Kraton Battery storage for 6s lipos?

[Jeremy15086]

Does anyone know how to make a storage box like a Bat-safe but fairly cheap? I don't want to spend $80! I have heard of peeps making them out of old ammo boxes... any suggestions?

 

[Tex Koder]

Does anyone know how to make a storage box like a Bat-safe but fairly cheap? I don't want to spend $80! I have heard of peeps making them out of old ammo boxes... any suggestions?

Yes.
Get some metal ammo can(s)
Remove rubber seal around the lid.

Get one 4'x8' fire-resistant sheetrock ($16 per sheet) and cut them into "dividers" for your ammo can(s).

Done.

 

[Jeremy15086]

Yes.
Get some metal ammo can(s)
Remove rubber seal around the lid.

Get one 4'x8' fire-resistant sheetrock ($16 per sheet) and cut them into "dividers" for your ammo can(s).

Done.

What size can and how much should it cost?

 

[Tex Koder]

What size can

Totally up to you.
How many lipos are you planning on storing/carrying around?

and how much should it cost?

Depends on it's condition.

I buy used military surplus.. They're a little banged up. I don't care.
in quantity ,10 at a time.

ex: 1000 round .45 ACP cans are a good size.

 

[TheBadazz]

You can get a ammo can from Walmart for less than $20

 

[Moirae]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08MPW2MNH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These work great. I have square ceramic tiles on the bottom and sides, a lipo bag on top of the tiles and sand inside the lipo bag. All bought from amazon.

 

[Sandracer_NL]

For another few more days the Bat-Safe is about 40% off; pretty cheap!
I really like mine

 

[Rowdyray]

https://www.sportsmansguide.com/productlist?k=Ammo cans

 

[Epoweredrc]

Yes.
Get some metal ammo can(s)
Remove rubber seal around the lid.

Get one 4'x8' fire-resistant sheetrock ($16 per sheet) and cut them into "dividers" for your ammo can(s).

Done.

I have heard folks using that stuff. does it cut just like regular drywall or how do you cut it?
I keep all my lipos inside Lipo Saks, and sometimes my spare lipos will go in a lipo sak then into a ammo can with the rubber seal removed. I set all of these on the fire place harth (the brick in front of the fireplace) I feel this is the safer place in the house for them.

My dad used to scare me just putting about 10 lipos in a plastic tote in his hobby room, I try also to just have 2 lipos per bag per size so kinda like
3s 2200 in one bag
4s 2200 in another and so on..

So i kept saying i would build separaters using the drywall stuff and have it on the same location but to keep all the bags apart and to have a lid on them all.
I guess there isn't anything saying you can be to safe.

 

[Tex Koder]

I have heard folks using that stuff. does it cut just like regular drywall or how do you cut it?

Cut it exactly like regular sheetrock...
Score it with a sharp utility knife and fold along the cut..
Snap, snap Done!

I keep all my lipos inside Lipo Saks, and sometimes my spare lipos will go in a lipo sak then into a ammo can with the rubber seal removed. I set all of these on the fire place harth (the brick in front of the fireplace) I feel this is the safer place in the house for them.

Sounds like a logical place to keep them.
Nothing wrong with keeping them in the garage in a metal cabinet neither..

My dad used to scare me just putting about 10 lipos in a plastic tote in his hobby room,

I can tell..
He's a High risk taker.
I bet he loads up at the casinos too.. Put ALL his chips on black.

I try also to just have 2 lipos per bag per size so kinda like
3s 2200 in one bag
4s 2200 in another and so on..

So i kept saying i would build separaters using the drywall stuff and have it on the same location but to keep all the bags apart and to have a lid on them all.
I guess there isn't anything saying you can be to safe.

You can never be too careful!

Just look at all those online videos of Tesla & other EVs going up in a blaze of glory...
JUST parked there in the owner's garage!

Talk about needing battery safety...

 

[Diem Turner]

Cut it exactly like regular sheetrock...
Score it with a sharp utility knife and fold along the cut..
Snap, snap Done!



