Near Disaster - Chinese battery

[sailr]

That's it! I'm done! No more Turnigy batteries! About three weeks ago I had a small 1800mah 3S pack blow up on my charging bench. No reason for it. BRAND NEW pack. Charging at 1C. I managed to knock it on the floor. All it did was scorch my charger and put smoke crap everywhere.

TWO DAYS AGO I opened my Lipo cabinet in my warehouse/shop to get some packs out. I noticed a strange sticky film on the packs...THEN I SAW IT.... a 4S 5000 40C Turnigy pack, again, brand new and hadn't even been charged, had blown up inside the cabinet which holds about 50 lipo packs! It had to have happened when nobody was there. It scorched some other packs close to it, melting heat shrink and a balance plug on one. I can't imagine why the wooden cabinet and my entire 2000 sq. foot building housing our inventory, workshop, lots of boats and airplanes....to the ground! The warehouse is air conditioned and packs are always reduced to storage charge before putting in the cabinet.

NO MORE Turnigy batteries for me! You guys do what you want but two fires in three weeks from the same manufacturer's brand new packs has me convinced.

I will spend more and only buy quality Hyperion packs only from here on out!

[scoota]

The last two orders of turnigys i have recived there has been atleast one puffed pack , for years i have only brought hyperion packs , but i got sick of hearing how good the cheap turnigys were so i thought i give them a try , but i cant even get a full set to my door without there being a faulty pack ....

[sailr]

Yep. I'm now scared to death of the el-cheapo packs now! NO MORE!

[Boatman]

Wow, this news blows. I just ordered almost 600 bucks worth of turnigy packs cause everyone was screaming how good they are now. I should have spent a few more and just went with my usual hyperions. I should have known bettor. Till now I was just using them in my trucks but thought I would try them for the season. Fingers crossed...

[Basstronics]

Hearing stuff like this makes me want to store my packs somewhere fire proof.

Im thinking in our concrete bomb shelter- AKA basement. All concrete- no wood anywhere. Would that be a safe place if the unthinkable ever happened?

[sailr]

I'm gonna be looking for a metal locker or storage cabinet or something! Not sure about the basement. Isn't there wood above?

[detox]

I use a army surplus ammo can. You can find these at gun shows

[scoota]

I store mine in ammo boxes ...

[Basstronics]

I'm gonna be looking for a metal locker or storage cabinet or something! Not sure about the basement. Isn't there wood above?

Nope. The only wood in the basement is a table down there and maybe a few pieces of misc lumber. All concrete and steel.

[Diesel6401]

Dang sucks to hear that Jim...

I use this http://www.commonsenserc.com/product...roducts_id=805 and http://www.commonsenserc.com/product...oducts_id=2248 for my lipos..

[ray schrauwen]

Then there are people like me that have never had an issue with them.

Maybe they just ship the crappy packs to USA? LOL, just kidding....

[don ferrette]

I buy only Hyperion and still store them in compartmentalized lipo sacks put inside 50 cal. ammo cans set on a concrete floor in a climate controlled shop.

[chummer]

Jim,
That really sucks!!! Lucky nothing too terrible happened!!! I have to admit that I am more than a little careless about how I store my batteries. I guess it's time to get with the program and properly store them.

Not defending Turnigy but there are alot of them out there. Probably the most commonly used battery in the radio control hobby. If other packs were this popular then I am sure you would be reading similar stories about them.

[BHChieftain]

The last two orders of turnigys i have recived there has been atleast one puffed pack , for years i have only brought hyperion packs , but i got sick of hearing how good the cheap turnigys were so i thought i give them a try , but i cant even get a full set to my door without there being a faulty pack ....

I swore off turnigys last year due to this-- at least 25% of the packs I received were DOA. I love my Hyperion packs.

Chief

[pescador]

I keep them in ammo cans but I charge and store them under one of these - for the price of a battery it's cheap insurance.

[sundog]

Jim, not defending Turnigy here but that could happen to any brand lipo battery and one should expect it. They are a different breed. Ammo boxes are the way to go for storage - cheap insurance to be sure. Glad that's all that happened - what a lesson, eh? Whew!

[Havasufun]

Interesting, I store mine in metal ammo can, airtight, snaplocked, in chest freezer, with minimum charge. About 0* F. Right next to the Red Baron pizzas and turkeys

[Brushless55]

Jim, not defending Turnigy here but that could happen to any brand lipo battery and one should expect it. They are a different breed. Ammo boxes are the way to go for storage - cheap insurance to be sure. Glad that's all that happened - what a lesson, eh? Whew!

now I need me some cans

[CornelP]

After the last 3 puffed Turnigy, I switched to Etti, much better quality and slightly cheaper that the big brands. Oh, and they are Naviga legal for weight...

[Brushless55]

After the last 3 puffed Turnigy, I switched to Etti, much better quality and slightly cheaper that the big brands. Oh, and they are Naviga legal for weight...

do you have a link to the Etti packs?
thanks

[sailr]

It would take a huge ammo box, or 5 or 6 of them to hold all of my lipos. I'm looking for a metal cabinet.

