Why does a cell swell up?

[JIM MARCUM]

This may be an all time high for a stupid question, but..... When a LIPO cell swells up, what is the reason? Is it gas pressure or what? And what happens if you poke a hole in a swolen cell? JIM

[SweetZ28]

The cell got over worked and it's shot now or not going to be in perfect condition.
DON'T poke it it will release black toxic smoke and may burst into flames!!

[Boaterguy]

if you puncture it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-fgXQUVt8g
it swells up because of pressure, I'd assume elecrons = heat = expansion of the fluid in the cell
edit: some of the lipo- uneducated people in the world : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcR8tDgiIeE&feature=related

[graill]

This may be an all time high for a stupid question, but..... When a LIPO cell swells up, what is the reason? Is it gas pressure or what? And what happens if you poke a hole in a swolen cell? JIM

If you check the cell manufacturing sites and some of the pack distributors most have in black and white the reason is not clearly known. Any number of theories are on boards and floating on the internet as to why some swell and some do not, whether they are abused or not.

The best thing i can reccomend is to read up on literature from the direct manufacturers (not pack resellers), those that created and continue to make the actual cells, and call them and rummage around their brains, it is worth the time.

[JIM MARCUM]

Boaterguy, well those utube videos about cover that. It does look like it's possible to "deflate" a puffed up cell, but why would anyone do it? It's gonna fail anyway & take out it's pack brothers with it. There were a lot of LIPO destruction videos there too. Looks like any metal penertation into a cell will short circuit the pack. Sure explains why one (and only one) of my cheapie 4S packs came loose & totaly burned up after being whacked by the drive clevis. Nothing left except the wires & balance wire circuit board. I gave all seven of of my failed cheapie 4S batts to a guy who wanted to "experiment" with them. Five had at least one dead cell, two had one puffer cell. PS: That white smoke is DEADLY!!!. If you are ever around a burning LIPO, stay upwind until the smoke stops. I tossed mine into the lake & it kept blowing smoke bubbles for 15 mins. And YES, I took it out of the lake & properly disposed of it. JIM

[sunexim]

if you puncture it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-fgXQUVt8g
it swells up because of pressure, I'd assume elecrons = heat = expansion of the fluid in the cell
edit: some of the lipo- uneducated people in the world : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcR8tDgiIeE&feature=related
It is really to be bad to face this process. I think it can be exploded in a minute!

[sunexim]

if you puncture it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-fgXQUVt8g
it swells up because of pressure, I'd assume elecrons = heat = expansion of the fluid in the cell
edit: some of the lipo- uneducated people in the world : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcR8tDgiIeE&feature=related
It is really to be bad to face this process. I think it can be exploded in a minute!