Never, ever leave your batteries unattended when charging them. Especially if you charge them in your house. And for the love of god don't poke a hole in them for any reason.

The lithium in lithium polymer batteries does not ignite because it is exposed to air. Explosions and fireworks come from shorting the battery while it's charged creating a massive amount of heat. Stabbing a battery or otherwise compromising the polymer part of the battery (read over/undercharging) causes a short and will ignite if there is enough charge left in the battery. Physically damaging a 0v lithium battery will not cause fireworks.

I also can't believe all of the advocates that say drop the battery off at your local battery recycler box. One person even suggested transporting the battery in a flame resistant sack, then dropping it off and keeping the sack. To me it sounds an awful like "Here I don't want this hand grenade with the pin pulled, you take it while I run away." Especially considering most battery recycle boxes are simply a plastic bin with a bunch of dry cells in them. Do everyone a favor and discharge your own batteries or take them to someone who knows how to handle a lithium based battery, not the local big box store with hourly workers who likely have no clue there is a difference between alkaline, lead acid, and lithium batteries.

What we stated was to take it to someone perhaps better equipped to dispose of it? Right?

And our RC Batteries are not the Only Lithium Powered device around, there are many others, Telephones, Cordless Drills etc. So I am sure that these Big Box stores have safety measures in place, and or a designated person, that has been trained to deal with all sorts of batteries, otherwise why would they offer the Service?

Just sayin'

Err... you guys are aware that there are differences between LiPo, LiFe and Li-Ion batteries (not only internally, but also in the level of hazard they represent)? Not everything with "Lithium" in it is the same.

Btw, the advocates your referring to... most of us know how to do all of this ourselves. A guy asked a question so we all named the easiest ways not to get hurt or lose property. There’s a lot of ways to skin a cat. Just do what suits each person and everyone will be fine.

I personally used the saltwater option as I worked at my local track and could do this on the daily with fellow racers packs. But since the track has closed I just drop me off at the big stores as mentioned. My 2 year old son has ways of finding everything so leaving it around in the garage or even outside won’t work. Little idle hands are always up to no good lol

Ok thanks for all the help! Poking it is most likely a horrible idea heres an example along with everyone else saying dont do it. I will be bringing it to home depot after I attempt to get an RMA with Gens Ace.