How to charge in a 'AMMO Can'?

[bugeyes]

Hello, I heard a lot of folks here doing their charge either in lipo sack or inside the ammo can, I like the later option since I have few of them laying around but my question is, I got a TP 610C and how do you put the battery inside the can without putting the whole charger and the board and the battery in the can? I dont want to put my charger in their in case something blow up, any ideas? do I need some kind of extension cable connect from the charging board to the battery? thanks.

[chuckk]

drill a hole in the ammo can and insert a rubber grommet. place your pack inside the can, and connect the charge lead through the grommet. voila!

[bugeyes]

thanks for quick reply chuckk

[Pinecone]

I would not use an ammo can. With a larger pack the entire can becomes a bomb. There is a thread over on RC Groups with pics and video of a larger 6S pack ripping an ammo can apart. And that can had a 3 inch diameter vent hole.

Get a lipo sack.

[Gr4yb3ard]

Dmn!

Guess I'd better 'bag' the idea of using a pyrex lasagna bowl...

I'm gonna run over the the safety forum and see what I can find.
I though they just burned when they went bad.

Gr4yb3ard
"... don't call me pretzel-shaft, that's sick..."

[trickybit]

Lipo sack sounds good, Mr. Cone.

Do you use yours just for charging, or "always?" I've seen a lot of photos of t-rex cases with battery slots in the foam; seems like a nice, cushioned, convenient way to move them around. I am carrying my measly two packs in bubble wrap in a box within a case.

Are lipos most dangerous when they're being charged, and after a crash or other trauma?

I want a firesafe solution, and I don't want them banging around in a sack in the car, etc.

In my workshop, they sit and are charged in an open metal toolbox, and I keep an eye on them during charge. From what I've read, when they're charged and sitting around, or in a nice foam-lined carrying case, they're not at their most dangerous.

I'm also "only" flying 3S, but a boy can dream of larger packs, larger helis...greater hazards.

Jim

[EricW]

I charge my Lipo's in a low open steel case.
When they ignite for some special reason they can't create a fire or a by pressure triggered explosion in the house, smoke smell etc. would be the only damage.
But i guess a lipo sack works even better because there is no conductive metal involved at all.
There's always a risk of stripped/damaged lipo or charge cables.

I use 4mm (insulated) paired mail/female gold connectors covered with small pieces of plastic mesh-hose during transport ,handling etc..
I remove the pieces and put them in my pocket when i plug the connectors, and put them back on afterwards.
It's easy to short one on the hood of your car, or any other metal surface..
Most other connectors i see are VERY easy to short IMHO.

Each lipo has it's own battery slot in my flight box foam layer (covered with another layer), also works great during the winter and summer to keep them at room temperature.
Don't wear them on your body to keep them warm!, I've seen people putting them in their trousers together with their car keys and change!!:badair:

Works excellent so far.

Eric

[Pinecone]

They do just burn. But when you contain that, you get an explosion. Smokeless gunpowder in a pile just burns. Put it contained in a cartridge and it can generate pressures over 50,000 PSI and fire a projectile at over 4000 feet per second.

[lightbulbjim]

I've been charging in a lipo sack. But recently I saw this idea for an ammo box charger - looked pretty smart. The idea is that if a pack lights up the cardboard tube would collapse and the sand smother the flames. Obviously you would want the lid OPEN during charging, even with this setup.

Link: http://www.warbirds-rc.org/artman/publish/HintsTips/Ammo_Box_-_Lipo_Safe.html

The biggest no-no with lipos is charging in a sealed container such as a closed ammo box. A fire would be bad enough, but an explosion and a fire even worse.

[Pinecone]

For that, I like the cinder block with a plastic bag of sand on top. Stick the pack in one of the holes, and put the sand bag on top. If the pack lights off, the heat melts a hole in the bag and the sand dumps on the lipo.

[lightbulbjim]

True. That would provide more sand and eliminate the conductive container, which could possibly cause shorting problems.

The ammo box/sand idea is still a nice portable charging station though. Easy enough to throw in the car for field charging etc.

[kamtsa]

This bag seems to contain the fire very well:

http://www.polysafe-creation.com/video/ps_test1.wmv

It is very well made (I have one), and discharges the gases through its entire surface (reminds me a Davy lamp)..

Only down side is that the material it is made of (woven fiberglass?) is not as pleasant to handle as the Lipo Sack.

Kam