Lipo Fire... Fortunately Contained! (Pic Heavy)

[rockhugger]

I use both a 30 and 50 cal. Steel ammo cans always clamped shut at home unless I'm working with the lipos. If I'm running at my normal spot, it's usually out of the back of the car so I keep the lid off.

I drilled holes and added binding posts with a soldered deens and 5 inch lead wires inside of the 30 cal can so I can charge with the lid closed. I still need to add the balance plugs in there too. I always attend to my charging batteries, and I'm within a few feet. I also picked up a large heavy gauge steel pie baking tin to set a charging batt in for when I'm not charging in the ammo can.

I may add a few lipo sacks to the current setup just for added piece of mind and to save the other batts.

 

[phillyb]

I know this is somewhat off topic - but I use a balancer everytime I charge, using a triton EQ - well the balance cable is like 4 inches long. Where can I find a longer one? I have seen a few but they don't list compatibility with my charger. I would love to match my homemade charger cable that's about 2 feet long, but something at least a little longer???

 

[MaxxPain]

I extended my cables so I can put everything in my Lipo Bag. It took some time but very worth it. I'm not sure why they do not sell them nice and long.

Here was what I did for my Quattro Charger.

This one was used for my Ice Charger with External Balancer as the Ice Charger did not balance.

 

[amped up]

I remembered I had my dad's old ammo box stored up in the attic, it's now back in action storing my batteries.

 

[phillyb]

I extended my cables so I can put everything in my Lipo Bag. It took some time but very worth it. I'm not sure why they do not sell them nice and long.

How did you do that? did you cut the cables in the middle and just solder extensions on, or do you have a source for the bare connector? Looking good! I have an extra set of balance cables so I may try this.

Somehow I got another ammo box for Christmas, so running 4 total allows me to separate the packs by size/type!

 

[C*H*U*D]

Awesome thread.

I use several lipo bags inside my fireproof safe. It's the small kind you would use for documents. I'm going to get more bags and cans just to separate them some more.

 

[Aehle]

Thank you! I just saw this post. i'm still pretty new to this and learning all the time from this site! I'll be ordering lipo bags today and going to pick up an ammo can tonight.

 

[MaxxPain]

How did you do that? did you cut the cables in the middle and just solder extensions on, or do you have a source for the bare connector? Looking good! I have an extra set of balance cables so I may try this.

Somehow I got another ammo box for Christmas, so running 4 total allows me to separate the packs by size/type!

Yes, I cut the balancing cables in half, then soldered 20 inches or so of extra wire. The trick is to plan it all out before you start, get everything first, wires, tubing, connections, banana plugs, I used Deans wire but you can use other stuff, also make the balancing wires go a few inches past the charge wires at the end, this helps not tug on the balancing wires when its all plugged in and gives you extra space when handling them or plugging them in or out. The Parallel balancing board I did differently, I can remove or replace it without cutting anything.

Another problem, I ended up doing 2 more Quattro Chargers after showing a few friends.

 

[Hunter711]

What a great thread! Every "Newbie" and us oldies can learn and relate to this. Almost rates as a "STICKY" "thumbsup"

 

[Deadbydawn]

As soon as I heard the ammo can idea a year or so I immediately got one. If buying online they can get pricey- I believe Amazon has the best price on them and free shipping for prime members sure helps.

 

[Fordfreak95]

You can get metal ammo cans/boxes on ebay VERY cheap. I have five 30cal and one 50cal. All my large lipos are in their own separate fire bag and in their own separate 30 cal can. I have one small LiFe 2s RX 1200mah, 2s RX 1200mah lipo, and a Spektrum Lipo for my dx4s all in the big 50 cal can. All in separate lipo bags in that can. Lipo scare the living crap out of me. I am very afraid of fire. My lipos are always balance charged and storage balance charged to 3.85v on my icharger 308duo. My LVC on all my RCs is set to the highest 3.5v that the controllers allow. I come close to selling this all about once every month. This thread and the PICs made me feel TONS better about my fire bags in the ammo box set up.

 

[ole_gators]

Damn that's scary as hell. I was at Costco just the other day and was looking at buying an ammo box. Looks like I need to get it next time I go.

 

[Mnster]

Been using two WWII ammo boxes for years. The problem I'm having now is I just have so many Lipo's. Like the box is crammed full of lipo's. I kinda wonder if one went if they would all burn up. Lots of good ideas in this thread though. I've had a few explode while charging it's amazing the power they can release. Reminded me of a fountain on 4th of July. Luckily I whipped it out a basement window into the yard.

 

[RootBreaker]

hmmm i keep all my lipos in 1 cardboard box.
albeit they are all 180mah, 350mah 2s for micros
but they all sit in a shelf cabinet that is metal. guess that will be my fire case. I should possibly look for the lipo safe bags though...

my 1300mah 3s stays on my rig hanging on the wall.. hmmmm

 

[phillyb]

I had about 4 different small ammo cans (I have at least two more just laying around, guess its time to expand the collection, lol) and got really frustrated trying to find specific lipos, so I added one more (bought a quad racer) and got LABELS on them now. So nice, I just grab the correct one right off. Still using two lipo sacks - one inside the other, double up, ones bigger, easy peasy to get to - to contain packs on the go, to the track or flying field.

 

[mach2nh]

i lined a 50cal ammo can with sheet rock as a fire/heat barrier. Did some testing to see if it was worth it and i could light Kingston charcoal to the point of nice coals and you can still handle the can. I mean its hot dont get me wrong but its not going to start a fire. It could melt a carpet but i dont really know. It didnt even discolor the outside. Thats the in house storage can.

 

[CajunDutch]

You need 3 things for fire. It is called the fire triangle. You need heat, fuel, and oxygen. Take away one and you have no fire. Putting the lipo's in an ammo can takes away oxygen if it seals correctly. That is the reason inside the ammo can shows very little damage. Having them in lipo bags while inside the ammo can is by far the smartest thing to do. It keeps the fire isolated form the other batteries. You can also tape a ziplock bag full of sand to the top of the can. the fire melts the ziplock and the sand smothers the fire.