Lipo Charging Bag with Handle

Normally, a product description goes into this block telling you about all the features of a product, but this time, I am going to use this block to tell you my humble opinion on why the LIPO bag is not an accessory but an absolute safety requirement.

Lets face it, LIPO batteries have changed the electric RC industry for the better, but with any technology, new or old,  there have always been pros and cons.  I would personally argue, and I am sure most of you would agree, that LIPO battery pros far outweigh the cons.

So, here's the deal, a LIPO battery is extremely energy dense with excellent power delivery with an incredibly low gram to Mah weight ratio.  The batteries we use in the hobby are subjected to constant transporting, prone to high vibration environments and even the occasional crash.  These batteries are built tough and the batteries of today have an excellent safety record over the batteries we were originally introduced to back in 2005ish.

That all being said, LIPO batteries require specific care and maintenance. You can get a very long life out of LIPO packs if you treat them well.  IE, don't exceed 80% discharge, don't exceed C rating for charge and discharge, store your batteries at 3.8v per cell etc.

What you have no control over is the internal state of the battery, so when you go ahead and charge or store your packs, it may simply be that damage has occurred to the cells internally and you end up with a battery that puffs and bursts into flames.  I guess another possibility is that the incorrect charge rate has been set on the charger.

Regardless of the cause, if you have seen a LIPO battery burn, you know it burns hot and violently.  I've heard of 3 incidents in Joburg alone where a house, car and a scale helicopter went up in flames.  The House and the Heli were whilst the batteries were being charged and the car whilst the batteries were being transported.  It's hard to say what was to blame specifically, but if the batteries were in charge safe pouches, there would have been a greater likelihood that the damage could have been avoided.

So, don't charge your batteries unattended, don't transport your batteries and let them roll around in the car, make use of the ever so humble and simple LIPO bag to ensure you are maximizing on safety!

My 2c
James