pin prick solves swelled battery problem !!

[Weston Ney]

The reason lipos puff up is usually because something is wrong with the battery. So curing the symptom is not fixing the battery. The battery is still going bad. That's why I always get rid of swelling lipos. My DSLR has 4 rechargeable lipo batteries but one of them swelled up so I immediately disposed of it properly. It's not worth saving a buck when extra property damage and even injury to people is possible. I have seen a lipo catch fire and release toxic gases before.

mmmm not arguing but interested as LiPo's other than Hard Case batterys designed for car use are double wrapped .... first is the foil pouch ... then the plastic ... before heat shrink is applied.

The part that 'puffs up' is the foil pouch due to the electrolytes gassing.

But I have to say that I have two 4S LiPo's of 2700mAh that were bought specifically for one of my EDF's. After just a few flights (not unusual for EDF use) they started to run hot and puff. Unlike other LiPo's I've had that puffed - these two on cooling, deflated leaving wrinkles in the outer wrapping ! I continued using until they soon reduced power output ...
Strange - because normally a puffed LiPo will still stay puffed when cool .. OK there will be some reduction due to lower temperature - but I had never seen a total deflation like that and I mean these were PUFFED !! No holes / bursts nothing.

 

[lasersbee]

In my experience.. my Li-Pos that have puffed were
caused by 1) overcharging or 2) over discharging or
3) discharging at a much larger rate than the battery
specs making it heat up exessivley.

Although a battery could be defective right from
the manufacturer.

Jerry

 

[ribjig]

> I've tried this in the past.

Thanks. I knew there'd be stories of success
from the "other side" !!
I remain undecided...
PS. all 4 cells show ?3.7V? & swelling has existed
6+ months; the issue is needing dime as lever to
remove battery from drone...
(which hasn't scratched plastic yet)

 

[bdooley]

> I've tried this in the past.

Thanks. I knew there'd be stories of success
from the "other side" !!
I remain undecided...
PS. all 4 cells show ?3.7V? & swelling has existed
6+ months; the issue is needing dime as lever to
remove battery from drone...
(which hasn't scratched plastic yet)

Still undecided? WHY? Are you just waiting to hear more "success stories" to justify that it is okay to puncture your batteries? Listen to the majority of people posting here - DON'T DO IT! If I were you I would stop going to that technician as he is putting people at risk. Maybe go there one more time to educate him on Lipos.

 

[solentlife]

The reason lipos puff up is usually because something is wrong with the battery. So curing the symptom is not fixing the battery. The battery is still going bad. That's why I always get rid of swelling lipos. My DSLR has 4 rechargeable lipo batteries but one of them swelled up so I immediately disposed of it properly. It's not worth saving a buck when extra property damage and even injury to people is possible. I have seen a lipo catch fire and release toxic gases before.

Why highlight my post ... I agree that Puffed LiPo's are unsafe. Never said they weren't...

 

[solentlife]

> I've tried this in the past.

Thanks. I knew there'd be stories of success
from the "other side" !!
I remain undecided...
PS. all 4 cells show ?3.7V? & swelling has existed
6+ months; the issue is needing dime as lever to
remove battery from drone...
(which hasn't scratched plastic yet)

Your risk ... not mine.

 

[trevsdad]

Can I bring popcorn and watch when your house goes up in flames?.

 

[T3rdEye]

> I've tried this in the past.

Thanks. I knew there'd be stories of success
from the "other side" !!
I remain undecided...
PS. all 4 cells show ?3.7V? & swelling has existed
6+ months; the issue is needing dime as lever to
remove battery from drone...
(which hasn't scratched plastic yet)

I truly don't believe you are serious about this..

