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View Full Version : Brain dead moment with my new lipo...



Migs
07-04-2006, 05:40 PM
So I bought a new lipo battery for another mini r/c vehicle that I have (Vendetta). I don't know what I was thinking when I did this, obviously I wasn't thinking. I was getting ready to cut the wires (from the battery) to length to solder on a Deans connector. I marked the wires to where I needed to cut them. I used my wire cutters to cut the wires but made a HUGE mistake by cutting them at THE SAME TIME. The cutters obviously acted as a bridge between the positive and negative wires. The lipo pack immediately started to release smoke.

The pack is not swollen and I haven't even touched it since it happened a few days ago. I was just so disgusted with myself and couldn't believe what I had just done.

So here's the million dollar question.... is the lipo pack completely destroyed...? Did I turn it into a $50 paperweight...?

I thought about going ahead and soldering on the Deans connector and sending it back to where I bought it from and telling them it's a bad battery. I dunno though... just seems dishonest, and then there's that whole karma thing.

Any feedback or comments are welcome....

mOOsE
07-04-2006, 06:05 PM
If it were my pack, I would charge it up in a safe place and see if it takes a charge. If its already charged, then I would run it for like 5 minutes, check the pack, then run it more if its ok. All you can really do. Sometimes you get lucky with lipo's. I have had one balloon on me that I even recovered...and made normal size. Just be carefull whatever you do

Migs
07-04-2006, 06:17 PM
If it were my pack, I would charge it up in a safe place and see if it takes a charge. If its already charged, then I would run it for like 5 minutes, check the pack, then run it more if its ok. All you can really do. Sometimes you get lucky with lipo's. I have had one balloon on me that I even recovered...and made normal size. Just be carefull whatever you do


Thanks for the reply mOOsE... I figured I would try to charge it since I have nothing to lose at this point. I'll give it a shot today if I get motivated and report back here with my results....

mOOsE
07-04-2006, 06:31 PM
please be carefull though...I have overcharged a 2cell to nearly 13 volts and had it explode. If you can, charge it outside on pavement or rocks or something away from your home. Even if you have to use an extension cord. Lipo's are great for cars but they are NASTY if they decide to vent.

Migs
07-04-2006, 09:30 PM
please be carefull though...I have overcharged a 2cell to nearly 13 volts and had it explode. If you can, charge it outside on pavement or rocks or something away from your home. Even if you have to use an extension cord. Lipo's are great for cars but they are NASTY if they decide to vent.

Well I went ahead and soldered on the Deans connector to the Lipo and ran it in my Vendetta. Ran it for a few minutes and it seemed fine. Let it sit for a few minutes, then ran it again for another 3 minutes or so.

I'm gonna try charging it later. Moose... I'm going to take your advice about charging it outside in an open area with an extension cord.

I know this is a Half 8 forum so I hope you guys don't mind me sharing my experience with my Vendetta... I'm running a Wraith / Quark combo, the same setup as in my Half 8. After only about 5 minutes of run time, the rear stock tires are just about gone as far as the nubs. It's pretty fast, probably faster than my Half 8. I'm running a stock size pinion which is 16T. I'm definitely going to have to go smaller as the motor was running at about 170 degrees and the esc was about 160. And that was only after about 10 high speed passes up and down my street in front of my house.

Anyways... I will leave it at that as far as going into anymore details.

Moose... thanks again for your replies as always. I'll let you know how the charging goes later. Hopefully the battery doesn't act like a big firework and light up the sky being that it's the Forth of July...

:rolleyes:

mOOsE
07-04-2006, 10:08 PM
sounds good. I have a vendetta too and they are more on the 18th side of things. I burnt up my rear tires too on a 5 minute run...spun them fast enought to shoot the foam through the rubber. That was a 3cell setup though and I was just trying some full throttle runs...oops

Migs
07-04-2006, 10:41 PM
sounds good. I have a vendetta too and they are more on the 18th side of things. I burnt up my rear tires too on a 5 minute run...spun them fast enought to shoot the foam through the rubber. That was a 3cell setup though and I was just trying some full throttle runs...oops

Ya, I'm running a 3 cell lipo 1700mah in the Detta. The tires were obviously not meant to be run with a brushless on a 3 cell lipo... LOL.

:eek:

Migs
07-06-2006, 02:37 AM
Just got done charging my Lipo battery. No explosions, no heat, and no swelling. I was able to get 1200mah into it. It's a 1700mah battery. The company I got it from claims they ship their batteries at 1/2 the charge capacity. I only ran it for about 5 minutes yesterday so I think I'm in good shape. I'll have to try running it down to it's cutoff voltage next time and see how much it charges next time around.

mOOsE
07-06-2006, 02:45 AM
looks like you are doing good so far. Just watch her...but I think you will be alright ;)

BitHed
07-06-2006, 02:55 AM
...dont mess with the karma :cool: I am a big believer of the karma...The karma is good...The karma is happy...Always follow the karma...Follow Moose Migs and you should be good to...Then if it blows up just sue him ;)

Migs
07-06-2006, 03:01 AM
...dont mess with the karma :cool: I am a big believer of the karma...The karma is good...The karma is happy...Always follow the karma...Follow Moose Migs and you should be good to...Then if it blows up just sue him ;)

Ya... I don't like messing with Karma, it always hits you when you least expect it. I think if I would've sent it back to the company I bought it from it would've been BAD karma. I would've looked stupid too cause obviously it took a charge. I think by keeping the battery, I was given good Karma and therefor it worked out for me. Kinda like that show "My Name is Earl".

BitHed
07-06-2006, 03:17 AM
...well i have never seen a ghost or a UFO but i have had enough experiences with the old 'what goes around comes around' to figure it out :D

...Yup...I think you EARNED some good karma from your post too Migs...We all need to be reminded about the 'wire cutting mod' from time to time ;)

Migs
07-06-2006, 03:23 AM
We all need to be reminded about the 'wire cutting mod' from time to time ;)

LMAO...!!! Ya, don't ever cut both wires ( RED / BLACK ) at the same time...!!!

habitforming
07-06-2006, 03:55 AM
LMAO...!!! Ya, don't ever cut both wires ( RED / BLACK ) at the same time...!!!

Haha, ah the memories. A friend of mine did the same thing a few months ago, only he couldn't believe they shipped it with a charge! Man we got a few good laughs out of that one :D

mOOsE
07-06-2006, 04:02 AM
or don't plug in wires that have elec tape around them....check first.
When I worked in a hobbyshop, this kid brought in his traxxas car one time and told me he couldn't figure out why the radio wasn't working. I basically took his word for it and plugged in his batter to begin TS on it. The wires instantly fried on my hand and the rx wires melted all the way to the esc instantly. Got some nasty burns on my hands because this kid stripped the wires on the BEC lead from the ESC and just wrapped tape around all of them. Yeah, I was a bit angry.

plain_simple
07-09-2006, 10:52 PM
Eheheheh thats a good story. It reminded me that when i bought my first lipo's the spanish supplier had a big red letters warning paper saying:

Beware! This pack is 1/2 loaded, dont cut both wires at the same time!

The other advise was:

If you see it growing to a ballon while charging, please, run to place it somewhere where's no combustion materials what so ever, we strongly advise you do not do this at home!

I used a really long cord (from a 2nd floor to the street) to charge it the first time lmaooooo people were looking at me like if i was the crazy doc of the Back from the futur movie :D :D

Inferno ST Racer
08-24-2006, 10:12 PM
DW, i have done exactly the same thing, oh well, soldered my deans on, charged her up and chucked her in, ran like a swish watch :p :cool: