IB4200 issues.
Here is a post from our clubs forum, although it pertains to stick packs, if your not prepared to do proper cell maintanence with a sideXside pack, the same thing will happen. Now why packs are going in Spintec chargers, I have no idea, but I was beside one that did the same thing.
Stick packs are OK just not the IB4200 ones, most suspect in explosions and with the nature/proper maintanence of that particular cell, we already know that they will be the most prone to explosions.
Here is my thinking about them. We already know that the IB4200 has a massive self discharge issue and as such, in a stick pack you have no way to discharge individual cells. So with that, if you do a pack discharge, sure you will get the the packs intital voltage down to what ever your pre-determined cutoff voltage is, BUT, what if thats done because you have one cell thats going into a deep discharge and takes the rest of the packs voltage numbers down with it, and this can be done very easily. Now lets charge that pack, we have one cell starting at a very low voltage, and say 3 cells and normal float voltage, and 2 cells that seem to hang on to the voltage for a long time. Begin charging, low cell chugging away, 3 cells excepting normal charge, and our 2 cells that are not even close to the .90 volts but are sitting at 1.1 volts or something like that. Okay, 40 minutes goes by, the bad cell is still taking a charge, the 3 cells are getting close to peaking and those other 2 cells, well they where done about 10 minutes ago, but the actual pack voltage isn't anywhere near shutting off your charger as your pre-set over charge hasn't triggered yet. SO whats left, just the bang.
Stick packs in general get the low end cells to begin with so they are more suspect to failure, IB4200's are the most notorious for low shelf life. Stick packs are usually purchased by beginners, so they have very little battery knowledge. Little battery knowledge/High maintanence cells = ONE BIG EXPLOSION.
***** This can also apply to saddle packs if not properly discharged and charged, but these cells are individually accessible and you can at least make an attempt to cycle the individual cells, where a stick pack is usually wrap and no single cell access is available.
Now lets take this one step farther, how many pre-built IB4200 stick packs are sitting at the hobby shop right now? How many have dead cells sitting in those packs? How often has the hobby shop been cycling the packs? once a month? once every 2 months? I think not. So in our best interest if a newbie wants to buy a stick pack, for safety sake, keep them away from the IB4200 stick packs.