"Batteries Gone Wild"
07-31-2007, 11:28 PM
#16
Are you people serious, any battery can potentially explode. They all store energy, they all can be damaged.
And who cares about the padding, there were I'm guessing a number of different packs in there, he was travelling home, they shifted, start to smoke and go boom. The lesson here is be carefull with any pack, Lipo or non lipo.
And who cares about the padding, there were I'm guessing a number of different packs in there, he was travelling home, they shifted, start to smoke and go boom. The lesson here is be carefull with any pack, Lipo or non lipo.
08-01-2007, 12:10 AM
#17
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Considering the situation, thank God Brad is OK and he was able to pull over safely!
08-01-2007, 12:47 AM
#18
batteries do NOT explode for no reason.
End of the day there was a short somehwere.
End of the day there was a short somehwere.
08-01-2007, 01:39 AM
#19
Um Corally, come into the light. No one, at least I'm not, saying that batteries of any type cant explode. But unless you have been sleeping under a rock the last say year or so, everyone has been talking about how volatile and dangerous li-po is. Funny thing is, I am hearing and seeing more exploded and vented out sub c cells and have heard about ZIP on li-po fires. Not saying they dont happen, but every one I have seen, is someone overcharging a li-po pack on purpose to show what can happen You tube.
08-01-2007, 02:15 AM
#20
Um Bxpitbull nice post btw, I have been doing this hobby for 27 years. During that time I have had one pack damaged. It was my mistake. I am willing to bet that most ALL battery explosions (Lipo and other) are usually user error. Not always mind you, but most of the time. The problem is though no one will usually admit to it. Its always easier to blame the battery, not to mention less embarasing. A few years ago when MuchMore released their charger that had a long peak lockout, 2 locals exploded two different packs by accident, both incidents were user errors. They set the charger up wrong. I have also heard about hardcore racers charging at 10 amps at big races to get punch, the problem is though the cells don't do well with that, and sometimes they explode. Then someone who supports Lipos complains about how unsafe the regular batteries are when they really were not the problem. The same thing happens when a Lipo blows up. Both types of batteries need to be respected, That was my point.You must be crazy if you think that there are the same number of packs being used. Lipos maybe the future, but the other types have been out so much longer and by the casual racer and the hardcore racer. Lipos are relitively new to the car guys, but of course have been used by plane guys for years. So my point would be that if you have 100 packs of sub c packs being used to every 25 lipo packs of course you might hear more about them.
My real point was that everybody tends to make crazy posts about the "other" technology that they wish would go away. This whole thread is bizarre because someone had a few packs blowup but nobody really knows why.
Steve
08-01-2007, 06:19 AM
#21
There is one simple fact that cannot be refuted. Lipo batteries can not, do not and will not "explode".
The "explode", you need pressure AND containment. Lipo batteries don't have containment. They don't have anything more than a plastic bag to hold them together. The case of a Peak Lipo isn't even attached together...they're halves are taped to the cells on each side and they open right up.
A bomb and a flare are different things...you don't want either in your hand, but you can stand next to a flare without being killed or injured.
Some Lipo batteries can catch fire if abused...some can't. None can "explode".
The "explode", you need pressure AND containment. Lipo batteries don't have containment. They don't have anything more than a plastic bag to hold them together. The case of a Peak Lipo isn't even attached together...they're halves are taped to the cells on each side and they open right up.
A bomb and a flare are different things...you don't want either in your hand, but you can stand next to a flare without being killed or injured.
Some Lipo batteries can catch fire if abused...some can't. None can "explode".
08-01-2007, 12:31 PM
#22
You're right turbo, sometimes when you are posting in the early morning hours you get expressions or explanations typed incorrectly.
I still stand by my post, with your corrections though. And again my main point of my post was that we tend to react one way or another depending on our likes/dislikes without even knowing what the facts are. I have been doing this for years like previously stated, I even had a battery matching business for a short period of time. Batteries don't explode for no reason either. People make mistakes with them. Store them with lots of "juice" in them, they get loose during transport, they touch and that's probably what happened in this case. I am glad nobody was hurt.
Steve
I still stand by my post, with your corrections though. And again my main point of my post was that we tend to react one way or another depending on our likes/dislikes without even knowing what the facts are. I have been doing this for years like previously stated, I even had a battery matching business for a short period of time. Batteries don't explode for no reason either. People make mistakes with them. Store them with lots of "juice" in them, they get loose during transport, they touch and that's probably what happened in this case. I am glad nobody was hurt.
