Where do you charge your batteries?

[branfarm]

Hi folks,

I'm just getting back into RC after a 15 year hiatus, so I'm new to the whole LiPo scene. I've been sufficiently warned about the dangers of LiPo such that I'm questioning my ability to manage these things safely. I've picked up some 2S 5000mah batteries, a charger, charging bag, and storage bag, and now I'm wondering where I can safely work with them. I'm half-joking, but really I just want to make sure I don't burn my house down.

So with that in mind, one big question I have is, if it's recommended to never charge your batteries unattended, where do you charge them such that they are attended? I work from home so I could charge them in my office while I work, but I also don't want risk anything in there in case of an issue. But everywhere else I would charge them would largely be unattended. So I feel stuck. How are you managing the risks here?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Jeremy in WI]

If you do a few searches here, there are a good handful of informative conversations that already developed. Here's a link to one, which was just the first I found after searching "lipo warning". Long story short - don't abuse them and the risk is minimal.

https://www.arrmaforum.com/threads/do-lipos-really-blow-up-that-much.8727/

 

[Mustangman66$]

I have had my Lipos for a while and as long as you check on them frequently you shouldn’t have a problem. Their is a lot of talk about the dangers with them and me personally haven’t had problems with that. My place to charge them in a area of the house where no one is around or animals that could trip over it or something could happen but that my personal experience with it

 

[arrmadillo]

Kitchen table, kitchen counter top, bathroom sink top. Should probably charge outside but can keep my eye on them while inside.

 

[GMballistic]

I always charge mine in my house (whilst I am in the same room) in a Lipo fireproof safety bag. Charging my 6S battery only takes around 30-45mins max so staying with it whilst it charges is no big deal.

You could always buy a "Bat safe" if you're overly worried about Lipo safety during charging or storage.
Like this: https://hobbyking.com/en_us/bat-saf...QYASABEgIlE_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&___store=en_us

One thing you might want to buy @branfarm if you haven't already is a "balance lead" extension.
They're awfully short on the batteries which often doesn't give you much length for charging the batteries in the safety bags so the extension lead just makes things easier imo.

 

[roondog]

I charge mine in a ammo box in my garage. Drilled holes in top to avoid pressure build up in the event of a fire. I keep an eye on it while charging.
A member of another community I follow had a fire from a tool battery. He shared this before and after photo of the incident. Luckily no one was hurt but lost just about everything.

 

[Matt74]

Ive got a little undercover spot at the rear of the house that is outside.. as long as its not raining i charge there.. i can sit on the couch and look out a glass sliding door and see the charger while its doing its thing.

I have a Skyrc charger that bluetooths to my phone and gives me real time info about the charging process as the battery is being charged. don't have to leave the couch and go back outside to see what the screen on the charger is displaying about the charge process.

I always “balance charge” and don't fast charge by upping the amps.. i’m never in any rush so why try get it done quickly.

I charge outside because ive been told on here that on the off chance the battery did unfortunately happen to go up the chemical smoke/fumes is highly toxic.. with two young boys under 5 years old, i don’t want to take that risk no matter how small it is.

Treat them with respect and enjoy the extra power they bring!

 

[stuartd]

In my 'man cave' room in the house, in a charging bag on top of a small cabinet that's in close proximity to a window.
I balance charge at 1amp and am in the room when they're charging.

 

[Soppy]

I charge mine on top of my steel workbench in my basement. Once charged , I transport and store them in an ammo container.

 

[bicketybam]

On a bench in the basement. I don’t sit there and watch them. I’m always home when I charge but that’s about it.

 

[arrmadillo]

I charge mine in a ammo box in my garage. Drilled holes in top to avoid pressure build up in the event of a fire. I keep an eye on it while charging.
A member of another community I follow had a fire from a tool battery. He shared this before and after photo of the incident. Luckily no one was hurt but lost just about everything.

Wow that catastrophic, surely a wake up call. Glad you brought this up, I have these lithium lawn batteries that sit here on my family room floor that I have thought about. They have 4 led lights on them to show charge. The manuals says nothing about storing. I like to leave them about 2 or 3 lights charged. Not fully or close to empty. I will now store like my lipos.

 

[-Dusty-]

I charge on my bench, usually I work on something while it charges so im basically right there in case something goes wrong

 

[branfarm]

A member of another community I follow had a fire from a tool battery. He shared this before and after photo of the incident. Luckily no one was hurt but lost just about everything.

That's crazy... and basically the worst case scenario we're all trying to avoid.

I always charge mine in my house (whilst I am in the same room) in a Lipo fireproof safety bag. Charging my 6S battery only takes around 30-45mins max so staying with it whilst it charges is no big deal.

You could always buy a "Bat safe" if you're overly worried about Lipo safety during charging or storage.
Like this: https://hobbyking.com/en_us/bat-saf...QYASABEgIlE_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&___store=en_us

One thing you might want to buy @branfarm if you haven't already is a "balance lead" extension.
They're awfully short on the batteries which often doesn't give you much length for charging the batteries in the safety bags so the extension lead just makes things easier imo.

The bat safe looks great -- is there a reason it's not the first recommendation by people? Also, the suggestion for balance lead extensions is a good one, I've already placed an order.

 

[Lazy Bushman]

I charge, work on and store everything RC in my shed. I don't hang about while they are charging as I just don't have the time to be honest to hang about and watch them. I always balance charge and have them in a Lipo bag when charging. For storage I keep them in their Lipo bag and put them in an ammo box. I rarely store them charged unless I'm going out for a bash the next morning, otherwise they are always on a storage charge.

 

[olds97_lss]

Living on the 3rd floor of an apartment... I charge them in my office while I sit there and check email on bash mornings. I have a tin bucket and kevlar cooking glove in close proximity. Grab, yank, throw in bucket, haul butt down 3 flights. It will not be a pretty affair... worse case, I have a pretty good throwing arm and a window in my office.

I take them down or up to storage charge after every bash as well, even if I might run the next day. I get up early and charge before I bash.

 

[Captain Dirt]

I charge mine on the floor of my garage, in a lipo bag. Too busy to watch them, but they're far enough away from anything flammable so I'm not worried.
After charging, or while in storage, they're always kept in lipo bags.

 

[sadlerbw]

On top of a chest freezer in the basement. About the only thing nearby is concrete walls and floor. I usually charge inside a lipo bag as well, but not 100% of the time. I do store them all in lipo bags when I'm not using them. I don't sit there and watch them charge, but I also don't keep questionable batteries around.

I had a guy send me a puffed up 2S along with a used buggy I bought (even though I told him I didn't want it!) He claimed it had been working fine for months, but the first thing I did was use one of my chargers to discharge it, and then use resistors to finish the job before throwing it away. It would have saved me money to keep it since I had to buy a replacement, but I don't screw around with damaged lipos.

 

[olds97_lss]

but I don't screw around with damaged lipos.

Probably a good rule to live by.

At most, when I have a multi-cell pack drop a cell (voltage drops hard on it's own while at rest), I'll take the pack apart, drain the one cell and solder the tabs together then get rid of it. Then if I have another drop in another pack, I can use the spare one to make a full pack again.

 

[GMballistic]

The bat safe looks great -- is there a reason it's not the first recommendation by people? Also, the suggestion for balance lead extensions is a good one, I've already placed an order.

No idea tbh.
Could be that not all that many people know about them, feel they need them or possibly just because they use something else similar (like an old metal ammo can/tin with holes drilled in which would be a cheaper alternative).

Glad the suggestions helped.

 

[PowerDubs]

People are cheap and think it will never happen to them. I use a Bat-safe.