Turnigy has become so popular that it seems they have forsaken quality control to get them shipped out. I still have a few. Today I pulled out a brand new ZIPPY (same thing as Turnigy) 2S 5000 that will not balance. 1 cell is 3.76V and the other dangerously 4.69V! I spent an entire day trying to balance it. It's junk. I'm throwing it out.

I agree there are a lot of other brands out there just as bad. Everyone has jumped on the el cheapo lipo bandwagon. As long as people only look at the price, there are going to more accidents waiting to happen. Yes, it CAN happen with any brand, regardless of price, but much less likely.

Not sure that extinguisher will put out a lipo fire. The only thing I've heard that works is a bucket of sand!

Jim, not defending Turnigy here but that could happen to any brand lipo battery and one should expect it. They are a different breed. Ammo boxes are the way to go for storage - cheap insurance to be sure. Glad that's all that happened - what a lesson, eh? Whew!

[sailr]

Etti lipos? Never heard of them. Dee and Etti are friends of mine. Had lunch with them in HK. Etti doesn't have a website as far as I know, only an ebay store: http://stores.ebay.com/ETTI-RC-SHOP . Nothing there about Lipos. Maybe there is an Etti dealer in the UK or somewhere that is rebranding using their name. Not sure.

do you have a link to the Etti packs?
than ks

[TomM]

My 5s' puffed inside my Titan 33. I was lucky enough to get them outside before anything bad happened. All they were doing was sitting in my boat. Both of them puffed. Looks like I'm going to have to shell out $400 for batteries, but I guess it is better than destroying my $1,000 boat

[sundog]

Etti doesn't have a website as far as I know, only an ebay store: http://stores.ebay.com/ETTI-RC-SHOP .

Jim, would this be them?

http://www.etti.com.hk/index.php?language=en

[JimClark]

Text fom a tread on an airplane site link below

Sorry Mike_Then hoppy and mk but I pointed out in the first responce post #2 that many do use them (ammo Cans) and that there were many videos of vented ones being used in videos.


Yes they (ammo can)will contain part of the fire for atleast a few moments. Perhaps long enough to get them out of the house,if you happen to be home,awake and perhaps close to them.

If the ammo can is sealed then most likely first thing noticed will be the lid being blown off and there goes the flames,handle and such. If vented them here comes the smoke , which will at the very least cause major damage and if you are a sleep likely death.

Any precaution is better than non as long as it does not in itself create more of an issue than a solution.



Undamaged LiPolys not being charged or baked rarely go thermal even if fully charged.

LiPolys at 3.8 volts per cell contain less energy and are thus safer than fully charged ones.

For years I have recommended storing LiPolys at 3.8 volts per cell and at approx. 45F in a frig.in sealed freezer bags. Many commented that was dangerous, would(could) damage the food that would not contain the fire if one started,etc,etc.

mk makes LipoSacks and has seen many LiPoly fires during testing, hoppy has maintained the LiPoly fire events post here on RC Groups for years and has likely seen a Lipo fire or two. Mark uses LipoSack and charges outside on concrete , hoppy uses an enclosed grill outside for charging and storage I believe.

IMO if I had answered the OP with a simple yes ammo cans are great for storage then it would provide a false sense of security more than protection.

The issue of how to safely store LiPolys has came up many times over the years and most every time it just leads to an endless debate which I feel adds to the confusion.

Most either feel it will never happen to them or that their crock pot, pressure cooler, stove oven ,fireplace , metal top work benck,etec. etc. will work fine.

IMO an undamaged LiPoly at 3.85 volts per cell and at 45F is as safe as practical for storage for most.

On the flip side when someone post a questions about using a LiPoly which is a little puffed, dinged, hole , bent,wrinkled etc. the general reply is that it will most likely be fine or they have used ones like that for years and tehy work great.

Why in the @^#* would anyone in their right mine advise someone to put a rubber band around the handle of a live gernade .pull the pin and store it in thier house? Sorry but it makes just as much sense to me.




Charles

Text from this thread on RC Groups
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1287041

[BHChieftain]

Interesting, I store mine in metal ammo can, airtight, snaplocked, in chest freezer, with minimum charge. About 0* F. Right next to the Red Baron pizzas and turkeys

I store in an ammo can as well, but I remove the lid gasket seal so the box can vent in case one decides to burn. Want to avoid shrapnel.

I also keep the ammo can in the fireplace just in case.

Chief

[Brushless55]

so putting these in the fridge will help?

[roadrashracing]

why I no longer use lipos, i don't feel safe with them in the house or around the kids.

[eboat]

I have been keeping my lipos in a fireproof safe
It is just basically a plastic box filled with cement
I took the rubber seal out and keep the box on a cement floor away from any wood

[Brushless55]

why I no longer use lipos, i don't feel safe with them in the house or around the kids.

what do you use bro?