Here’s why you should always inspect your batteries!

[Xjeepguy]

Before each run, I inspect my batteries and check them for any puffing or damage. Today, while preparing to take my new K4 and XRT for a spin, I checked the 4s battery I normally use for my 4s rigs, and found that one of them has been damaging these cables. It’s hard to see in the pics, but you can see the wire insulation has been worn through, and on the sad side, you can see where there is copper showing. Not a big deal, easy fix, but if I had kept running this battery without inspecting it, I could have eventually burned down a rig, or worse yet, my apartment building. I’ll have to figure out which rig has been doing this, and make adjustments accordingly.

If you’re new to the hobby:
LiPos are no joke when they short out and go thermal. So remember this step every time you run a rig.

This public service announcement is from your friendly neighborhood Xj.

 

[KnowAir]

Before each run, I inspect my batteries and check them for any puffing or damage. Today, while preparing to take my new K4 and XRT for a spin, I checked the 4s battery I normally use for my 4s rigs, and found that one of them has been damaging these cables. It’s hard to see in the pics, but you can see the wire insulation has been worn through, and on the sad side, you can see where there is copper showing. Not a big deal, easy fix, but if I had kept running this battery without inspecting it, I could have eventually burned down a rig, or worse yet, my apartment building. I’ll have to figure out which rig has been doing this, and make adjustments accordingly. View attachment 340651
If you’re new to the hobby:
LiPos are no joke when they short out and go thermal. So remember this step every time you run a rig.

This public service announcement is from your friendly neighborhood Xj.

Yeah man!! I can relate, especially with those 4s Spektrum packs. Good batteries, but awkward the way the cables exit the case. I won't even use those in certain rigs because of it. I found I had installed a screw that was too long for my battery tray a while back after making some repairs. Just by happenstance..I was looking at one of my 6s soft packs..huh, what's going on here? Looks like something has been poking the "bear"..Looked at another 6s battery, same..hmm. oh, there it is, my Kronos XTR. Must have grabed the wrong screw while putting it back together. Should have noticed for sure, but I think I was making a rapid repair at the time, anxious to get back to bashing.. That screw was surely gonna go through the battery eventually. Whew!!

 

[SrC]

Yeah pay attention to all the wiring including ESC and motor wires as well. So they are not pinched or hitting ANY rotating/ Moving parts . Been there. Nylon wire ties are your friend.
Out the box they have the wires all sloppily placed. NG. When running they are loose and flop around violently. Hitting drive shafts, getting crushed with impacts etc. Govern yourself accordingly. Be smart about it.
Fires suck, Been there.
One time is too many.

 

[Bbqguy52]

Thanks for the public service announcement. I know when I first got into the hobby I spent at least $1,000 on my rc batteries and other gear. My lhs didn't mention anything about battery safety. After doing my own research I went back to the shop and questioned them about bat safety. They didn’t think it was a big deal. They don't get my business anymore. There were a few reasons besides the battery thing.

It's really bad for our hobby when there is a fire. In today's world it wouldn't surprise me if these lipos got banned because some idiot neglected them and burned down their house and killed someone. We live in a world that suspends kids from school for pointing a finger gun.

I ran into a guy last year that was having a hard time getting his 6s into his e-revo. It was swollen so bad there was no way it would fit. he had no idea what was wrong.

Sorry for the long winded rant. Battery maintenance is not hard to do. So far I haven't had any issues. I know most of us are diligent about this. I'm glad you brought it up.

 

[SrC]

Homes have burned down from RC lipo fires before. It's a thing unfortunately ...As of late it is E-bikes, E-scooters and all...... In China where 99% of Lipo production is and the products relating, There are hundreds of fires a week there. Whole Apt. buildings on fire. People burned alive. EV's catching fires as well.

