Ty
What kind of battery, and how puffy was it? My Thunderpower 3300s are a bit puffy but I don't remember dropping any and having them catch fire. Do U remember how it fell. If it fell on the balance wires that would explain a lot.

It WAS a Thunder Power 45C 3300 MAh 4 cell 14.8 V
Not sure what it landed on, but only one cell burned up The other three are ok, but it split the covering. It now lays outside next to the fence next to the drainage ditch. Maybe one of those pesky nosy into everything Raccoons that lives back there will drag it home.  

I don't know if it's still the recommended method, but when I started flying with LiPo packs you were supposed to chuck them in a bucket of really salty water for 24 hours to discharge before throwing them away.

Or, duct tape them to a post and shoot at them...

I just belt them with an axe and watch the fireworks....it's exciting!!!!
I make sure all 4 cells have flared though and then drown them with water after the fire is out. Great fun!

Thanks Mike, for the great explanation on the chemistry.

Dave.
41041

PJ, if you're going to "rubbish" people, get your facts straight!!!!

I live in Monarto South.  Hahaha.

Will a regular dry chemical home extingusher even begin to put out a burning metal fire like a lithium battery?

Here's what little I know.  The information is probably out there on the web if someone has time to dig.

Fire needs three things to live: heat, oxidant (air), and fuel.  Remove one of these three, and the fire goes out.

Lithium cells don't have metallic lithium (unless they're way overcharged), but they do carry around their own oxidant, so when things go wrong with a cell it'll keep putting out lots of heat and smoke even if you deny it all air.

Dry chemical extinguishers work by smothering a fire, and denying it air...

I suspect that dumping a lot of dry chemical fire extinguisher stuff on and around a burning battery will do you a lot of good -- the battery won't be getting oxygen from the air, which will restrict the amount of energy it can release, and the dry powder will help prevent other things from catching on fire.

I wouldn't empty all or even most of the extinguisher on the battery, though: I'd put some on the battery, and save the rest to protect any exposed flammables that catch on fire because the battery is torching.