Hi Dennis,
I'm glad you are asking all these safety questions, and I hope others who don't post here but listen in are taking notes on your thread. ...... I'm sure you are aware that most of my answers are directed to this larger group and that you know that I know that you know most of this stuff?
1. Just to add to the good comments made by Kim and Alan; these batteries are very safe and the few accidents with them, from years ago, are more reflective of our 24/7 web news cycle than any meaningful statictics. I know that the burning vehicle photos from years ago were on every imaginable web site and repeated over and over again in zillions of posts! It made this one accident seem like there were thousands of vehicles burning everywhere from the "dangerous" LiPos lurking among us! ;-) .... Well it was not that bad, but you get my point. We use gasoline every day throughout the world. It is many times more volatile and dangerous than our batteries, but we have all learned how to treat it with respect and use it safely. I think we can do the same with our batteries.
With the above said, yes we still have to be careful, and like others have said, just follow the simple rules and all will be well. :-)
2. Home storage and Carrying batteries:
I use a clear box with a snap on lid. It holds six batteries plus my HM timer setting unit. This fits in my ECL day pack along with my stooge, lines, handle, etc. I walk to my park with this on my back and my plane in my hand and fly. :-) I made small bubble wrap holder tubes for each battery using the small bubble wrap and clear tape. This was to be a temporary fix, but it has now worked well protecting my batteries for a year and 200 ECL flights. I also have a 3/4" foam floor, and sides, in my plastic battery box.
It is the corners of our LiPos that need protecting. This is their weakest point. If they get bumped by a hard object in their corner, even gently, it will break the integrity of the case and pushes the extremely thin sheets inside together and allows them to touch each other. This does not result in a burn of the battery, it just PUFFS up a little (about 1/8") because of the internal gases produced and it is now useless and should be set aside in a safe area for 30 min. then disposed of. Packing the batteries in some form of foam while storing, transporting, etc. is a simple, and important precaution.
The ideal is a metal RC TX case, or an inexpensive, strong plastic pistol case. They have foam in them already and can hold our batteries in a very safe manner, custom packed like a camera is. I carry my ERC batteries in one of these. .... Here is a link:
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/WTI0095P?FVSEARCH=TX+case&search=Go3. Foam in Plane
For anyone who makes consistently safe landings, mounting the batteries with the FEMALE Velcro on the bottom of the battery and the MALE Velcro in the plane is more than enough padding for the battery. Even when strapped down snugly with the Velcro holding strap there is still enough padding left. Try to use thin, very light duty Velcro (like the red, double sided stuff used to wrap cables together) for this battery mounting. This stuff is more than enough to keep the battery from shifting in flight or during a small bounce landing (not yours Dennis, but for the rest of us who still bounce some times ;-). This also allows the battery to be easily removed. Please DON'T use strong Velcro here, you will curse it every time you struggle to get your battery out. I make my battery tray out of 1/64 ply with 1/8" balsa glued on top of it. This gives a slight cushion to the battery. At least I delude myself into thinking it does.
Use medium strong Velcro for the holding strap. In flight the batteries are subject to much lighter forces than they get in ERC and there have never been any problems that I have seen or heard of.
Someone mentioned protecting the front of the battery in case of a crash. Like you, I don't build for a crash, BUT in this case it is very easy to put some Styrofoam in front of the battery. I have about 3/4" of it +1/8" balsa in my plane just in case. Cheap, easy, light, my kind of solution.
SIDE BAR, protecting LiPos in a ECL trainer?
Last year Kim mentioned that if we used ECL for CL training, or early pattern training, that the batteries would get expensive because they do not "crash" well.
.... I totally agree with Kim! If we are using the typical CL trainer plane, Ringmaster, Clown, or others the batteries would always be at risk. .....But, I think a purpose built, FOAM, high wing, pusher, motor on top like a SE seaplane ECL trainer (think Multiplexes great pusher ERC foam motorglider converted to ECL :-) may be the perfect tool for the job. The timer can be set for 2 min flights. etc, etc. .... But then, there is really no one coming into the hobby that needs training so this may be a solution looking for a problem to solve?
A few little things that are easy, and help a lot:
1. Get one of the little cell test units from Sin City Jets. These little postage stamp size meters plug into the balancer plug on your battery. They tell you the V level of each cell. If you have left your batteries set for several weeks, this unit will tell you the level of each cell to tell you if you need to top off your batteries. It is also a good indicator of how your batteries are doing, showing how close each cell is to perfect. It is a good alert to a problem. I use it about every 20 flights. You will also need to order one of their adaptor plugs so you can use it on different battery brands. Here is the link:
http://sincityjets.com/2. We all get distracted at the field, so I am a big fan of KIS systems to idiot proof my equipment to save it from the "idiot" pilot.
..... You may want to use some method to mark your batteries right after you use them. ....I use a red rubber band. ..... This will prevent you from destroying one by mistaking it for a fresh one and putting it up for it's 2nd, suicide mission, flight. This will also help you when you get home to charge your batteries if you have not used them all, etc. I have also numbered all my batteries so I can use them in a rotation so they all get = use.
Yikes Dennis, this was going to be one of my succinct answers! Honest
Regards,