Lipo Battery Storage

[Derek]

I was just browsing Facebook and I came across another unfortunate pilot that has suffered house damage from a lipo battery fire. Whether he could have/should have done something differently to be sure that he was charging safely, I still feel for the guy. The pictures were quite horrible. I was just wondering if you guys would mind sharing your methods for lipo battery storage and charging.

Until I get my new workbench built, with a fireproof charging station, I've always charged my batteries on the cement floor of my garage. I didn't even know about lipo safe bags until 2 years ago. Since I found out about them, I have been using lipo safe bags while charging my batteries on the cement floor of my garage. While storing my batteries, most of the time at Storage Charge, my batteries are in lipo safe bags and they are in a metal tool box with a few vent holes drill into the top of the box...just to help vent the smoke from the box in the event that something bad happens.

Thankfully, I've not had a lipo fire incident in the 4 years that I've been flying with lipo batteries and I'm grateful. I've seen many YouTube videos of the explosive power that they can put out. I've read many articles and posts about lipo fires happening. I surely hope this never happens to me nor anyone that I know. I've even given a spare lipo safe bag to my Dad for the few lipo's that he has.

I do have a question, too. I've heard about people storing their lipo's in a refrigerator when not in use. Why is this?

[Graham Lawrie]

Not heard about using a fridge?

[pvolcko]

The fridge is about the cold helping to prevent cell decay during long periods of storage. Not sure it is necessary to go the fridge or freezer route, but storing them in a cool, dry place is advised.

[DOG]

I have a question about lipo storage but not pertaining to this. Is there a cooling time that I should wait to charge a battery after finishing storage charge or will it be alright to charge after done storage charge? Hope this makes sense.

[cml001]

If the pack is hot.. Let it rest for a bit.. If u r coming off storage charge and want to charge them tho.. Yeah.. U can cycle packs all day on the charger... The charger shouldn't heat up ur packs or stress them like flying does.. I'd say go for it..But to be honest.. When I'm at the field... The charging rig does not stop all day. Lol.. I'm nice to my packs in the house.. At the field.. I'm treating them like a whore.. Lol.. Ull get a ton of different answers to that question.

[Marius]

I store my batteries on a shelf in the apartment.
I have a smoke detector in the room - that's it.

I have read reports of batteries spontaneously catching fire, but I am under the impression that fires usually occur during charging. I'm not too concerned about spontaneous fires, but I take a lot of care during charging.

I'm not 100% satisfied with my current storage policy - might start building some fire proofing this summer.

[Derek]

I've not heard about lipo's spontaneously catching fire. The only fires that I've heard/read about were during charging or if a wire is touching another wire when the battery connects to the esc. I take a lot of care when charging, too. I surely don't want any sort of lipo fire at the house and that lipo smoke has a nasty nasty smell to it.

[DOG]

you can get your self an Army ammo box and drill yourself a hole "3/4" for your harness. You should have plenty of room depending on how many batteries you're charging at once. Works fine for me.

[danhampson]

I keep mine in a metal filing cabinet (single draw) that I found on a car boot sale a year or so ago.
I'm only really bothered about batteries when charging or if they get damaged during a crash.
Charing is never done unattended.