Proper LiPo Storage...Take It Seriously

[Tamelesstgr]

LIPO letting go in an ammo can

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A7An4fXARs

[Ken Haines]

Just saw this youtube video.
It show sand used to extinguish a lipo fire,
and mentions sand in a plastic bag above the
charging area. Gave me some ideas. Looks like
a simple idea we could expand upon.
Look at 7:45 on the video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gobFcNzGG9I

[Doby]

LIPO letting go in an ammo can
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A7An4fXARs

Similar to what my cabinet looked like with the smoke coming out of it after I opened the door. I must say though, my decals on the door are a bit more tasteful then the ones in the vid.

[Doby]

Remember everyone...the main intent is to make sure that IF a meltdown occurs, the fire is contained...I personally could have cared less if every LiPo was destroyed, as long as everyone is still alive and the house is still standing, life is good.

Water is not the be all and end all either...ever seen a LiPo burn under water? I have.

[Ken Haines]

Remember everyone...the main intent is to make sure that IF a meltdown occurs, the fire is contained...I personally could have cared less if every LiPo was destroyed, as long as everyone is still alive and the house is still standing, life is good.

Water is not the be all and end all either...ever seen a LiPo burn under water? I have.

I thought the decals were pretty original

Anyway....just thinking that sand placed in a flattened bag maybe 1" or so thick and shaped into
a rectangle the shape of the chosen cabinet maybe placed on a wire shelf above the batteries or
charging area would work like an automatic suppression system.
Anyone's thoughts ?

[dmitry100]

Apparently... from what I've learned about Tesla fires is that they specifically tell firefighters NOT to use water on the fire as it makes the fire worse. They recommend using a dry/powder to put it out.

I'm sure that could be the case here too.

[Ken Haines]

Apparently... from what I've learned about Tesla fires is that they specifically tell firefighters NOT to use water on the fire as it makes the fire worse. They recommend using a dry/powder to put it out.

I'm sure that could be the case here too.

Dry Powder works as we experienced from my Lipo fire at the 2012 nat's.
It does extinguish the fire very quickly but until you cool the packs they
will probably re-ignite as we found with that particular fire.
The lipo fire comes from internal heat so an ice chest is the easiest cure.
I realize that it may not be that simple to throw the pack into a nearby
beverage chest, but that trick does instantly end the fire within the pack.
From that youtube video it certainly is impressive how quick the sand works.
Understand I have not done or seen this in person. Just thought seeing
that simple concept was worth some discussion here.

[JimClark]

What kind of powder Ken?

[kfxguy]

I thought the decals were pretty original

Anyway....just thinking that sand placed in a flattened bag maybe 1" or so thick and shaped into
a rectangle the shape of the chosen cabinet maybe placed on a wire shelf above the batteries or
charging area would work like an automatic suppression system.
Anyone's thoughts ?

Best idea ever! I'd over do iron the sand tho. I'd put a lot of it.

[Ken Haines]

What kind of powder Ken?

I guess the correct term is dry chemical.
Pretty much a power from the fire extinguishers that we used.
It does leave quite the mess of powder behind to clean up afterwards

[tlandauer]

Hi,
If a cabinet for enclosed storage is not possible, have people tried using their brick fire place as a place to store their lipo batteries?
My question is that the high temp of the lipo fire far exceeds ordinary firewood fire, in light of that, will the bricks stand up for a lipo fire??

Sent from my D6708 using Tapatalk

[T.S.Davis]

Are guys really charging without balancing on a regular basis these days? Never made sense to me.

Water won't putout out the fire. It would only be there to keep anything else from igniting while a pack burns itself out.

A layer of sand in a bag might be smarter/cheaper/easier.

The oroblem with a charging bunker is the shear quantity of packs I charge on race day. Batteries for 9 classes. Some of them 2p. It would be more like a charging small city.

[Tamelesstgr]

I always balance charge, but I'm just a little weary, especially since I do most of my charging in my camper trailer when out at the lake on weekends.

[Peter A]

Tim, fire bricks should handle some quite high temperatures. I used to have a furnace for heat treating spring steel that would get up to 1000 deg. C. It was lined with fire bricks.

[Peter A]

This is what I have done for storing my lipos. I have had this old (circa 1942) ammo box for years as a toolbox. My dad had it before me ( I absconded it as an apprentice, way long ago). So yesterday I gave it a clean up and coat of paint. Today I made a 'tray' to sit in it above the batts, the plan is to put a layer of plastic (shrink wrap) in and fill it with sand. In the event of a lipo catching fire it should melt the plastic releasing the sand on top of the offending fire. That's the plan and I hope it never has to work!

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