Battery Fire!

[@Rip]

Well as it turns out the guy who was involved is so embarrassed he is refusing to share ANY more details about the incident.
The "picture says a thousand words", to steal a phrase.

 

[Droning on and on...]

The LiPo advice that you call needless are posted by me now and probably in the future on any forum because in the Remote Control Hobby the BIGGEST cause of injury and or property loss is LIPO FIRE.!

Not with DJI drones. In fact, has a Mavic battery ever caused a fire while charging on the DJI supplied charger? Probably, but it's so rare it wouldn't surprise me if it's never happened.

So why not talk about it when the conversation arrises. You say you have no problems leaving your DJI batteries alone while they charge, and thats fine for you I suppose, BUT the subject picture clearly shows a couple of 4s -RC- batteries laying in ashes in a kitchen. These batteries look to have NO balance lead connected, NOR where these batteries charged well away from flammable materials such as all producers of these batterys clearly print on their labels.

All true.

Also utterly irrelevant to charging DJI batteries. While there's nothing wrong with what you're talking about, it's gobbledygook to 99.99% of DJI drone owners. I'm not saying don't post these things – true and accurate things.

I'm just saying it's useless information for charging DJI batteries, the type of battery exclusive to this forum. In my opinion you're offering interesting information on internals of DJI batteries, but not really helping any DJI drone owner with charging.

Charge your battery as you will folks but unattended is just asking for a fire (wouldn't you rather be there the instant something happened rather than get told by the fireman.)

This is where you are misinforming people. It assumes DJI battery assemblies carry the same risk as naked lipo packs. This simply is not true.

FWIW, I design and build custom powerbanks for fun. All started when I wanted a high output (150W) variable voltage powerbank 3 years ago. Nothing commercially available; engineer, skilled with electronics and 3D printing, the rest is history.

 

[Cafguy]

I agree with you about the DJI batteries and I was hoping I had distinguished the two earlier. DJI batteries are much safer. Your point is taken, and I understand that the type of battery should have been clearer.( no sweat ) and I appreciate your comments. I will say however that the manual that came with your DJI drone states :- Never leave lithium batteries charging unattended especially overnight.- Once again the Battery itself is perfectly safe but what the end user does with it can be a problem. I haven't had a car accident but that doesn't keep me from driving less safely.
Many people will go from their camera Drones and move up to FPV and so for this reason I feel the subject applicable.

 

[Torque]

ALSO Chilis really ?

LOL

 

[JoelP]

I store my MA 3 batteries in LiPo bags and put those bags in an ammo box. I suppose could charge in that ammo box as well.

 

[RangerEd]

Lucky there, the runaway lipo fires can be hard to put out, and the gases emitted can be very toxic.
Be interesting to know what sort of drone, but looking at the charger wiring, probably not DJI or other high end consumer drone.
Lipo fires are very rare in well made, hard cased batteries, and the DJI (and likely other brand) BMS's really do their jobs well.
Certainly there are cases of Phantom battery fire incidents, those might be just that much older, and possibly not as good a tech, but in years to come maybe older Mavic Pro, Spark, and other early drones will see batteries becoming more unstable in the battery chemistry, which can result in fires.

Assuming the battery didn't show any bulging indications, based on the picture I'm inclined to say that the charging might have been pushing too much current for the battery.

 

[RangerEd]

I store my MA 3 batteries in LiPo bags and put those bags in an ammo box. I suppose could charge in that ammo box as well.

You don't take any chances do you?

 

[JoelP]

You don't take any chances do you?

and I charge my ebike battery in a metal toolbox on a concrete floor.

 

[Carsco]

The typical output of the typical 30W dji charger is 5 volt 2 amp -THE USB SLOT- and that goes up to 5v 3 amp

Not true.
5V at 2A are only 10W.
5V at 3A are 15W.

The fast charge is possibile with USB PD Protocol that, after handshake, delivers 9V, 15V, 20V or highest voltage, depending on which power supply you use.

You can realize all this using a USB power meter.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Assuming the battery didn't show any bulging indications, based on the picture I'm inclined to say that the charging might have been pushing too much current for the battery.

Possibly.

It could be as a probable non DJI product, the battery(ies) and or charger may be just terrible build / QC from the factory.
No BMS etc.
Without knowing what brand / model drone it is, it's very hard to speculate based on it being posted on a DJI forum, and thinking the battery / charger are the same quality.

We can all feel pretty grateful that there really are almost nil usual events of lipo fires with DJI battereis and their charging / management systems.

 

[Dizzy1971]

I had a mavic pro battery ignite inside my truck a few years back. I was charging as I was driving to my next flight spot. Scared the absolute crapola out of me. Those drone batteries are not to be ignored during charging that’s for sure. I’m glad things worked out in this case!

 

[Droning on and on...]

@Dizzy1971, thank God you were unhurt.

While rare, a DJI battery failure isn't impossible.

Water heaters spontaneously blow up too. Meteors strike houses.

Rarely.