And a good lesson it is...my R/C buddy told me not to mess with the lipoly batteries, he said not to ask him why, except to say you'll burn your house down. 
It seems your "R/C Buddy" is a bit of an alarmist. There are tens of thousands of modelers (probably more like hundreds of thousands...) world wide using Lithium Polymer batteries who have had zero issues with them. Of course they follow safety procedures, charge correctly, and store their batteries correctly. There are also modelers who fly glow who have had cars and houses burn because of improper safety procedures.
I've been flying electric models using LiPo batteries since 2005. I have not had even one issue where a battery vented. However, I'm fully aware of the possibility of such an occurrence and take all necessary precautions. In fact, the only issues I've ever had with fires were when using glow engined models. That was way back before mufflers. And, in the past I've read about glow fuel cans exploding in cars. That didn't stop me from flying with glow engines and glow fuel...
Here's the bottom line: Electric models are here to stay, and they will continue to increase in popularity due to their many advantages. They are inherently no more dangerous than glow models if all the safety procedures are followed to the letter. LiPo batteries do not "explode." They can, however, "vent with flames." To prevent this venting, follow all safety procedures and you most likely won't have a problem.
It seems to me that all of the alarmist posts about LiPo batteries are coming from people who have never actually used them. Bill's problem - BY HIS OWN ADMISSION - was a mistake made by him. He ran a screw into a charged battery. That was not a problem caused by the LiPo battery; it was a problem caused by inattention to detail. And, again, Bill was enough of a man to post about HIS mistake in hopes that by doing so the rest of us might avoid that one ourselves.
I've read many posts on this forum that are nothing more than thinly veiled attempts by those who prefer another power mode to try and hold back the proliferation of electric power. Get over it! You are embarrassing yourselves. Have you not noted that those who fly electric are not attacking your preferred mode of power? We could care less if you fly glow, electric, steam, nuclear, or use two chipmunks on a turntable to turn the prop (s) on your models. The electric versus glow debate at the Nats is no longer happening among the top competitors; they have come to accept that there are at least two methods available that work at the very highest levels and have moved on like the gentlemen they are. Can't the rest of our modeling community do the same?
Alarmist posts such as yours, John, only serve to scare those who have no real information. It's funny how those who don't want to use electric power appear to be campaigning against it instead of just not using it themselves. Kind of reminds me of the relative approach to life choices by the two major political parties... The members of one of those parties feel that if they don't like something, then no one else should be able to do it either. The other party's members feel that if they don't like something, they just don't do it, but don't feel compelled to try and outlaw it for others. It's called freedom...
Now, those of you who are concerned about fire, "flame away" at me. I've had my last say on the subject.
Bob Hunt
Topic: WOW what a fire (Read 4303 times)
