jimbulsara Posted November 11, 2024 Share Posted November 11, 2024 Hi all, just a question about storing lipos. I have a bat safe box which I store in a box outside (a big plastic garden box ) , could I store lipos there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyUK Posted November 11, 2024 Share Posted November 11, 2024 If lipos are in a Bat Safe then they should be ok indoors. I store all mine indoors with 3 batteries in each Bat Safe. Ideally the box should have some space around it and nothing on top. If there was a lipo fire the box is designed to contain the fire and the only thing emitted from the filtered top would be hot white smoke. I don't store lipos outdoors because the way I see it is bringing them indoors into warmth, or if the box warmed up in sun then cooled down daily, could end up with cells out of balance. All batteries gain a little charge when heated. In a shed should be ok if the temperature doesn't fluctuate too much. I wouldn't charge them outdoors either, a balance charge would keep the voltages equal but then when you bring them indoors or load into vehicle boot to drive somewhere, the cells could go out of balance again when warmed up. Everyone has their own ways and own variations of how to store lipos. Some leave them fully charged for weeks and get away with it, some don't. Some store them all stacked together on a shelf. A lot use ammo cases but a video I saw on YouTube had flames shooting out sideways from under the seal-less lid. Another good tip is to get a little digital cell checker and get into a routine of checking every lipos cells voltage every 3 or 4 weeks. Any dodgy batteries will show and then you can keep an extra eye on them. To date, it's only new HPI lipos I've had a problem with of one cell from each losing some of its charge after 2 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie1 Posted November 11, 2024 Share Posted November 11, 2024 I store mine inside in an ammo case this time of year, i destroyed some lipos last year storing them out in my workshop and then just sticking them in my car and then blasting about, since they were stone cold and then asking them to perform destroyed a cell in a couple of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbulsara Posted November 11, 2024 Author Share Posted November 11, 2024 39 minutes ago, JonnyUK said: If lipos are in a Bat Safe then they should be ok indoors. I store all mine indoors with 3 batteries in each Bat Safe. Ideally the box should have some space around it and nothing on top. If there was a lipo fire the box is designed to contain the fire and the only thing emitted from the filtered top would be hot white smoke. I don't store lipos outdoors because the way I see it is bringing them indoors into warmth, or if the box warmed up in sun then cooled down daily, could end up with cells out of balance. All batteries gain a little charge when heated. In a shed should be ok if the temperature doesn't fluctuate too much. I wouldn't charge them outdoors either, a balance charge would keep the voltages equal but then when you bring them indoors or load into vehicle boot to drive somewhere, the cells could go out of balance again when warmed up. Everyone has their own ways and own variations of how to store lipos. Some leave them fully charged for weeks and get away with it, some don't. Some store them all stacked together on a shelf. A lot use ammo cases but a video I saw on YouTube had flames shooting out sideways from under the seal-less lid. Another good tip is to get a little digital cell checker and get into a routine of checking every lipos cells voltage every 3 or 4 weeks. Any dodgy batteries will show and then you can keep an extra eye on them. To date, it's only new HPI lipos I've had a problem with of one cell from each losing some of its charge after 2 weeks. 23 minutes ago, wolfie1 said: I store mine inside in an ammo case this time of year, i destroyed some lipos last year storing them out in my workshop and then just sticking them in my car and then blasting about, since they were stone cold and then asking them to perform destroyed a cell in a couple of them Tks guys. I am just apprehensive about having lipos inside… it’s a small house and all. but I guess storing them outside is not ideal. The temperature does vary, but I wonder if it’s the humidity/condensation that destroys the cells. inwill have to think about about it then . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie1 Posted November 11, 2024 Share Posted November 11, 2024 The way i see it then your only option is to have an airtight box of some description to store them in thats somewhere sheltered and then the night before you take your car out you take some batteries out of the box and take them inside to reach room temperature Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
locky Posted November 11, 2024 Share Posted November 11, 2024 Any lipo storage box should be vented and not sealed, otherwise the sealed storage box could explode if a lipo were to vent gas creating an increase in pressure. Regular checks help to monitor physical and individual cell voltage. The risks of a lipo thermal runaway oustide the rc car are very small compared to when it is under load in the rc car or being charged. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie1 Posted November 12, 2024 Share Posted November 12, 2024 After reading lockys post i need to explain mine a bit better as now that i reread it i am not explaining myself, when i am talking about a sealed box i am meaning something thats not going to let water get all over the batteries, like 1 of those garden storage boxes this kinda thing https://www.diy.com/departments/keter-hollywood-anthracite-270l-garden-storage-box-537mm-1180mm/1685256_BQ.prd?storeId=1227 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio Posted November 13, 2024 Share Posted November 13, 2024 (edited) Having experienced a lipo fire indoors, through no fault of my own - on the lipo's first charge - I highly recommend keeping lipos outside, in a metal box, in the naughty corner. Because all lipos are knobheads, waiting to get you while you sleep. 