Are lipos safe indoors?
 

As in storage? I have a small work area for my rc cars in my spare room and I usually have a few 2S batteries lying around. My pit box is kept in the garage and I always charge outside. Just wondering in a dormant state are lipos still a fire/explosion risk? I usually have them discharged or at least, below 50% when I lave them inside but is this still a bad idea?

You need to use special bag when you cherge battery. And you should to use battery in normal condition with cutoff voltage.

I definitely don't know everything, but here is what I've learned:

Don't discharge the battery in anyway below 3.00 per cell.

Don't charge past 4.40V per cell.

Don't let the cell get cold enough to discharge itself past the above voltage.

Keep an eye on IR's, and voltage separation when balance charging.

Always balance charge.

If it puffs, it's ready for trash.

Don't leave it plugged in.

I don't know how you guys aren't watching IR's and voltage during charging, it's an obvious sign when there's an issue.

Never leave a charging battery unattended.

lipo bag is a must. Just examine them before you put them away and take them out. Puffy = new a battery

Don't leave a dead battery lying around. Keep them charged about 2/3 capacity

During the summer months I keep all of my lipos in a basket in the house. It gets into the triple digits here and in the past I have had lipos swell in the heat. You just need to occasionally check the voltage in the batteries. I have about 40 lipos between my cars, crawler, drones etc....it takes an hour or two once a month to put them on the charger and top off the storage charge or cycle them as needed.

well it is highly unlikely that you will have a lipo fire in place that is room temp/the battery not in use and it's keep at the right volt... i would worry more about your dryer!!! still scene it is not that hard to move/put up lipo in a safe place it's the best option. a simple way is just put them on bricks/tile/center block and keep them away from stuff that might get on fire easy... if your real scared you could box them in the brick. but still a lipo fire is like a fast burning gas to give you an idea tape one to a 2x4 wood and set it off it will burn the wood but not set it on fire. here a vid to show you if you dont keep junk around it...it will just leave burn marks... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09w5kN5ZeYM

also a vid of a fish tank with a thin wood top (not saying to use wood)!!! but to give you a idea of what your working with https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAEe0QO6TMU

"so main thing is just dont leave junk around it that burns easy"!!! and you should be good.

I'm not saying that all the safety tips and storage methods mentioned in this thread or the many others like it are wrong or bad, they're good ideas and safety measures. But storage is the least likely time for you to see an issue or a fire. Assuming you don't live in AZ and store them in the trunk of your car in July.;)

Simply watch your packs. Are they starting to puff, and what type of puffing?? If you have a pack that puffs abruptly for seemingly no reason while charging or running. Stop using it, there's something wrong with it. If you start to see slight puffing while running that may or may not go back down, monitor the IR and WATCH it while charging and be aware that it MAY "explode" or catch fire while running or charging in the future. Or simply stop using it and replace it. If when you're done running your vehicle and the lipo is at a safe storage voltage with no visible puffing. It's not likely to puff while sitting in storage.

IMO, while properly stored is the LEAST likely time to have a lipo failure.

They are safe indoors in "a dormant state". Normally I have mine in storage mode when I finish racing for the day.

I store my lipos in the hobby room in an old army ammo can.

Mine go in one of those fire proof document boxes. I figure if it can keep a fire out, it can keep a fire in. You can find those at home depot, target, walmart, office depot etc.

I store my lipos in a cool/dry spot in my house or garage. If I am not going to use them for a while, I storage charge them as well.

Your original question:

No, in a dormant state lipos are typically not a fire/explosion risk.

I recommend:
1) Keep them stored in a lipo bag or bags if you have many batteries
2) Keep them out of direct sunlight or where it will get too hot
3) If you are paranoid, put the batteries that are in their lipo bags inside a clay pot and cover w/ a clay pot dish (the kind the clay pots sit on top)

I have seen lipos catch fire, they are most always started during use and by over-charging, or over discharging. If your using a standard lipo charger and following the directions you shouldn't have to worry about this happening. I've never seen one spontaneously begin to catch fire. And I've never seen one explode. I think for a lipo battery to explode there would have to be a situation where there was a lot of energy trying to be released under extreme pressure (not a likely scenario).

I keep my Lipo's at 3.83-3.85v per cell, in a fire safe bag placed in a metal trash can with lid (fire/oil trash can for rags).

It's in my basement 24/7. I don't feel unsafe with them in the house.