>>>>To top it all off, the Fire Dept's in China hook up to Fire hydrants that are NOT even working or connected. Like more than 50% of them. That many. So people die burning up. Their hydrants are FAKE. The Gov't sits them there literally for "Show". No water connected to them. Just planted in the ground. Fact. Crazy but so true.
So just imagine that this all trickles down to us here. Defective Lipo goods etc.. The rest is just Lipo negligence, IMHO. Be careful.
At least we have Working Fire hydrants.

I store my Lipos in steel 50 Cal Ammo Boxes and remove 3/4 of the seal on the lid for pressure relief. Or you can end up with a potential shrap metal bomb.

 

[Bustedaw11]

Yeah pay attention to all the wiring including ESC and motor wires as well. So they are not pinched or hitting ANY rotating/ Moving parts . Been there. Nylon wire ties are your friend.
Out the box they have the wires all sloppily placed. NG. When running they are loose and flop around violently. Hitting drive shafts, getting crushed with impacts etc. Govern yourself accordingly. Be smart about it.
Fires suck, Been there.
One time is too many.

I found this not too long ago. The positive was almost broke clean through!
I even strap my wires down with the battery strap.. not sure how it moved enough to cause this. Always gentle and pull apart by the plug and not the wires also.

 

[KnowAir]

I found this not too long ago. The positive was almost broke clean through!
I even strap my wires down with the battery strap.. not sure how it moved enough to cause this. Always gentle and pull apart by the plug and not the wires also.

View attachment 340655

I've been noticing alot of the bullets fot EC5 equipped batteries are crimped rather than soldered onto the wires.. I don't think they hold up as well when crimped as soldered. Yours appear to be crimped.

 

[Bustedaw11]

I've been noticing alot of the bullets fot EC5 equipped batteries are crimped rather than soldered onto the wires.. I don't think they hold up as well when crimped as soldered. Yours appear to be crimped.

They are crimped and I'm not a fan. A good solder joint and heat shrink gives a little more stability to the connection I believe. This crimped connection was treated right and failed easily. This is on a Zeee battery and almost enough to make me stick to other brands of batteries.

 

[SrC]

I've been noticing alot of the bullets fot EC5 equipped batteries are crimped rather than soldered onto the wires.. I don't think they hold up as well when crimped as soldered. Yours appear to be crimped.

Beat me to the punch!!! I was looking at that IC there, saying" who the heck crimps these now?" Holy crap what garbage I am looking at. Chinese low quality for sure. They are nickel and diming us. Cheaping out on doing proper soldering???
Not a wonder Chinese lipo goods are always ablaze. I would never use a lipo like that. NIB or not, I always solder on my XT90 connectors. They aren't even crimpable.

>>>>What brand lipo pack was that crimped one???? The wires even look to be horrible cheap stranded as well. A fire just waiting to happen!!
I will NEVER crimp a lipo Mains connection or dare run one that way. Ludicrous. I've never even seen an IC connector that was crimpable.

 

[Bustedaw11]

Beat me to the punch!!! I was looking at that IC there, saying" who the heck crimps these now?" Holy crap what garbage I am looking at. Chinese low quality for sure. They are nickel and diming us. Cheaping out on doing proper soldering???
Not a wonder Chinese lipo goods are always ablaze. I would never use a lipo like that. NIB or not, I always solder on my XT90 connectors.

>>>>What brand lipo pack was that crimped one????
I will NEVER crimp a lipo connection or dare run one that way. Ludicrous.

Your right man! And this is from a Zeee pack. I fixed it but I'll be very venturing elsewhere for my future lipo needs. I wasn't aware they were crimped when I bought those by recommendation.

 

[KnowAir]

They are crimped and I'm not a fan. A good solder joint and heat shrink gives a little more stability to the connection I believe. This crimped connection was treated right and failed easily. This is on a Zeee battery and almost enough to make me stick to other brands of batteries.

