Lipo battery loosing charge

[postie90]

I have 2 second hand team overlander 2s 6500 mah, both charge ok, I use a fusion smart guard 2 to check voltage, the one is fine, the other shows 0% and if I try to charge there's an error connection break? Is this lipo nackered now? When I first had it, the one also lost some charge week to week, after a few weeks the charge dropped to 60% on the one lipo.... If its buggered how do I dispose off them? Thanks.

[Bonez]

did you store them fully charged?

[postie90]

Yes there stored fully charged.

[Bonez]

well theres your problem

 

lipos should be stored at 60% capacity or 3.8v per cell. storing them fully charged can damage the cells

 

the big lipo guide on this forum shoyld give you some more info into it bud

[postie90]

Argh ok.... Will run my other sets down now then to 60% can I discharge them? With the charger? how should I dispose off the nackered one now?

[Bonez]

i would be investing in a lipo checker, only a couple of quid from hobby king or a multimeter.

you can use your charger to discharge them but it does take a while.

if they are fully charged i would go for a quick drive for a few mins to get the voltage down to about 3.9-4v per cell then discharge the rest on the charger as the charger will discharge slowly and keep the cells balanced.

 

as to discarding the dodgy one best way is to very carefully remove the hard case or film if its a soft case then place in a bucket of salty water for i believe a week then you can put it in the bin.

others will be able to confirm the above tho as i've never had to do that my self yet

[wangerman69]

you should be able to discharge them on your charger or it would be quicker to run them in your car until they cut off and charge them up to around 3.87v then unplug them

normally you are supposed to immerse the lipos in a saline solution for about a fortnight as this will naturally discharged them then you can either take them to your local recycling centre or bin them

for saline solution just use salty water

Edited August 6, 2013 by wangerman69

[stretch]

the lipo should be discharged first by using a bulb or similar

[postie90]

the lipo should be discharged first by using a bulb or similar

When u say using a bulb, what do you mean... Thanks.

[stretch]

like a 5w 10w lightbulb, if you put it in salt water before the battery is discharged the tabs will disolve first and the battery will still have charge left in it.

[postie90]

like a 5w 10w lightbulb, if you put it in salt water before the battery is discharged the tabs will disolve first and the battery will still have charge left in it.

So how do you make this, I have old 60w bulb... Do you just solder a deans @ wire straight onto the bulb? And pictures for me to see....

[postie90]

Another question regarding lipos, I thought if there where left to go flat, or discharged to flat, there is chemical reaction and explode or catch fire? Can someone just clarify for me please..... Does this happen? Thanks.

[Tug]

It's possible, but they don't normally explode. They can puff a bit.

The damage, chemical reaction, takes place at 2.7 volts. A cell that has gone this low can be revived, but it'll never be the same again.

[Bonez]

Another question regarding lipos, I thought if there where left to go flat, or discharged to flat, there is chemical reaction and explode or catch fire? Can someone just clarify for me please..... Does this happen? Thanks.

 

 

not it a bucket of water

[postie90]

like a 5w 10w lightbulb, if you put it in salt water before the battery is discharged the tabs will disolve first and the battery will still have charge left in it.

Stretch are they simple to make? You got a picture or instructions please.....

[stretch]

you better off using a lower wattage bulb than 60w ie a car bulb, may a lead from your battery to the bulb take it outside on hard ground and plug it until the bulb goes out OR you could use your chargers discharge function, I prefer the bulb method as its outside away from anything flammable incase anything goes wrong.

 

http://thunderpowerrc.com/PDF/DISPOSAL-OF-LIPO-BATTERIES.pdf

[postie90]

you better off using a lower wattage bulb than 60w ie a car bulb, may a lead from your battery to the bulb take it outside on hard ground and plug it until the bulb goes out OR you could use your chargers discharge function, I prefer the bulb method as its outside away from anything flammable incase anything goes wrong.

http://thunderpowerrc.com/PDF/DISPOSAL-OF-LIPO-BATTERIES.pdf

You got a picture of one so I know what to do? Just to give me an idea thanks....

[postie90]

Had anyone got a picture off there home made bulb dischargers? Cheers

[R46]

using  these:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/T10-W5W-194-168-Light-Instrument-LED-SMD-Bulb-Extension-Connector-Socket-Holder-/400397234485?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item5d3988f135

 

with these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Crocodile-2-Clip-Test-Insulated-Leads-Black-Red-Pair-100cm-Croc-cable-Wire-/140996367469?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item20d409d46d

 

 and bulb

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-Car-LED-501-T10-W5W-WHITE-XENON-Side-Light-Bulbs-UK-/380628989761?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item589f417741

 

 

Essential tool to have/use when using li-po

 

cell moniter

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GT-Power-Lipo-Life-NiMH-NiCd-Battery-Capacity-Checker-G-T-Power-/390638394871?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item5af3dcddf7

 

 

or basic checker

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HK-LIPO-CELL-CHECKER-KEY-FOB-1-6-CELL-PACKS-FAST-POST-/190652641051?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item2c63c86f1b

Edited August 9, 2013 by R46

[postie90]

using these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/T10-W5W-194-168-Light-Instrument-LED-SMD-Bulb-Extension-Connector-Socket-Holder-/400397234485?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item5d3988f135

with these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Crocodile-2-Clip-Test-Insulated-Leads-Black-Red-Pair-100cm-Croc-cable-Wire-/140996367469?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item20d409d46d

and bulb

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-Car-LED-501-T10-W5W-WHITE-XENON-Side-Light-Bulbs-UK-/380628989761?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item589f417741

Essential tool to have/use when using li-po

cell moniter

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GT-Power-Lipo-Life-NiMH-NiCd-Battery-Capacity-Checker-G-T-Power-/390638394871?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item5af3dcddf7

or basic checker

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HK-LIPO-CELL-CHECKER-KEY-FOB-1-6-CELL-PACKS-FAST-POST-/190652641051?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item2c63c86f1b

Cheers for that, will get them bits ordered and try it ????

[stretch]

that LED bulb is going to take hours to discharge a lipo I reckon

Edited August 9, 2013 by stretch

[RussH]

In the past I've used a 12v fan from an old computer.

 

It will discharge a li-po safely & you can direct the airflow over the battery to keep it cool at the same time.