10 RC LiPo Mistakes & How to Avoid Them 

David Marotta hey can you break down more about a battery. If you did already I apologize I’m new and just got really into this.

steven agudelo did you watch the video?

Quick question, is a "Supulse" B3 V2 10w charger all I need for a Zeee 5200mah? Or do I have to get something that has a digital readout to know exactly what voltage the battery is at? Sorry, I just don't understand. Not sure if what I bought is strictly for balance/storage charging...or if that fully charges it & when the Esc5 sguts it off that's the correct amount for storage?

Ha, I felt like I had a new kid

Jake Breaks and man are people who are not in the rc hobby think they are a ticking time bomb

This had me dying

lmao! very funny Jake

L m a o!

I know right!? But nothing else can pack the power in this small of a package. My skateboard will run for over an hour on a 4 cell 7000 mha battery. I CAN'T wait for better battery technology.

Your leg lasts 80 ish years if you disregard street cred

I'm taking up drone flying instead one cell lipos little to go wrong upgrading my rc car was a bad idea not that but evrytime I have fun with it rustler 4x4 vxl I'm afraid I'll destroy something then need to spend another $50-120 to fix it it's an endless money pit I'll buy a mavic 2 and take up drone flying more as an upgrade from my spark any way I know you were joking around enjoy the kite flying 👍🤣

Chaplin Johnson same!

2 string stunt kites are super fun. I fully recommend you do take up kite flying. Seriously My dad bought one and I thought that's lame, then I tried it, his kite is big almost 4ft wingspan it pulled me across the beach. Way more fun than it looks. I have 3 kites now....

Well I got a Parafoil that picks me up off the ground and I weigh 23,000lbs

Let me introduce your brain and wallet to kiteboarding. Sorry.

RC DEPENDANT or ocean

Or fireplace

or your stomach

I appreciate his notice, since some countries have no battery collection protocols

100% agree. He should update that part of the video.

Hi frend as a R/C flyer for 40 odd years flying top uk r/c shows for 20 years. and holding many r/c achievements. DO your self a favour and for get lipo batteries and electric models. ECT. You will come on FAR better with i/c aircraft as iv prooven so many times over the last 6 years or so as a R/C flying instructor. With the BRITISH MODEL FLYING ASSOCIATION. All the best in your pursuit in our great hobby .

Totally agree, there was a few out when I got in the hobby, and I made the newbie mistake of buying a crap charger, and doing zero research on how to charge. I'm retired firefighter, and back then, still on the job, I was cocky about the lipo danger I had heard a little about, thinking, "hell, I run into burning buildings, what's this little thing gonna do, spit at me." Well I hooked up brand new 4s 1300mah, charging on some quick charge setting I think, and not using the balance plug, because my first quad used the balance plug to power the vtx and camera(old school) so I thought that's all it was for. Luckily I did follow the rule about not leaving them unattended, and I did have it in a lipo bag, albeit a cheap one. Bout 3min later, heard a popping noise, by the time I figured out what it was, the fire was through the lipo bag (on a plastic table), a toy grade drone next to it, and my wall, were not only being impinged by the flames withing in seconds, but actually starting to burn. Big bad firefighter man, was running around like a chicken with his head cut off. Fire extinguisher was moved due to doing a remodel, so while wife is screaming and looking for extinguisher, I'm throwing a big mug of ice coffee on the fire, doing nothing, finally wife finds extinguisher, it was only ABC, but I had a larger than normal one, and lipo was past it's hottest burn phase, so the extinguisher put it out barely. Wish I could post pics on here. First thing I did after that, was read everything I could find on the internet and watched a bunch of videos, built me a battery bunker with sand bags and put it all in a back room in basement, in the middle of the room, on a concrete table with unfinished walls, two large fire extinguishers, and two smoke alarms. Well, I lied, first thing me n the wife did, was change our underwear, put some fans in open windows to air the place out, and walked up to the local Mexican restaurant and had several margaritas to calm our nerves..lol. Sorry this turned out to be a novel, didn't think I'd ramble this much on one story, but I was a firefighter for almost 25yrs, and I've seen fires so hot that it melted the paint off one side of our truck from 25ft away. But I have NEVER seen something so small and so innocent looking, get that hot, and put off that much energy, that fast, EVER. So anybody getting into the hobby, this isn't a safety nazi thing where we're just extra careful because we're old farts, this is one part of the hobby you can't mess around with, lipos fires are no joke, be careful all, and happy flying!!

