Swollen lipo after one use

[lurkingknight]

if all cells are truly 0V the battery is landfill safe. If it's 0V cut the wire leads, tape them together and then dump in the garbage. If you're queasy about that then as is just dump it in a battery disposal box wherever you find one.

[Adamlxlx]

Discharge in salt water for a week then dispose of in garbage.

[chaz]

Originally Posted by Adamlxlx

Discharge in salt water for a week then dispose of in garbage.

I have read that the theory of doing that is complete BS...

[Jimski]

take it apart, check how the cells look inside, take pics, post them here.

[Adamlxlx]

Originally Posted by chaz

I have read that the theory of doing that is complete BS...

Read all ya want. I have done it and it works.

[lurkingknight]

I've also confirmed with an RC shop that salt water soaking is legit, as well as being landfill safe once completely discharged. You have to discharge the cells with something.. hook up a shit motor or light bulb until it stops running then drop it in the saltwater. Though I think a charger is able to bring the volts to 0 if you use the discharge function.

[Kos-Mos]

Originally Posted by lurkingknight

I've also confirmed with an RC shop that salt water soaking is legit, as well as being landfill safe once completely discharged. You have to discharge the cells with something.. hook up a shit motor or light bulb until it stops running then drop it in the saltwater. Though I think a charger is able to bring the volts to 0 if you use the discharge function.

Chargers won't let you bring the battery down to 0V, because it's REALLY bad for batteries (that you want to keep).

12V headlamp (car) plugged in. When the filament is not even redish anymore, salt water (you need to put a LOT of salt in).

[DipTwit]

It doesn't really matter if you use a motor, bulb, or salt / dirty water, as long as you can measure that the voltage is gone. If you've used a light bulb, or motor, once you can't see an effect any more, you can just leave it overnight to be really sure, since both of those close the circuit.

Saltwater just has convenience & foolproof factors because you don't have to use any wires or equipment, need no real skills or knowledge, works even if the wires somehow came loose inside the heat shrink, and as long as it's well submerged it poses no fire danger.

[Jimski]

does the rotten tomato/meat juice at the bottom of the garbage bin work as saltwater?

[DipTwit]

Take an ohm meter to it - now I'm really curious ;-)

In theory, water has to be pretty pure to have zero conductance. On the other hand, the juice has to be thin enough to get in around all the conductors. As always, YMMV...

[lurkingknight]

just as a followup, here's the saltwater procedure.

http://www.rctoys.com/pdf/thunder-po...-batteries.pdf

[Knoxville450]

Salt water does not discharge the lipo cells. It corrodes the leads and shorts the battery making you think its discharged. Its pretty safe in this state but if you're gunna be picky then this is not the way to do it. I make sure the battery is as discharged as possible then twist the leads together and throw out. This guarentees the battery is shorted.

[Jimski]

is that about chemical pollution or fire hazard?

[DipTwit]

It's 100% about the fire hazard Jimski, for sure.

Not sure what you mean Knox, if it shorts the leads like you say, the battery *will* drain, and enough corrosion to block the flow of current would take an awfully long time. I've never seen that happen myself, but it's an interesting point.

I agree though, if you're confident in your abilities, drain & twist makes for a good guarantee. Some people just aren't comfortable with that, though.

[chaz]

Well problem solved. Battery was drained, leads twisted and sealed in a container with salt water.
Screw batteries.. I am going P*