Same here, I use XT90'S but buy batteries by price. Often times they have T plugs, TRX, Ec5.. I just unsolder or cut them off and put my XT90'S on. I'm done with Zeee's myself. The 4s 7200 120c I had just left me sour. Got my money back, but I'm just moving on. Plenty of options out there.

 

[SrC]

@Bustedaw11 , Wow. And that was a ZEEE pack, no less. I expected just a little better from them.
Yeah it is very hard to tell if its soldered or crimped, I get that. Short of removing it. Or finding out the hard way!!!
Yes, I am Now completely Done with Zeee's. I should leave a harsh Zeee review on AMZ in regards. Screw Zeee's!!! Potential fires etc.
Thanks for the PSA. Seriously.

 

[Bustedaw11]

@Bustedaw11 , Wow. And that was a ZEEE pack, no less. I expected just a little better from them.
Yeah it is very hard to tell if its soldered or crimped, I get that. Short of removing it. Or finding out the hard way!!!
Yes, I am Now completely Done with Zeee's. I should leave a harsh Zeee review on AMZ in regards. Screw Zeee's!!! Potential fires etc.
Thanks for the PSA. Seriously.

Here's a better pic if you'd like to save it and share later. Showing the pack itself.

 

[KnowAir]

@Bustedaw11 , Wow. And that was a ZEEE pack, no less. I expected just a little better from them.
Yeah it is very hard to tell if its soldered or crimped, I get that. Short of removing it. Or finding out the hard way!!!
Yes, I am Now completely Done with Zeee's. I should leave a harsh Zeee review on AMZ in regards. Screw Zeee's!!! Potential fires etc.
Thanks for the PSA. Seriously.

Yeah, that thing is crimped on no doubt. The star shape of the bullet gives it away for sure. Plus all the broken strands of wire. My bro has a pile of EC5 equipped batts that are doing the exact same thing. Bummer.

 

[Xjeepguy]

They crimp EC5’s now??? That’s insane!!

 

[SrC]

I doubt highly they are legit HH spec EC5's . Legit ones can only be soldered? As they are thicker bullets? IDK.
I can't see how HH would want to crimp theirs. The liability of fire and all.

The only connectors I've ever seen crimped in all my years are the Tamiya Nim/Nicad pack connectors. And even to this day.
And its not a wonder why they always melted and shorted out packs. But they were only on Nim or Nicads back when. Not that dangerous. Never truly had thermal runaways with them. No one really used them anyway. Everyone went to Deans 4-Pin or Deans Ultra Plugs, soldering them always, 30 some years ago before Lipos were even a thing.

 

[Bustedaw11]

I doubt highly they are legit HH spec EC5's . Legit ones can only be soldered? As they are thicker bullets? IDK.
I can't see how HH would want to crimp theirs.

China battery, China ec5. Go figure. Buy cheap buy twice!

 

[Warby]

Also, if you buy a used RC, immediately check the battery and wiring. Prior to purchase if possible. I've purchased 2 off ebay, unseen, at separate times. They still had the lipo connected, one was still powered up and both had puffed lipos. Very puffed. Both were posted in the mail.

The ad for this one didn't even say it came with a lipo. I'm guessing the seller didn't know it still had one in it. The esc was still connected without a power switch.

 

[sumguy75]

Yep, lithium batteries can be dangerous, both lipo and lithium ion batteries. An ebike caught on fire in a Toronto subway recently:

There was also a battery fire on a cargo ship, 800 metric tons of batteries...

https://apnews.com/article/cargo-sh...-coast-guard-565d51c76e958097d44216a7365655b6

 

[Bbqguy52]

Also, if you buy a used RC, immediately check the battery and wiring. Prior to purchase if possible. I've purchased 2 off ebay, unseen, at separate times. They still had the lipo connected, one was still powered up and both had puffed lipos. Very puffed. Both were posted in the mail.

The ad for this one didn't even say it came with a lipo. I'm guessing the seller didn't know it still had one in it. The esc was still connected without a power switch.
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Damn that's crazy