Set up:
Losi XXX-CR
Mamba Max 7700
Orion 3200 2S Hard case lipo
86t spur
19t pinion
normal timing
throttle curve gradual for easier start
motor barely warm
ESC about 165 or so at fins but bottom barely warm.

If a hard cased lipo swells up enough to bust the battery strap off and get hot during use is it usable again after its cooled down and when back to normal size? Safe to use? Even now (4 days later) its sitting at 7.29v and i havent done a thing to it since it happened

Im running a Mamba Max 7700 system and the first time running it there was no issues....same battery and a few adjustment that shouldnt have mattered later (drag brake, throttle curve..etc.)....and then it swelled up like that. its a 2S like castle says I can use but Im told it could be cause the 7700 is turning too many RPM's and is discharging the battery too fast. Any thoughts? I cant see the company saying its ok to use a 2S battery if it wasnt at the cost of those batteries.

I'm pretty much a newbie, but I'd never use a LiPo that has swollen. Cut it open, put it in saltwater and put it in the trash.


I am curious to know more about how this happened? Was the battery hot? (over 140F) How long could you run on the 3200?

it was ho but not too hot to touch. Ive had Nimh batteries much much hotter. I never got to run on the battery lol. I was testing in my culdesac and was only a couple minutes into it and it happened. Luckily I was running without the body on it back and for and say the battery strap blow off...with the body on I might not have seen it and continued running to gawd knows what damage.

Boy I hope I dont have to trash this battery. If so I think ill sell my other 1 and stick to Nimh. These are my first lipo because they scare me a bit.

Hopefully someone with more LIPO experience will answer. I've been reading alot about LIPO's but only own some small ones for my heli. I have used a Venom 5000 in my truck. From what I have read the battery should not get above 140, but SMC has been doing some testing up to 180.

If you do decide to try to charge it, do so in a fireproof container outside.

Do you have a low voltage cutoff set for LIPO?

Did you drain it down below 3.0 volts per cell? (6.0 volts on your pack)

Charge over 1C?

I'm just curious because I was thinking about a 3200 pack for my xxx-t/SS5800 combo.

Yeah I have my cut off on

Never got far enough to drain it that far

being its a 3200 i charged it at 3.2 amps like it said to

Going back to nimh would be the wrong step imo. Lipo's when used properly are very safe. There are numerous guides out there for people who are new to lipo's, and if you follow them to the letter you will be fine. And way before you throw that thing in trash contact Orion and see if they will replace it?

i followed it to the letter.....and still this happened.

What is the c rating of that battery? I had a MM7700 kill numerous IB4200s for me. I would personally try higher capacity packs, I know several racers that have used the 3200 but not in such a high draw application.

You should be covered http://www.teamorion.com/Products/Warranty

I'd be curious to know what sort of charger you were using, and if your power supply could have been giving out too many volts or some false reading ??
(had that happen once and killed a couple of packs)

20C Rating


im using 2 ICE chargers. with Ofna 10a power supply and a mrc 10a power supply.

I have emails in to both Castle and Orion..but yet to hear a response....been a couple days now.

That's why I was asking about the battery. I was looking at a 3200 or 3300 FMA pack with a 20C or 22C rating and wondered if it would be durable enough and have enough punch for my SS5800 in an XXX-T.

I'm trying to learn about LiPo's,if the charger is set right what does it matter how many volts the power supply is putting out?

Input voltage shouldn't affect output voltage on a charger. Unless input drops and the charger starts screaming like a raped banshee. The first thing that comes to mind is where you were running it. On pavement and probably high speed runs. Lots of current draw. And that is some serious motor for 2wd. Never-the-less, I've used the Carbon 3200 for over a year, on-road and off. Everything from stock to full blown mod, and never had any problems except that time I plugged it in backwards in my sedan. Half a battery bar and a friend with HUGE balls took care of that.

Unless the charger goes bad, or doesn't have regulating control like many cheaper chargers.

Your 7700 geared 19/86 in is simply pulling too many AMPs from the battery. This combination will tax even NiMH.

There is not a "low cost" lipo on the market that will not puff with this setup.

If you want to run a 7700 i would suggest dropping down the pinion about 5 teeth to begin with.