Sounds like a logical place to keep them.
Nothing wrong with keeping them in the garage in a metal cabinet neither..



I can tell..
He's a High risk taker.
I bet he loads up at the casinos too.. Put ALL his chips on black.




You can never be too careful!

Just look at all those online videos of Tesla & other EVs going up in a blaze of glory...
JUST parked there in the owner's garage!

Talk about needing battery safety...

It actually doesn't happen as often as one might think (when it comes to EVs anyways). I think our skewed perception (mine included) is a matter of what we see highlighted online. Here are the statistics according to the NTSB.

"A better way of looking at electric vehicle fires is to compare the number of fires per 100,000 vehicles sold. Researchers from insurance deal site Auto Insurance EZ compiled sales and accident data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics and the National Transportation Safety Board. The site found that hybrid vehicles had the most fires per 100,000 sales at 3474.5. There were 1529.9 fires per 100k for gas vehicles and just 25.1 fires per 100k sales for electric vehicles."

 

[Tex Koder]

It actually doesn't happen as often as one might think (when it comes to EVs anyways). I think our skewed perception (mine included) is a matter of what we see highlighted online. Here are the statistics according to the NTSB.

"A better way of looking at electric vehicle fires is to compare the number of fires per 100,000 vehicles sold. Researchers from insurance deal site Auto Insurance EZ compiled sales and accident data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics and the National Transportation Safety Board. The site found that hybrid vehicles had the most fires per 100,000 sales at 3474.5. There were 1529.9 fires per 100k for gas vehicles and just 25.1 fires per 100k sales for electric vehicles."

So here's the main take away..
Out of those 100,000 vehicles , there's 1,529.9 fires from gasoline vehicles..
How many of those spontaneously burst into flames -just Parked and with the engine turned OFF? I dare say none. (Unless it was done deliberately.) Also, once a gasoline vehicle catches Fire, you yourself can at least attempt to put it out or it is put out once the firemen arrives(Fairly quickly too.)

Not so with EV fires.
God forbid it catches fire within a enclosed area like a house/garage. Not only is the whole vehicle is consumed by flames ,but the residence too that the vehicle is in... (eventually). Because firecrews are basically trained to "just let it burn itself out".. dousing it with water only makes it worse.
Mostly they use the water to try to prevent the fire from spreading.
On average, firecrews use about 4,000+ gallons to "put out" a EV fires... PER incident.
So, with just the 25.1 electric vehicle that catches fire in that statistic.. We're looking at over 100,000 gallons..
That's a lot of water!

[I haven't even touched on the issues with needing whole battery replacements (every 2-4 years) or salt water and EVs...]

I'm not hating on Tesla or EVs..
All I'm stating is you must take EXTRA precautions (mindful of) -beyond what is normal for a vehicle owner- when you own a EV.

Sorry, getting totally off topic.

 

[Diem Turner]

So here's the main take away..
Out of those 100,000 vehicles , there's 1,529.9 fires from gasoline vehicles..
How many of those spontaneously burst into flames -just Parked and with the engine turned OFF? I dare say none. (Unless it was done deliberately.) Also, once a gasoline vehicle catches Fire, you yourself can at least attempt to put it out or it is put out once the firemen arrives(Fairly quickly too.)

Not so with EV fires.
God forbid it catches fire within a enclosed area like a house/garage. Not only is the whole vehicle is consumed by flames ,but the residence too that the vehicle is in... (eventually). Because firecrews are basically trained to "just let it burn itself out".. dousing it with water only makes it worse.
Mostly they use the water to try to prevent the fire from spreading.
On average, firecrews use about 4,000+ gallons to "put out" a EV fires... PER incident.
So, with just the 25.1 electric vehicle that catches fire in that statistic.. We're looking at over 100,000 gallons..
That's a lot of water!

[I haven't even touched on the issues with needing whole battery replacements (every 2-4 years) or salt water and EVs...]

I'm not hating on Tesla or EVs..
All I'm stating is you must take EXTRA precautions -beyond what is normal for a vehicle owner- when you own a EV.

Sorry, getting totally off topic.

All good brother. There's really only one good thing about EVs (from my perspective): TORQUE. If you're getting an EV for power and acceleration, you're on the right track. If you've been hoodwinked into buying an EV because you think you're saving the planet that way...I have a bridge and a clock I'd like to sell you.

I'm no proponent of EVs, I think they're a red herring. At least for now. There is no power grid that could handle the population at large moving to EVs (see all the EVs in Cali being charged with gas/diesel powered generators in the driveways). I'm not saying to stop working on them, maybe some day we'll get there. But this artificial petroleum shortage they've created in an effort to push EVs onto the population is, to put it nicely, diabolical.

 

[Hector_Fisher]

So here's the main take away..
Out of those 100,000 vehicles , there's 1,529.9 fires from gasoline vehicles..
How many of those spontaneously burst into flames -just Parked and with the engine turned OFF? I dare say none. (Unless it was done deliberately.) Also, once a gasoline vehicle catches Fire, you yourself can at least attempt to put it out or it is put out once the firemen arrives(Fairly quickly too.)

Not so with EV fires.
God forbid it catches fire within a enclosed area like a house/garage. Not only is the whole vehicle is consumed by flames ,but the residence too that the vehicle is in... (eventually). Because firecrews are basically trained to "just let it burn itself out".. dousing it with water only makes it worse.
Mostly they use the water to try to prevent the fire from spreading.
On average, firecrews use about 4,000+ gallons to "put out" a EV fires... PER incident.
So, with just the 25.1 electric vehicle that catches fire in that statistic.. We're looking at over 100,000 gallons..
That's a lot of water!

[I haven't even touched on the issues with needing whole battery replacements (every 2-4 years) or salt water and EVs...]

I'm not hating on Tesla or EVs..
All I'm stating is you must take EXTRA precautions (mindful of) -beyond what is normal for a vehicle owner- when you own a EV.

Sorry, getting totally off topic.

Dang, you beat me to this rant....

But honestly 3.4% chance that your EV will catch fire, whether parked or running or not??? That's seriously nightmare fuel. And of course, they aren't going to be bothers to show more info like when or where or how the fire occurred. NOR the extent of damage due to the fire. Those key factors would play a huge role in determining overall impact, not just whether a fire was reported or not.

I have several lipo bags, but i do need to jump on the ammo can band wagon.

 

[Diem Turner]

Dang, you beat me to this rant....

But honestly 3.4% chance that your EV will catch fire, whether parked or running or not??? That's seriously nightmare fuel. And of course, they aren't going to be bothers to show more info like when or where or how the fire occurred. NOR the extent of damage due to the fire. Those key factors would play a huge role in determining overall impact, not just whether a fire was reported or not.

I have several lipo bags, but i do need to jump on the ammo can band wagon.

Yeah, lipo bags don't really do much (or anything). Even with small lipos. They might give you one or two seconds before they're just melted to the burning pile that once was your lipo.

Edit: Before anyone says anything, I'm sure the one or other odd lipo bag exists that actually works. What I'm referring to are the generic silver lipo bags that everyone has that work about as well as a Styrofoam cup in an oven at 400°.

 

[Sandracer_NL]

Dang, you beat me to this rant....

But honestly 3.4% chance that your EV will catch fire, whether parked or running or not??? That's seriously nightmare fuel. And of course, they aren't going to be bothers to show more info like when or where or how the fire occurred. NOR the extent of damage due to the fire. Those key factors would play a huge role in determining overall impact, not just whether a fire was reported or not.

I have several lipo bags, but i do need to jump on the ammo can band wagon.

If that were true an EV‘s would never be allowed.

 

[SrC]

So here's the main take away..
Out of those 100,000 vehicles , there's 1,529.9 fires from gasoline vehicles..
How many of those spontaneously burst into flames -just Parked and with the engine turned OFF? I dare say none. (Unless it was done deliberately.) Also, once a gasoline vehicle catches Fire, you yourself can at least attempt to put it out or it is put out once the firemen arrives(Fairly quickly too.)

