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Electric Stunt => Gettin all AMP'ed up! => Topic started by: Motorman on July 13, 2014, 09:56:03 AM

Title: Puffy Battery
Post by: Motorman on July 13, 2014, 09:56:03 AM
Bought some high quality Hyperion 4s batteries last year and had a great time using them. Put a storage charge on them and put them away. Just now got them out and two of them were puffed up a little bit (soft swell). Checked the voltage and the storage charge was still ok (15.2v).

Do they puff up if you don't use them? My basement gets a little cold in the winter could that have done it? I'm pretty sure they didn't get frozen. What do I do now, I've heard you can still use them up to a point but how do you judge?

Thanks,
MM
Title: Re: Puffy Battery
Post by: Randy Powell on July 13, 2014, 01:15:16 PM
I had two Zippy batteries that came that way. They took a charge find and show being OK. I'll be anxious to hear what those with experience have to say.
Title: Re: Puffy Battery
Post by: Motorman on July 13, 2014, 06:18:03 PM
Just went flying with two good battery packs and one with puff. It had one cell that was low but charged up ok. Half way through the flight the motor lost power but kept going. The three cells were at the regular discharge voltage 3.73v but the forth was .43v. I put it on the charger and it says error so can't storage charge it. Right now it's out back in the BBQ pit.

MM
Title: Re: Puffy Battery
Post by: Crist Rigotti on July 13, 2014, 07:14:35 PM
Just went flying with two good battery packs and one with puff. It had one cell that was low but charged up ok. Half way through the flight the motor lost power but kept going. The three cells were at the regular discharge voltage 3.73v but the forth was .43v. I put it on the charger and it says error so can't storage charge it. Right now it's out back in the BBQ pit.

MM

Don't mess with puffy batteries.  It's not worth burning down the house/shop.  Good deal putting in the BBQ.  Discharge the battery completely then it will be safe to toss away.
Title: Re: Puffy Battery
Post by: Randy Powell on July 14, 2014, 09:49:22 AM
What constitutes "puffy".
Title: Re: Puffy Battery
Post by: Motorman on July 14, 2014, 11:55:44 AM
Called the vendor and of course he blamed it on mishandling. 2 of my 4 batteries are perfectly fine, I only used them about 5 times, Bob Hunt helped me set up the system and when I'm done flying the cells are just a little below the storage charge. Don't see how it was user error. He did offer me 40% off with free shipping so it's all good.

I'm wondering if I could take the good cells from each and make one good battery or, is that too high tech even for a CL flyer?

MM
Title: Re: Puffy Battery
Post by: Randy Powell on July 14, 2014, 02:32:21 PM
The two I have that seem a little puffy seem to charge fine and charge to storage level fine. And the charge on each cell is equal. Guess I'll just have to watch them.
Title: Re: Puffy Battery
Post by: Phil Krankowski on July 14, 2014, 03:02:44 PM

I'm wondering if I could take the good cells from each and make one good battery or, is that too high tech even for a CL flyer?

MM

I would try...very carefully and not indoors. 

Phil
Title: Re: Puffy Battery
Post by: Crist Rigotti on July 14, 2014, 05:48:40 PM
You should ask yourself, "How much money are these batteries and is it worth it messing around with them"? 
Title: Re: Puffy Battery
Post by: Motorman on July 14, 2014, 06:57:40 PM
They're worth $45 so at least worth talking about. Going to put the fat batt in the fridge and see if it shrinks.

MM
Title: Re: Puffy Battery
Post by: 55chevr on July 14, 2014, 10:28:17 PM
I would try and make a good battery out of the 2 you have that are suspect.  Nothing to lose ...
Title: Re: Puffy Battery
Post by: Dane Martin on July 14, 2014, 10:47:48 PM
They're worth $45 so at least worth talking about. Going to put the fat batt in the fridge and see if it shrinks.

MM

if it shrinks, it's just gonna go back when it reaches room temp. the puffing is a release of methane inside the bag. it's not vented, so it can't go anywhere or shrink. if it is venting, it's on fire, lol.
i pull them apart and make my own packs all the time. i don't think I'd recommend it. if one cell is bad for no good reason, the other set in the series came from the same batch.  when i do it, i end up using them for starter batteries or something
Title: Re: Puffy Battery
Post by: Robert-Jan on July 16, 2014, 02:35:26 PM
I made a 3S from a 4S.
Not a big deal.
Be carefull one of the connections can be aluminum.
If you put new schrink tube around it nobody will see the difference.
I don't see the safety issue.

Greetings Robert-Jan
Title: Re: Puffy Battery
Post by: Motorman on July 19, 2014, 09:09:12 PM
What do you do if the connections are aluminum?


MM
Title: Re: Puffy Battery
Post by: Crist Rigotti on July 19, 2014, 09:55:06 PM
What do you do if the connections are aluminum?


MM
Throw it out.
Title: Re: Puffy Battery
Post by: Robert-Jan on July 20, 2014, 02:15:06 AM
The aluminum is somewhere connected to other material.
In may case it was done with spot welding.
If you make the cut in the "other" material you can solder it.
I did not now the connection was made out of aluminum.
So I did it with special aluminum soldering.
But this is not easy.
The batteries are still in use on a trainer.

Greetings Robert-Jan