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Thread: Proper LiPo Storage...Take It Seriously

  1. #31
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    Nope...no vents in the cabinet other than Qty 4, 1/4" mounting holes on the bottom of the cabinet that came that way from the manufacturer.

  2. #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by Doby View Post
    Now, now.. Mr Smock....I'll put my moderator hat on (if only I had those God like powers) for a minute...lets keep this topic on track

    They are just toy boats fellas! Back on topic.

    Now back to our regularly scheduled programming......STORAGE SAFETY!!
    Sorry John I slipped. That was the consumer / racer in me. I will do better.



    Yes fellas by all means listen to what your packs are telling you! A few more runs aren't worth the risk.
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  3. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by Peter A View Post
    Salt water is corrosive and while it is also conductive, it is not enough to necessisarily discharge the battery. Tim a zero or very low reading could be because the terminals have corroded off, and the cells could still be holding a charge. The only way to be sure is to take them through a process like I described.
    It would be VERY good if battery manufacturers put out proper disposal methods for Lipo/Li-ion batteries. After all if they are not safe enough for the airlines to transport, how dangerous are they in the hands of every day people, who are often unknowledgeable (and often dumb a$$ idiots, not here of course!) on the technologies and associated dangers. Sadly it would seem that many battery disposal facilities have no idea either and just send them straight to landfill. There are so many lithium based batteries around now that is is only a matter of time before something goes wrong....
    Peter, thank you as usual, very good advice!
    Too many boats, not enough time...

  4. #34
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    I met some guys that designed battery storage bunkers at an SFPE meeting. These guys were making walk in type storage rooms out of steel for A123 at the time. The were working for other entities they could tell me about but then would have to kill me. Air tight. No oxygen in the chamber. Automatic extinguishing. Self regulating. Very trick.

    We talked about building something for the hobbyist. They had a cabinet sized unit they were using to display the technology. Would have been perfect for us. About 5k! Um......just........no.

    I really need to break down and design us something we can all adapt to our own needs. A dry chem with a simple thermal release. Maybe 3 nozzles. Adapt it to what ever cabinet you choose. Not that complicated. If we could fight these little fires with water I could do it today.

    Maybe water would be fine though. We don't care about the batteries burning. Let em. It's our houses and loved ones we want to save. A single sprinkler head with a 155 degree glass bulb. Tap it solid into our water supplies and drown the danged things. Maybe a flow switch in the supply line to signal an alarm. Super simple.

    hmmmmmm I'll stew on it some.
    Noisy person

  5. #35
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    next time I am home (if its still there) I plan to throw a few batteries in a bucket of salt water then to the garbage can....like Ken I have trouble throwing my batteries away lol....
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  6. #36
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    Terry, I know that this is your area of expertise but would this style of cabinet work?

    http://www.justritemfg.com/products/...pact-cabinets/

  7. #37
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    That's awesome. Wonder what they cost.

    I did some digging into my price books to see what a package would run. All equipment UL Listed for fire protection. It's pricey. A single sprinkler, related fittings, a flow switch, and a horn strobe would MSRP for $715. I could get it for a lot less. Maybe $450. Still a lot of dough.
    Noisy person

  8. #38
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    Sent them an inquiry from my workplace. I'll see what I can find out.
    Noisy person

  9. #39
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    Justrite wont sell to me direct. I would have to buy from Grainger.

    Cheapest one on Graingers site is a unit that fits under a work bench. $901. Um.....pricey.
    Noisy person

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    Sure looks like the same thing.

    I guess there are two ways to look at it. Complete containment with a flame resistant safe/cabinet or just extinguish the fire.

    You can recover from water damage. You can't recover from fire damage. John got lucky with his incident. That could easily have consumed every cell in his cabinet. Would the cabinet have contained a full involvement? I have no idea. Maybe. Hopefully.

    That flow switch retails for $319.80 all by itself. The strobe is $262. If I did away with the flow switch and strobe I could sprinkler a cabinet myself for next to nothing. Not everyone can pipe themselves something like that though.

    Maybe a quick response sprinkler and a cheapo smoke detector to let me know there's been an incident and call it done. Put it in a cheapo steel cabinet and call it done. Liking that idea.
    Noisy person

  12. #42
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    Not everyone needs a giant cabinet. Bench top sizes area available. Those are the same cabinets too.

    http://www.globalindustrial.com/g/st...mable-cabinets
    Noisy person

  13. #43
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    How about those Steel ammo boxs with carrying handles? I believe they're pretty cheap... surely you can buy some from army surpluses etc.

    That way you can take it anywhere with you...

    My dad always would keep a bunch of his AK ammo in these... they're thick, air tight, and quite lightweight for what they are.
    They come in a few different sizes too it seems.

    Perhaps these might be a good idea to keep lipos in and just store them outside in the backyard or shed... instead of the house.


  14. #44
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    How bout you write up DIY blog post for a home system with sprinkler?

    Quote Originally Posted by T.S.Davis View Post
    Sure looks like the same thing.

    I guess there are two ways to look at it. Complete containment with a flame resistant safe/cabinet or just extinguish the fire.

    You can recover from water damage. You can't recover from fire damage. John got lucky with his incident. That could easily have consumed every cell in his cabinet. Would the cabinet have contained a full involvement? I have no idea. Maybe. Hopefully.

    That flow switch retails for $319.80 all by itself. The strobe is $262. If I did away with the flow switch and strobe I could sprinkler a cabinet myself for next to nothing. Not everyone can pipe themselves something like that though.

    Maybe a quick response sprinkler and a cheapo smoke detector to let me know there's been an incident and call it done. Put it in a cheapo steel cabinet and call it done. Liking that idea.
    "Our society strives to avoid any possibility of offending anyone except God.
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  15. #45
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    Thanks for writing this, I have been keeping 5 lipos in a plastic tackle box for storage and transportation. I found a steel Dewalt drill case, and am now at least keeping them in there inside my lipo bags. I've seen a few videos of what kind of a flame these things can produce when they let go. I'm going to need to start researching some portable canisters, I like the ammo can idea.

    What about a fireproof document cabinet like a Sentry safe?
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  16. #46
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    LIPO letting go in an ammo can
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A7An4fXARs
    NEVER SATISFIED RACING
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  17. #47
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    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
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  18. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tamelesstgr View Post
    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.

  19. #49
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    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.

  20. #50
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    Quote Originally Posted by Doby View Post
    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 ?
    TenShock Brushless / Pro Marine
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  21. #51
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    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.

  22. #52
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    Quote Originally Posted by dmitry100 View Post
    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.
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  23. #53
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    What kind of powder Ken?
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  24. #54
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Haines View Post
    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.
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  25. #55
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    Quote Originally Posted by JimClark View Post
    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
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  26. #56
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    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
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  27. #57
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    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.
    Noisy person

  28. #58
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    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.
    NEVER SATISFIED RACING
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  29. #59
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    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.
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  30. #60
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    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!

    20150911_152806.jpg20150911_152821.jpg20150911_152846.jpg
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