29-09-2023, 01:13 PM
I do not have an outside garage to store and charge my lipos, the hobby workspace is inside our house.
I recently found a useful item at Bunnings, its a Craftright steel toolbox (159mmx137mmx385mm) for $15 that has a clip to keep the lid shut, and can hold 6 or more lipos. I now have 4 of the craftright boxes, 2 other metal boxes that look similar, and a medium Batbox which is a fairly pricey item. I divide my collection of 2S and 3S lipos between the 7 boxes, and I also place the removable lipo battery from the electric lawnmower in a box.
The storage is just one aspect of preventing a lipo fire, I am sure most points are well known but this article covers them fairly well.
https://dronebotworkshop.com/lipo-safety/
I generally charge 12 lipos for a flying session, so I use 3 dual chargers (mainly ToolkitRC M6D, that have no AC connection and run off a separate power supply, and are considerably cheaper than AC power models). I choose the ToolkitRC after trying several other brands over a long period. Thus 6 lipos are charged simultaneously, and as the article recommends I charge at 1C. So I hang around the workroom for 2 hours while the charging takes place. I always check individual cell voltages several times during balance charging, and the IR at least once.
I keep welders gloves and a fire blanket handy, in the hope I could wrap up an igniting lipo and throw it into the yard in time. I have a fire extinguisher ready for other items that may have caught fire. And the room has a smoke detector. I do not pretend these measures ensure perfect safety, the aim is just to make it as safe as possible.
I recently found a useful item at Bunnings, its a Craftright steel toolbox (159mmx137mmx385mm) for $15 that has a clip to keep the lid shut, and can hold 6 or more lipos. I now have 4 of the craftright boxes, 2 other metal boxes that look similar, and a medium Batbox which is a fairly pricey item. I divide my collection of 2S and 3S lipos between the 7 boxes, and I also place the removable lipo battery from the electric lawnmower in a box.
The storage is just one aspect of preventing a lipo fire, I am sure most points are well known but this article covers them fairly well.
https://dronebotworkshop.com/lipo-safety/
I generally charge 12 lipos for a flying session, so I use 3 dual chargers (mainly ToolkitRC M6D, that have no AC connection and run off a separate power supply, and are considerably cheaper than AC power models). I choose the ToolkitRC after trying several other brands over a long period. Thus 6 lipos are charged simultaneously, and as the article recommends I charge at 1C. So I hang around the workroom for 2 hours while the charging takes place. I always check individual cell voltages several times during balance charging, and the IR at least once.
I keep welders gloves and a fire blanket handy, in the hope I could wrap up an igniting lipo and throw it into the yard in time. I have a fire extinguisher ready for other items that may have caught fire. And the room has a smoke detector. I do not pretend these measures ensure perfect safety, the aim is just to make it as safe as possible.