LIPO bags

[twoheadlines]

Please, please, please, DO NOT cover a battery that is being charged.
This maxim applies to any type of rechargeable battery, not just Lipo's. I suspect the 'smart' type of Lipo batteries would shut off the charging procedure if the battery became too hot. But, as the process of charging generates heat, obstructing the circulation of air to aid dissipation would almost certainly be a recipe for something to end badly!
Common sense, rather than a degree in physics and chemistry, needs to be your primary qualification when storing a battery that has an inherent level of safety built into it, but still has the potential for volatile failure.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Please, please, please, DO NOT cover a battery that is being charged.
. . . the process of charging generates heat, obstructing the circulation of air to aid dissipation would almost certainly be a recipe for something to end badly!

Though as much, thanks for confirming.
Will test heat in both charger and batteries (each as they come up) in the vehicle, and at home when charging them.
I know they get warm, as when freshly charged taking them off you can certainly feel the elevated temperature.
Have never noticed one REALLY near what you'd call hot thankfully, but will double check.

 

[ff22]

While it would be absolutely great for ALL instances of UAV related battery failures to be reported, I suspect that is not the case. Even so, it would appear the DJI UAV battery range does have a pretty good safety record, but I would suggest DJI cannot be held responsible for all instances of battery failure resulting in maybe fire or explosion. Though slightly off topic, there was a very good example shown on news channels here and across Australia over the weekend, where a portable battery charging unit caught fire (cause not reported) on the front seat of an SUV. The woman driving the vehicle barely had the time to get her two children out and away from the SUV before it erupted into a fireball. The vehicle was gutted. Thankfully no one was injured. The relevance of my analogy is to suggest that anything that can be done to minimise risk related to battery failure should be done. Ask yourself, "where in your vehicle do you place a UAV and gear when driving somewhere?". On the back seat, in the boot (trunk), in the footwell of the front passenger seat! Could you see, or would be able to react quickly enough if you smelt smoke/electrical fumes.
By all means shop around for lipo bags, because prices aren't all the same. But, procrastinating over the relative small cost of individual lipo bags for each battery, when compared to losing a vehicle, losing a home, or worst case scenario losing a life, has got to be a no-brainer!
I for one have all my UAV lipo batteries (7 in total) stored in individual lipo bags.

Do you also charge them inside a bag? Obviously, using the Fly_more Kit's multicharger would require a larger bag.

I guess I'm not paranoid enough but getting there. I'm not sure where in my house I can safely charge these things. Clean off a good square section of my basement and turn it into a charging area.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Do you also charge them inside a bag? Obviously, using the Fly_more Kit's multicharger would require a larger bag.

I guess I'm not paranoid enough but getting there. I'm not sure where in my house I can safely charge these things. Clean off a good square section of my basement and turn it into a charging area.

As per 2 posts above, NO . . . not in a bag / confined space of any sort.

Possibly a cool environment with good air circulation is a good idea, maybe even use a small pedestal or desk fan to blow air over the charger and batteries as they recharge ?
Probably best to charge up where people are around, not when out of the house etc, consider same room while doing work at desk or in kitchen cooking or dining.

It IS a very small risk I think, low incidence to the numbers of lipos being charged Worldwide.

 

[Former Member]

I did read a crash report here on his forum, where the "crashee" said his drone hot the ground (presumably a Mavic), the battery popped out and landed nearby, caught fire and started a small fire, which they were able to put out !!

Maybe @Thunderdrones or other expereinced flyers can advise what might cause this ?
Swollen batteries, are they possible more unstable ? (Besides popping out in flight easier ?)
Batteries with maybe 50, 100, several hundred charges ?
Or can it happen with a new battery ?



I briefly saw this headline (I think) in the past couple of days, but didn't click it, wish I had now.
Was possibly a phone charger / lipo A pity it didn't report what it was, if known.

For me this is very relevant.
We go off grid for weeks at a time, 2 - 5 weeks or so, and the MP charger is on the floor behind my seat, usually one at a time, not the multi hub.
(I also charge the phone in the vehicle, usually on the dash mount, but odds are this is VERY rare to happen.)

Ok, so if I slipped the battery being charged into a lipo bag, could that not create more heat while charging ?
Or are they mainly made, should only be used, for transport / storage ?

I'll have to test just how hot the charger and battery feel during a charge, this might indicate a problem.
Compare to home charging.

Lots to consider with this subject and safety, even though cases of fires happening are very rare, it's a chance.

Lipos dont like to be poked or prodded, especially when fully charged. It doenst really matter how many cycles they have on them. They dont explode, as a hand grenade would, but they do have a small blast followed by a flamethrower gaseous discharge, followed by noxious smoke.

 

[Former Member]

As per 2 posts above, NO . . . not in a bag / confined space of any sort.

Possibly a cool environment with good air circulation is a good idea, maybe even use a small pedestal or desk fan to blow air over the charger and batteries as they recharge ?
Probably best to charge up where people are around, not when out of the house etc, consider same room while doing work at desk or in kitchen cooking or dining.

It IS a very small risk I think, low incidence to the numbers of lipos being charged Worldwide.

Good points.

 

[Former Member]

Bags or any type of proven, tested lipo protection is better than nothing. All the pros use them, and they are not expensive.

