicopter, even if you switch off the helicopter or transmitter and you leave it connected it will still discharge really slowly. Really slowly for a day is a lot!
If you over discharge and then charge again you may experience puffing. This is where the cells swell. If this happens you can never use the battery again. If you charge a puffed battery then expect a fire!
3. Always remove your battery from your rc model when charging.
4. Use the correct charger.
5. Do not overcharge your battery. Always set a timer and don’t leave your battery charging un attended. If you do not know the charging time of your battery give us a call or emails us before you attempt to charge.
Lipo batteries are expensive and can be dangerous so need to be treated with care, if you need any help with charging email me us or give us a call. It is highly recommended you read up on safe use of your Li Po battery before use and first charge
Extra Info;
Lipo chargers are self regulating and turn off when charged, nevertheless always unplug after charging.
The leds are different on each charger, there is normally a statement on the charger describing the meaning of the led functions,
for example red is normally the power led to show the charger is powered up ,green is the led to show the battery is charge, flashing green may mean the battery is not working. Always check your charger for the specific instructions for your charger as your led light colours may mean something else.
Do not leave lipo batteries plugged into the charger as it will back feed and drain the battery if the charger is off and this can damage your battery.
Always unplug your battery after charging.
Never run your battery completely flat as this can damage it. Lipo batteries have a minimum working voltage , run it lower and the battery will not charge up again. Look for the signs ,model slowing , warning leds flashing , at the first hint of a model slowing up ,stop and recharge the battery.
Never attempt to charge a swollen battery, if your battery is swollen then this means it is damaged and you must never charge a damaged battery. You should always discard a swollen Li Po battery.
Disposing of Li-Po Batteries
Lithium-polymer batteries are environmentally friendly. For safety reasons LiPo cells should be fully discharged before disposal (however, if physically damaged it is NOT recommended to discharge LiPo cells before disposal - see below for details). The batteries must also be cool before proceeding with disposal instructions.
To dispose of LiPo cells and packs:
1. Place the LiPo battery in a fi reproof container or bucket of sand.
2. If any LiPo cell in the pack has been physically damaged, resulting in a swollen cell or a split or tear in a cell’s foil covering, do NOT discharge the battery. Jump to step 5.
3. Connect the battery to a LiPo discharger. Set the discharge cut off voltage to the lowest possible value, and the current as low as 20mA if possible. It’s also possible to discharge the battery by connecting it to an ESC/motor system and allowing the motor to run indefinitely until no power remains to further cause the system to function.
4. Discharge the battery until its voltage reaches 1.0V per cell or lower.
5. Disconnect the battery, and submerse it into bucket or tub of salt water. This container should have a lid, but it does not need to be air-tight. Prepare a bucket or tub containing 3 to 5 gallons of cold water, and mix in 1/2 cup of salt per gallon of water. Drop the battery into the salt water. Allow the battery to remain in the tub of salt water for at least 2 weeks.
6. Remove the LiPo battery from the salt water and place it in the normal trash.