Is there any real issue with running a lipo without a hardcase?

Is the case more for looks than function?

If you had lipo's without is there a case for a couple of bucks you can buy to put it in?

Just wondered why? The lipo would get the same jostling around.. I guess maybe it just might be better if it incurred a direct impact???

James

have you ever seen a lipo blow up??? ya go look it up not fun but funny the hard case is so when the battery blows up or puffs the hard case allows the battery to explode exerywhere so its kind of a safety feture but other than that i dont see a difference

But normally race lipo batteries are hardcased.

Also the hard case stops puntures

What? The hard case allows it to explode everywhere? The hard case are two pieces of plastic glued together, if the lipo is trash, its going to explode and cause fire (and destruction) regardless of encasing. (unless you plan on mounting them inside two miniature safes)

Although it is possible for LiPos to explode.. at our track folks have been using them for racing for over a year now... not one has blown up.. we have had many.. many NiMh pop...

I've seen some of these videos where they use a drill to show you what can happen.... I don't know about you guys.. but in the nearly 2 decades I've been racing, I have never had a crash as bad as a drill going through my batteries! lol

They seem to be pretty safe... It is probably smart to at least use the hard cased type..


Jerome

I've punctured one of non-cased lipos running a MQ SE around on a trash pile - stick sharp enough got under body (which is easy on the MQ) and wouldn't you know, stuck a hole in corner of the lipo. I've since lowered the shell a lot so that won't happen again.

It didn't explode and I had plenty of time to get body off after I saw smoke and get batt out. It never blew up, it just kinda vented and swelled at the same time - only the cell that was punctured, the other never got involved. It got hot - prob enough to melt my chassis, but never exploded, but it generated a ton of smoke - my neighbor came out to say WTF have you done now, lol!!!

I think the airplane guys is where this urban legend on lipos "exploding" must of came from and those were diff chemical formulations of the lipo media versus whats inside them today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gboge17PNBk

This is a soft case lipo going up in flames.

If you'er accustomed to overcharging your LiPos, then I would suggest getting a LipoSack. Hard case or not..

So if you have a lipo with no case.. does anyone make a hardcase you can buy?

James

You can Shoe Goo lexan strips to the sides of your lipo, thats all you really need and if you take your time it still can looks nice.

I would ask myself this before you get too involved in making a custom case:

- Is it required at the track I attend?

- Do I expose the battery to conditions where it could be punctured?


If the track doesn't require it, I wouldn't worry about it unless the second issue I stated is something that can happen to you (sedan racing with pack on the side, etc).

If you are running the battery in say an RC10B4 or some other vehicle that its away from things that could puncture the pack, you should be fine.

Now, if you are buying a NEW battery, I would probably get a hardcased lipo as they can be had for realtively reasonable prices now, unless you must have LONG runtimes that require packs not made in a hardcased format.

One of my Hardcased LiPo's fell out of the car and slammed into the corner. There is now a gash about 3 or 5 mm into the case. I just think about what could have happened if it wasn't hardcased.

To answer your question, yes, Maxamps makes a hard case for lipos. Check Amain hobbies as well as someone else makes one also.