Using a LiPo

[CBasi]

Hey there, i am about to get a gun with a LiPo battery. I have been doing some reading, but haven't found a good, easy to understand crash course for charging/using/discharging a LiPo. Could anyone help me or link one please? I am getting a "11.1V LIPO 15C 2000 MAH King Arms battery with a Tenergy lipo/life balance charger"

[Moonschlagen]

Just make sure you read the chargers manual completely. Also, it's a wise investment to buy a fireproof battery bag when charging lipo batteries for safety and peace of mind.

[phloudernow]

King arms lips are awesome!!!

[lurkingknight]

don't leave lipos unattended while charging. EVER. Charge them in an area away from flammable things, in a non flammable container on surface. The lipo bag is pretty good, but still keep it in an area away from burnable things while charging.

There is no need to discharge them for storage or transport.

if you use hobbyking nanotech lipos, they have an emergency shutdown at 3v per cell.. but best to have another means of monitoring voltage like a voltage monitor or a computerized mosfet that can monitor voltages.

20C discharge or higher batteries are ideal, 15C batteries are just barely enough to run airsoft guns, and they tend to trigger voltage alarms prematurely because a gun motor is drawing close to the battery's max amps. They work, but there's not much wiggle room.

[m102404]

Crash Course Points:
1. Use a good balance charger. One where you can set the charging Amps and where you can see each cell's voltage. Most will also detect if the battery is ok to charge before it charges it.

2. Get a little dongle things that checks the voltage off of the balancing tap. Most will display the voltage of each cell and the total voltage of the pack. ALWAYS check the voltage of the cells before you charge....if any of the cells are below 3.0V you should either not use that pack (I'd try to balance charge it anyways...but be watching closely).

3. NEVER charge at more than "1C" of the pack. If your pack is 1100mAh...then don't charge at more than 1.1A (1A would be safer). If your pack is 2000mAh...then 2A would be ok. Charging at less will do no harm, just take longer (be aware of your charger settings...some turn off automatically after a set amount of time).

4. ALWAYS balance charge a LiPo. Use the balance taps of the pack...use the balance ports of the charger.

5. You should never have to discharge your LiPo's. If they're low and you're going to pack them away for a while...then charge them up and pack them away.

6. If your pack is torn/scratched up/twisted/mangled/bulging/hot....don't use it. Don't charge it...don't discharge it...don't do anything with it. Dispose of it responsibly.

Usage:
1. Always start with a fully charged up battery

2. If it's a new pack...and/or if you're new to LiPo's...use the balance tap display thingy to check the voltage of the pack periodically (like when reloading or between games) to get a sense of it's behaviour in your setup.

Make note of how much you shot...how did the gun sound/feel...etc. Every setup is a little different...and every battery might be different from another one of the same type/rating.

3. When ANY one cell in the pack approaches 3.1V (really it's 3.0 but leave a margin of error)...stop using the pack. You'll have probably noticed that the ROF has dropped or the power is running out by the way your AEG behaves....but the drop off is pretty quick in a LiPo so it's not as apparant as other battery types.

Battery
When ANY one cell is driven down below 3.0V, that cell is "dead" (generalization...but safe way to think of it).

The danger comes when you pair a dead cell with a dumb charger and have a dummy press the go-button. If the dummy and the dumb charger don't detect that the cell is dead and tries to force feed power into the pack they might over charge the other cells (past the 4.2V limit / cell). The cells won't like that and they'll throw a fit (i.e. boil the chemicals and try to burst). The packaging of the cells is supposed to contain that...but use caution.

When using a battery...they're meant to discharge at a given spec. If your pair up a "little" battery with a really power hungry setup it'll try to draw more power faster than the pack is rated for. When any battery discharges it produces heat from the chemical reaction in the cells. If it's too hot it'll boil the chemicals...and the cells will throw a fit. (opposite reason from bad charging...but same effect). So if you're using a battery and it gets really hot (like too hot to touch)...STOP using it. If it's badly bulged/puffed/ballooned....it's no good anymore and you should dispose of that pack.