Not so with EV fires.
God forbid it catches fire within a enclosed area like a house/garage. Not only is the whole vehicle is consumed by flames ,but the residence too that the vehicle is in... (eventually). Because firecrews are basically trained to "just let it burn itself out".. dousing it with water only makes it worse.
Mostly they use the water to try to prevent the fire from spreading.
On average, firecrews use about 4,000+ gallons to "put out" a EV fires... PER incident.
So, with just the 25.1 electric vehicle that catches fire in that statistic.. We're looking at over 100,000 gallons..
That's a lot of water!

[I haven't even touched on the issues with needing whole battery replacements (every 2-4 years) or salt water and EVs...]

I'm not hating on Tesla or EVs..
All I'm stating is you must take EXTRA precautions (mindful of) -beyond what is normal for a vehicle owner- when you own a EV.

Sorry, getting totally off topic.

Ironic that water never really puts out Lipo fires anyway.
Lipo fires are self supporting chemical reaction fires. Once the lithium packs are breached, oxygen "triggers" the fire, but does not support the fire. it needs to go out on its own. Takes a few min. Temps reach well over 3,000F degrees. You can only contain the fire, till it has exhausted itself. Water does not "put it out". But defintely contain it so it won't combust other things nearby.
If using Ammo cans, def remove the seal on the lid. Or the Ammo can become a dangerous projectile like a grenade if the pressure is not released rapidly enough in the ammo can or container its in. The ammo can needs to vent itself. That is how the Bat-Safe works. It is carfefully vented. I have one of them. No not cheap. And there are other alternatives described above that will also work.
Be safe.
At any given time, I have 18-20 lipos here myself.
Very wise to keep an ABC or Nitrogen Fire extinguisher around. One for your car also, when driving to your bash spot. I even keep a fire alarm detector nearby my Lipos and charging equipment. Cheap insurance.
Lipos never get charged unattended.

 

[Diem Turner]

Ironic that water never really puts out Lipo fires anyway.
Lipo fires are self supporting chemical reaction fires. Once the lithium packs are breached, it need to go out on its own. You can only contain the fire, till it has exhausted itself. Water does not "put it out". But defintey contain it so it wont combust other things nearby.
If using Ammo cans, def remove the seal on the lid. Or the Ammo can become a dangerous projectile like a grenade. The ammo can needs to vent itslef. That is how the Bat-Safe works.

Yeah, otherwise you run the risk of re-creating the Boston bombing.

 

[Adiabatic]

If you want the killer features of the Bat-Safe (thermal insulation and smoke filtration), you'll probably end up spending close to or more than what it costs to buy one (hooray mass production and economies of scale).

An ammo can lined with drywall may keep your house from burning down, but it will still allow a LiPo fire to cover your charging area with soot and force you to have to clean, paint and possibly renovate afterwards. I guess that's an improvement over the baseline of no containment, but you already spent a pile of cash on your R/C, batteries and charger, is skimping on another $80 really worth it?

 

[Hector_Fisher]

Yeah, lipo bags don't really do much (or anything). Even with small lipos. They might give you one or two seconds before they're just melted to the burning pile that once was your lipo.

I partially agree with you. From a bang for your buck perspective, it's an essential minimum at least. At the same time, I don't feel the need to be scared from videos like this on youtube that say the batt-safe is the only acceptable option:

Lipo failure is a statistical event (sometimes user influenced). The severity of the failure is also statistical (also sometimes user influenced). I don't have access to any general collective or accumulative failure info, but i'd wager that most "failures" are not at the extreme ends of the spectrum, the way that are shown in that youtube video (ie, simultaneous driving a nail through all lipo cells). That kind of failure is utterly catastrophic and will result in explosive results almost every time. However, what's the likelihood of such a catastrophic failure compared to an overcharge, or random short event? Something like this:

I think the failure depends on the event: and in which case, the lipo bag does it's job most of the time. However, I will admit, do you want the bare minimum protection from house/home fires? Or would you want more? Since it's all a roll of the dice, i guess it's up to the user to decide how much risk they think they have and how much "insurance" they want.