Hey @@sunshynff thanks so much for retelling your experience with the lipos I thoroughly enjoyed your story and the fact that it came from a firefighter made it that much better.

...me too Man...

Yeah

Did u put it in storage mode

Awh, that's fantastic Jose! R/C is a great hobby for those with mobility issues but can still turn a wrench. I have a friend who is paraplegic from an ATV accident years ago, and now R/C is his love and outlet. It's great for the family too, and a good way to spend time with you daughter. Thank you for your comment and sharing that with us. If there is anything I can do for you, or questions that need answers, let me know! -Brett

Just got my traxxas x maxx,, and I was wondering how to best go about it. Now the batteries are on storage chargeing for the night. Tomorrow, there will be bashing :D Also shout out to kevin talbot, that guy is a legend!

Sorry FREND as a R/C flyer for 40 years and flying top uk shows. Take the WORRY away from this great hobby and just chill and enjoy this great sport. FLY I/C ENGINES YOU WON'T HAVE ALL THIS STRESS. ALL THE BEST.

@@maljohn6584 normal battery are safe but l need to see what l can use that RC CAN GO FASTER without LIPO BATTERY

Can you use a Li-on charger and charge a Li-po battery?

😂 👍

IKR same

@@flynnrandall8669 like if it blows up it aint my problem no more

👍👍🐸

Nice

here is tip for you and nate abby here is a tip use zip lock back put them in there and zip them up and then take small coolleer with soada can ice pack put them in there i got that from a ama mag and never had problems

Hiiii

Why tf did u put a anchor

the rc saylors!!!!!!!

Great, congrats on picking up your first LiPo. They're great batteries that last a long time with proper care. Let us know if there is anything else we can do for you. -Brett

Hey Erik,, can you please give me a summary of what to do with brand new lipos that theyve been setting there foe a while like months or pass a year,,,I'll really appreciate it

Most 7-11 stores now have LiPo battery disposal. At least in California.

I still have and use the Sanyo yellow AA cells that I bought in 2000. 20 years old and still very good! They CAN make good products IF they want to.

totally different output

To the next two years! Cheers. -Brett

I’m new aswell. Trying to figure out why abnormal valence port keeps coming up .

Im exactly the same. Wasted 6 batteries so gotta replace em now

With the exception of your use of vowels...

I don't think it was the 4 hours of sitting rather the fact it was 90° lipos don't like alot of heat..if it was cooler out you probably would of been ok

@@chriskirby9745 Was the puffing because they were charged and in the heat?

Hard to say but they are temp sensitive.... usually warm cells mean damage

And always great to reinforce the storage charge. Makes me want to buy the new thing that auto puts-batteries at storage-charge.

You have won knowledge. -Brett

Quick question, is a "Supulse" B3 V2 10w charger all I need for a Zeee 5200mah? Or do I have to get something that has a digital readout to know exactly what voltage the battery is at? Sorry, I just don't understand. Not sure if what I bought is strictly for balance/storage charging...or if that fully charges it & when the Esc5 sguts it off that's the correct amount for storage?

Thank god somebody mentioned this.

Agreed!

I agree, we shouldn't throw away valuable resources. Recycling is way better then destroying more land for mining lithium.