That's the coles notes I'd have for using LiPo's.

[lurkingknight]

the chemical reaction that occurs when overcharging is producing hydrogen... think BOOM hydrogen... while it won't be surface of the sun type violence,it will throw a significant pop, and or large plume of flame that can catch stuff on fire... so paying attention to the safety of handling lipos is always a good bet.

[AirsoftChewy]

Some amazing info here on lipos that i think is invaluable - the store never even sold me a fire proof charging bag this should be a sticky. If it saves one home it was worth it. Just my .5.

[L473ncy]

Meh. I like to live life on the wild side, I've never used a lipo bag and don't intend to. Just don't be an idiot and you'll have no problems. It's not like lipos are magical fickle things that will decide it doesn't like you and blow up in
your face randomly.

Also, if you want a seriously good device for checking lipo voltages get a multi meter like the Fluke ones (granted they're like $300 for a base model so unless you're really hardcore into this stuff or do it for your job there are cheaper alternatives).

Otherwise a cheaper battery analyzer will do the trick for most people.

Simple $2-3 one like this
Or you can go "crazy" and get something like this from Turnigy for $14
Even crazier 7 in 1 Turnigy meter that does stuff you'll never need like Servos and such for $40

And if you don't want to live life on the wild side like me then might as well get a lipo bag for $2: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...22cm_Sack.html

Although they're designed to be fireproof and contain a fire inside the bag it doesn't always so don't think of it like it's a "safety" and gives you a blank cheque to do whatever the hell you want with it or it will blow up in your face and set your house on fire.

[PrIeSt]

Okay so when was the last time someone reported on here of a lipo blowing up while charging? Or that a bag and them being there saved their house?

Don't go posting youtube videos. You can blow a car battery up too if you try.
Use a smart charger and don't let it go bellow min voltage, and you'll be fine.

[lurkingknight]

the simple fact that there are videos on youtube that have shown what happens is enough reason to take reasonable precautions. It doesn't mean go overboard with safety measures (though you can if you want). Built in mechanisms can fail, so have a backup or two. There's plenty of YT videos that show all you need is a non flammable box like a metal tool box that can contain a lipo fire.

For every bad video of some retard putting a hammer through a lipo or charging directly from a power source to intentionally blow one up, there's a video of prudent practices for what you can use or do in the case of catastrophic failure.

[Dirtbag]

We have 5 at our field from this year, all have varying degrees of burn damage.

I would note all from misuse, damaged wires etc.

1 issue if you gun is not in top notch shape putting a high discharge 11.2 lipo in there will shred the gear box good.

Lipos have discharge rate on them 15c, 20c etc they get really high for use in RC helos etc. upwards of 65C. I would recommend 20c to 25C to start and see how your gun runs, and until you are used to them.

Then you can play with more fun batteries.

[PrIeSt]

Originally Posted by lurkingknight

the simple fact that there are videos on youtube that have shown what happens is enough reason to take reasonable precautions. It doesn't mean go overboard with safety measures (though you can if you want). Built in mechanisms can fail, so have a backup or two. There's plenty of YT videos that show all you need is a non flammable box like a metal tool box that can contain a lipo fire.

For every bad video of some retard putting a hammer through a lipo or charging directly from a power source to intentionally blow one up, there's a video of prudent practices for what you can use or do in the case of catastrophic failure.

Yes. But those videos show you how to handle them. Not that when you put them on a 2 hour charge they shouldnt be out of site.

If someone hit a lipo with a hammer, I wouldnt charge it. Under normal use you can leave it charge and walk away. I charge mine on a metal shelf, that's all. Just incase.
Staying in the room is over kill.

[Styrak]

Originally Posted by phloudernow

King arms lips are awesome!!!

The best lips.