🤡😝 The heat was so severe, that even on a glass mat, it burnt the table underneath. Sadly, a little 6 channel Heli was destroyed on its first ever charge. However - nobody died, and I learnt that even tiny, 2S 1000mah lipos can pose a significant risk. I use .50 Cal ammo boxes. The seal keeps moisture out and if you're worried about an explosion, a small vent hole can be put into seal. Bat Box XL: My interest in Bat boxes dwindled following this video: If you have multiple batteries inside a box, you want the box to be made from steel. The bat box is steel, but ☝️ - holy mother of God! 😬 Nobody needs this kind of event happening in their garage, let alone home. So be advised. Ideally, lipos should be separated from one another inside your chosen container, preferably with cement board. If you use an ammo box, put holes in the seal to allow it to vent. You don't necessarily need to perforate the box. In fact, in my estimation, it's better not to perforate the box to prevent moisture ingress. Whatever you choose needs to be somewhere - or on something - that isn't flammable. Ie, a concrete floor, or inside a steel work bench, well away from other flammable things. I don't doubt that Bat boxes are safer than lipo bags, but I'll take 5 x .50 cal ammo cans at less than £20 each over a large bat box at £100. Facts! Lipos should be balance charged at sensible rates in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. They should be stored in storage mode (ie - about 30 - 50% charge) and internal resistance should be checked every few months. Lipos prefer to be stored in a cool, dry environment. Whilst cooler temperatures below 15°C inhibit their discharge performance, this is a temporary artifact and performance improves as the temperature rises. However over 30°C, battery chemistry degrades and leads to reduced capacity and permanent degradation. Joshua Bardwell is the world leading authority on FPV drones. Here's his take on lipo retirement. When it's time to retire your battery - take it to a dedicated battery recycling centre - advising them that it's a lipo battery. Make sure they understand what a lipo is. "It's not just an AA battery mate - capeesh?" Otherwise, this happens: Somebody disposed of a lipo in a blue recycling bag and this local recycling centre burned for 2 days. I roasted a whole bag of marshmallows. After this event, I didn't feel so bad about my burnt helicopter. 🙊 Lipos are an essential part of the hobby, but the risks they pose are very real. Perhaps the most overlooked danger from lipo fire are the fumes. They produce enough deadly fumes to readily kill you. In this instance, the householder makes a hasty retreat with their pet and child. Good move. Spoiler: the E bike didn't make it out. 😝 Sadly, in this instance, 6 people where asleep when this lithium ion fire started. 4 died. 😱 RC car enthusiasts generally don't want to hear or accept that our lipos are potentially hazardous, but simply ignoring the risks they pose is not fair to the other people that may live with you, who are likely blissfully unaware of your growing collection of lipos. You owe it to them. To do otherwise is willfully irresponsible and negligent. Our batteries require safe storage, away from living spaces and away from escape routes. Mitigate the risks and enjoy your hobby. Don't put yourself or your loved ones at unnecessary risk. Oh - and sleep easy. 👍 Edited November 13, 2024 by horatio Magic smoke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyUK Posted November 13, 2024 Share Posted November 13, 2024 That 'test' video of a Bat Safe test is highly geared towards forcing the product to fail. No one charges a massive lipo in the bottom of a box and then buries it under a ton of other lipo batteries. That one video of a fail compared to the **** load of other videos out there done properly in a real world scenario, and the box did it's job. One of the same people who did one of the tests I saw also used one lipo inside an ammo box and it shot flames 6 foot sideways for several seconds. I think it might of been on this site, not sure, but a member posted photos. He left a lipo charging inside a Bat Safe whilst they went downstairs for a while. When they returned they noticed some soot around the lid etc. It wasn't until they opened the lid that it was evident there had been a fire, lipo and charger completely burnt away. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio Posted November 13, 2024 Share Posted November 13, 2024 I think all of the videos force the boxes to fail, it's kinda the point, but I hear you with regards to piling batteries on top of each other - it's exactly like an accident waiting to happen! 😝 In my estimation, a fairly good example of how real world humans put all their eggs in to one basket. But there are still those who leave lipos lying around in a cardboard box, under the bed. Somebody brought round their 8 year old son's RC car with a 4S lipo in the car, the other in the box. All kept in the child's bedroom. The charger - incorrect. A fire waiting to happen. 😬 Ammo boxes will vent all around the lid - even more videos on the virtues of the humble .50 cal ammo cans because they were around first. Bat boxes vent above the lid. It all depends on how much lithium polymer is burning. Either way - they shouldn't be left in the living space. Ultimately, people can pay their money and make their choice. So long as they do, that's the main thing. Burying their heads and storing their lipos in a handbag doesn't count. That's the great thing about this thread - people are talking about it. 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CUPRABullet Posted November 18, 2024 Share Posted November 18, 2024 So for long-term LiPo storage, I'm keeping them in a tin, in an internal (to the house) garage so no temperature issues and storage charging them every few months. Is that the best way to keep them safe and in good condition - hope so! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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