My local Home Depot has a battery recycling bin.. when I need to dispose of them I take them there. Fully discharged

i don't have a cell checker just the 4 lights but the guy in store put in safe shut off time so you are are saying a full Lipo Battery is not good so drain the not right to the very bottom halfway Brett how much is cell checker and you 3. something for healthy batterys??

cause i Already ready did that with 2 of my batterys Lipo of course charged my batterys and left them with all the wires unplugged only for about 4 days tops this stuff they don't tell you in the store i don't think my batterys are damaged cause there's a tec guy across and he checks them once in a while for says batterys are stronge and Good shape

Excellent! Thanks for the share. -Brett

Noooooooo

Ha. I fly a paramotor with 4kwh of Lipo batteries. (Eight 22,000mah 6S Bonkas). I was still able to obtain liability insurance for it.

eh; nimh for racing were not all that much better, just different. I don't miss the days of bulb light strings discharging; custom matching cell sticks and soldering all connections for a 5-6min run time.

@@Aerogrow I've have a 3s 5000mah traxxas lipo which I have left fully charged on 3-4 occasions for 7 day periods is the battery still safe to use have i just wasted $130 dollars for 10-15 runs I didn't watch videos about storage to much and most recently I didn't use it for 10 days I did use the storage function fully this video says I have done everything wrong should I be buying a new expensive lipo and use it correctly I'm kinda annoyed that I have most likely destroyed an expensive battery.

@@JohnJohnson-hn9fx Should be fine, as long as its not swelling. You are just trying to adopt patterns to slow down electrolyte decomposition, fancy name for the battery breaking down and releasing oxygen and co2. Once battery swells and break down enuff into its base compositions the postive/negative shorts internally and cause a spectualr fireworks display. With good pratices you can get 3 years or even more, bad pratices i've seen them go in a couple months. Most imprtant things; keep bateries in a lipo bag at all times. I melted a brand new losi scte by being lazy once with a questionable battery by leaving in car overnight. The highest risk times are charging, followed by running and then time affter running. That all said; the battery tech is well worth the headaches; nimh was a nightmare way beyond this with cell memory, high IR and horrible run times. I used to have contacts inside battery companies to get the secret matched cells at 200+ per "build your own pack" during nihm heydays.

@@Aerogrow ok so it's only swelled at the top at the most half a cm should I start charging in a lipo bag incase it blows up and burns my house down

@@JohnJohnson-hn9fx Basically, questionable at this point if its swelling, means battery has started breaking down. If it heats up or swells more, discharge and recycle. Store and charge in lipo bag; use garage/outside when possible. Consider a risk at this point. Battery that quick on swelling; check charge rates / balancer and make sure lipo cutoff is set for 3s. Those are the two major lipo killers (overcharging and undervolting).

Great! R/C cars love LiPo power. Treat it with respect and you will receive the same. -Brett

Me and you both.

How do you just throw out one cell? rip the lipo apart or what!??!

@@ELValenin 2s is a two cell, 3s is a three cell and so on... and that is basically you have 2 batteries(cells) connected in series each typically having 3,7 Volts that equals 7,4 Volts for a 2s Lipo...

@@herbie5263 yeah I know that, but do you leave the broken cell in the lipo and just use it as for example a 3s instead of a 4s or do you unsolder it and take it off? How do you do that with a hard case pack?

@@ELValenin Well first start with disassembling it (try not to damage any cells, and always make sure to know how to assemble it back again, when ever you tearing apart something) than you will see for yourself what to do ;-) There are many possibilities, but I dont think you would want to carry around that extra weight. Second: there are some rules you have to follow when making the conversions, you cant just pull one out and leave it like that. Maybe the most convenient thing to do for a beginner is to just use the remaining good cells as a three one cell batteries. Making a 4s to 3s conversion will require a new balancing wire. Try google for schematics how to connect them. I am sure there are many RU-vid videos on how to make a conversion.

Thanks Sanny! If and when you switch to LiPo and need a hand, let us know! -Brett

lipo are great longer run time and more power just some draw backs

This was so informal

Can you time stamp that part?

LAMO

Me too

@@giovannids3848 i think you mean lmao because lamo means laughing ass my off

Great to hear you return to r/c! For those batteries and charger, I can offer some solutions. But is this for racing, or to bash and play? -Brett

Thank you Bill! Kevin J is the man and a local hero of ours. We're extremely lucky to have him on our team. -Brett