 

[Brojon]

lol - the expected posts about "OMG you'll kill yourself!!".
Truth is it will buy you only temporary relief.
I had a high cap P4P battery do the same thing. Poked a hole and it deflated and more importantly fit in the slot without jamming (which is how I discovered it was puffy).
Made sure I charged it in the garage in a fireproof box just in case.
I got maybe 4 more flights out it and then plugged it in - nuttin.
No lights.
So - I was patting myself on the back for it not happening while I was flying and I realized I should have been kicking myself in the butt for risking a $1500 bird for a $150 battery.
It got puffy for a reason and it's not going to magically go away.

 

[Weston Ney]

Exactly!

lol - the expected posts about "OMG you'll kill yourself!!".
Truth is it will buy you only temporary relief.
I had a high cap P4P battery do the same thing. Poked a hole and it deflated and more importantly fit in the slot without jamming (which is how I discovered it was puffy).
Made sure I charged it in the garage in a fireproof box just in case.
I got maybe 4 more flights out it and then plugged it in - nuttin.
No lights.
So - I was patting myself on the back for it not happening while I was flying and I realized I should have been kicking myself in the butt for risking a $1500 bird for a $150 battery.
It got puffy for a reason and it's not going to magically go away.

 

[Weston Ney]

Sorry, I was agreeing with you, not arguing.

Why highlight my post ... I agree that Puffed LiPo's are unsafe. Never said they weren't...

 

[solentlife]

Sorry, I was agreeing with you, not arguing.

OK ... just appeared not ... cheers

 

[SouthTexas&RioGrandeFlyer]

WTH......go ahead. I’m a fireworks freak!

 

[joelet]

Tell me would you prick a balloon full of gun powered with a match. I didn't think so!

 

[ribjig]

I got maybe 4 more flights out it and then plugged it in - nuttin.

Interesting.
The smartphone battery pricked (see OP)
has been successfully recharged 3X overnight.
(waiting for phone repair call new battery has arrived)
Tonight will be 4X.
This thread is effort to separate battery mythology from facts.
These kind of threads, IMO, are dominated by those parroting
& with no direct experience.
(cue: "Heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend who heard it...")
A small percentage DO have direct experience.

 

[bdooley]

How is this for experience..... Years ago, before there were balance chargers and lipo sacks, I experienced a lipo fire in the finished part of my basement. I was trying to revive a severely discharged lipo from one of my planes. I charged each cell individually so my charger would recognize the 3S battery. That was my first mistake. I then put the pack on my charger. My second mistake was that I ran upstairs to get something from the second floor of my 2 story home. Was gone less than two minutes but came back to a smoke filled room and a fire. Fortunately the only major damage was to carpeting and my charger. I no longer charge batteries inside my house even with a lipo sack.

Also many years ago, one of my fellow club members was charging a lipo in the back of his van in his driveway. He left it unattended and experienced a lipo fire. Totaled his van and did a lot of damage to the soffet of his house.

Neither of these two experiences are a myth.

So if you think that just because it hasn't happened to you that it will NOT happen to you you are making a HUGE MISTAKE!

You may get a few extra charges on a compromised battery but the performance will be degraded - just not worth it.

So if you want to bury your head in the sand, go ahead. But I would recommend making sure you keep your insurance premiums paid.

 

[Deleted member 62848]

 

[bdooley]

Too funny!

 

[solentlife]

Interesting.
The smartphone battery pricked (see OP)
has been successfully recharged 3X overnight.
(waiting for phone repair call new battery has arrived)
Tonight will be 4X.
This thread is effort to separate battery mythology from facts.
These kind of threads, IMO, are dominated by those parroting
& with no direct experience.
(cue: "Heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend who heard it...")
A small percentage DO have direct experience.

I have experience of punctured LiPo that did flame. A motor mount screw punctured it when the model hit the deck ... LiPo luckily was thrown out of the battery area and model was fine.

My friend Uldis also had experience of LiPo fire in his FMS Cessna as it was landing - lucky we managed to save the model.

 

[solentlife]

So if you want to bury your head in the sand, go ahead. But I would recommend making sure you keep your insurance premiums paid.

And be careful not to tell Insurance Assessor you were using a 'pin-pricked' LiPo !!