Steve
08-01-2007, 12:41 PM
#23
wow, thats a little scary. Suddenly I'm worried about the battery case sitting on my kitchen table 
08-01-2007, 01:19 PM
#24
Um Bxpitbull nice post btw, I have been doing this hobby for 27 years. During that time I have had one pack damaged. It was my mistake. I am willing to bet that most ALL battery explosions (Lipo and other) are usually user error. Not always mind you, but most of the time. The problem is though no one will usually admit to it. Its always easier to blame the battery, not to mention less embarasing. A few years ago when MuchMore released their charger that had a long peak lockout, 2 locals exploded two different packs by accident, both incidents were user errors. They set the charger up wrong. I have also heard about hardcore racers charging at 10 amps at big races to get punch, the problem is though the cells don't do well with that, and sometimes they explode. Then someone who supports Lipos complains about how unsafe the regular batteries are when they really were not the problem. The same thing happens when a Lipo blows up. Both types of batteries need to be respected, That was my point.You must be crazy if you think that there are the same number of packs being used. Lipos maybe the future, but the other types have been out so much longer and by the casual racer and the hardcore racer. Lipos are relitively new to the car guys, but of course have been used by plane guys for years. So my point would be that if you have 100 packs of sub c packs being used to every 25 lipo packs of course you might hear more about them.
My real point was that everybody tends to make crazy posts about the "other" technology that they wish would go away. This whole thread is bizarre because someone had a few packs blowup but nobody really knows why.
Steve
Crazy? I was a Marine, so I might be a little off, but I am crazy about this great country of mine, U-S-A, but I wont get on the soapbox....just yet.
Now, I am not blaming anyone; notice, I said it didnt touch anything conductive. Also note, that I said I am HEARING MORE of and SEEING more sub c's venting and exploding. With Li-po starting to make its presence known, you would THINK that the amount of sub c mishaps would decline slightly, not remain constant or increase.
Furthermore, with todays high capacity cells, dudes may think about easing off the amps. 10 amps always sounded a bit harsh to me and I think with the cells venting, they are making their case known...I think there was a pun in there.
I dont wish sub c's would go away, I still love my IB3800's; they just dont give me the run time of my li-po packs. The way I view it and correct me if I am wrong people, Li-po batteries are fighting an uphill battle to make a dent on this scene while sub c loyalists and sanctioning bodies seem to be fighting to keep them at bay........Your silence will be equated to agreeance.
And Corally, when did I say or even insinuate that their are the same amount of li-pos being used as sub c's? You find where I printed something akin to that and I'll send you ten dollars.
09-20-2007, 12:53 AM
#25
Tech Master
I am really surprised this thread was not locked since it shows more nickel batteries blown up???
09-20-2007, 01:20 AM
#26
At this weekends **Allstar Shootout** at the Encino Velodrome, regular series racer Brad Muther was pulling double duty running in the B/L 10.5 Stock Car class and the 10.5 NASTRUCK class. The NASTRUCK class uses the older 3800 batteries so we have a class to use up 'old stuff'
After the days events were over on Saturday, Brad loaded up and headed off to Camarillo to stay with friends for the night before coming back for day 2 of our event... As he was truckin' up the US101 towards Camarillo he hear a LOUD BANG/Pop from the bed of his truck...then another...then another.
By the time he was able to turn to see what all the noise was, he saw BLACK SMOKE coming from the bed of his truck...as he swerved his P/U from the Fast lane to the RH shoulder....to find his Battery Case was on FIRE and his battery packs were exploding. (See below picture)
Thankfully nothing else was ruined..and NOBODY got hurt.
After the days events were over on Saturday, Brad loaded up and headed off to Camarillo to stay with friends for the night before coming back for day 2 of our event... As he was truckin' up the US101 towards Camarillo he hear a LOUD BANG/Pop from the bed of his truck...then another...then another.
By the time he was able to turn to see what all the noise was, he saw BLACK SMOKE coming from the bed of his truck...as he swerved his P/U from the Fast lane to the RH shoulder....to find his Battery Case was on FIRE and his battery packs were exploding. (See below picture)
Thankfully nothing else was ruined..and NOBODY got hurt.
09-20-2007, 04:02 AM
#27
Tech Master
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Under that rock you just kicked over!!!!
Posts: 1,040
opinion from the UK
at our last national event, every now and again in the background you would hear sub c cells popping every so often.
problem here is we run 5 cell in mod, so unless a 5 cell(6volt) equivalent with good capacity becomes avavilable to the masses then we will stay with sub c.
problem here is we run 5 cell in mod, so unless a 5 cell(6volt) equivalent with good capacity becomes avavilable to the masses then we will stay with sub c.
09-20-2007, 07:14 AM
#29
Mine didn't explode. It vented or leaked and generated enough heat to catch the paper around it on fire. Battery was discharged and hadn't been used in weeks. Just sitting there all by itself. Nothing touched it but paper which was my fault for letting that happen. So your theory of shorting out against something doesn't fly and it wasn't charged. So disbelievers come up with another story. I'm just glad it didn't burn my house down! It was an old 3700.
09-20-2007, 07:57 AM
#30
People are being silent because they are not going to join in beating a horse skeleton.