 

[twoheadlines]

I do have a battery charging hub, but choose not to place more than two batteries on the hub at any one time. The hub will only charge one battery at a time as well.
Additionally, all charging of my UAV and camera batteries is carried out on the kitchen bench which is made of a polished concrete material. For added fire protection there is also the splash-back tiles. There is good air circulation in this area plus a nearby opening window. The "charging station" is not at risk of being in any direct sunlight. Finally, Gib board (drywall) is an inherently good fire retarding material . However, because I have a lot of computer equipment in my home, I also have a fully wired in and network capable smoke/CO2 detector for that bit extra peace of mind.

 

[Former Member]

I do have a battery charging hub, but choose not to place more than two batteries on the hub at any one time. The hub will only charge one battery at a time as well.
Additionally, all charging of my UAV and camera batteries is carried out on the kitchen bench which is made of a polished concrete material. For added fire protection there is also the splash-back tiles. There is good air circulation in this area plus a nearby opening window. The "charging station" is not at risk of being in any direct sunlight. Finally, Gib board (drywall) is an inherently good fire retarding material . However, because I have a lot of computer equipment in my home, I also have a fully wired in and network capable smoke/CO2 detector for that bit extra peace of mind.

That sounds like a nice safe charging policy. Murphys law usually applies, and I learn to expect the unexpected.

Note to self. Buy a few more fire extinguishers for the house.

 

[twoheadlines]

That sounds like a nice safe charging policy. Murphys law usually applies, and I learn to expect the unexpected.

Note to self. Buy a few more fire extinguishers for the house.

Have you already met Murphy to? ?

 

[Former Member]

Have you already met Murphy to? ?

Yes, he always shows up at random. Never know when he's gonna be there, but always consistently at the wrong time..

 

[twoheadlines]

Have you already met Murphy to? ?

He's Irish I think!

 

[Former Member]

He's Irish I think!

He might be multi-ethnic. He seems to be wherever I travel. Cant seem to get rid of him.

 

[twoheadlines]

He might be multi-ethnic. He seems to be wherever I travel. Cant seem to get rid of him.

Oh right! Just had a thought that maybe Murphy is a friend of Dr Who. Time traveller, and all that stuff. Never see the telephone box nearby though!

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Good to hear peoples thoughts on this and how they deal with lipo charging etc.

I wonder about the auto discharge too ?
The batteries get warm at least when doing this at whatever period it's set for.

I changed from the default 10 days down to 5 days, but if using lipo bags it might be better to fly them out to at least 40% or so on the day, then when you get home and they are cool, pop them in the bag(s).

That's another test I'll have to do to take note of the heat generated there, I have caught it once in that stage, but apart from just feeling warm to the touch, I had no concern with it.
They are in my Lowepro BP250 Droneguard backpack all the time unless charging before going out somewhere to fly.

Going to take a bit of change of habits here, and as well as the MP (4 batteries) I've got the Spark (2 batteries) to watch too !

 

[Elude]

Off topic, Did anyone have a good amazon recommendation for LIPO bags that will work with TSA and EU airport security? I found this LIPO bag on Amazon and since they are labeled with LIPO warnings on the outside i thought that might be good enough for TSA. It would be nice to find a bag with a nice TSA/FAA certified blablabla label on it.

 

[Meta4]

Off topic, Did anyone have a good amazon recommendation for LIPO bags that will work with TSA and EU airport security? I found this LIPO bag on Amazon and since they are labeled with LIPO warnings on the outside i thought that might be good enough for TSA. It would be nice to find a bag with a nice TSA/FAA certified blablabla label on it.

Since TSA, FAA and no airlines require Lipo bags and airport security people wouldn't know what a Lipo bag is .. there's no much point.
A paper bag would satisfy them just as much as any mythical certified bag.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

recommendation for LIPO bags that will work with TSA and EU airport security?

As mentioned here in a previous post, I don't think any airline or security section of an airport, requires a lipo bag for batteries.
You simply carry on board in cabin bag, discharged to say 30% or so, and tape over (or use proper commercial covers) the terminals connections so they can't short out.

I put mine individually into small ziplock bags, and slip into the backpack spots for them which keeps them separate too.

It may be that some day that they want lipo bags for the various device batteries, phones etc, but it's not something that is in now as far as I'm aware.

Just saw Meta4's post and was going to finish with pretty much most of them wouldn't even know what they were looking at when seeing a lipo bag

It could even alarm them if labelled anti fire lipo bag, or whatever message may be on them.

 

[Meta4]

You simply carry on board in cabin bag, discharged to say 30% or so

That's just another thing that no airline requires
If they wanted you to discharge your drone batteries for travel, they would also be asking everyone's mobile phone, iPad, laptop etc to be discharged.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

That's just another thing that no airline requires
If they wanted you to discharge your drone batteries for travel, they would also be asking everyone's mobile phone, iPad, laptop etc to be discharged.

Discharge . . . no they don't ask for it, but with drone batteries being a lot higher power than the average phone battery, it's just common sense really.
Drone batteries are not as numerous as phone batteries by a long shot, but news articles about phone batteries spontaneously combusting are fairly common.
The Mavic series do fall under the maximum allowable watt level battery on board by a fair bit.

Even so, I'll just err on the side of caution flying with well discharged batteries, I myself don't want to be sitting under my cabin bag in the locker above if something happened with one or more, it'd be at least embarrassing.