Swollen Li-po

[rustnpede]

I have this new Li-po pack that I got almost a year ago. I havent had a chance to charge. I took it out of the box today and noticed that its swolen on one side. Is this pack no good or can I save it?

[jhautz]

its no good. A lipo fire is not something worth chancing IMO.

[rustnpede]

What makes it swell like that?

[jhautz]

Its some sort of gas that is created when the chemistry in the cell goes bad. Dont ask me what all that is cuz I have no idea.

Cells can swell from any number of things. Physical damage, over charging, over discharging, putting more load on them than they are rated for, etc. It could be that yours went below the minumum voltage from sitting to long without getting any charge. A year is a pretty long time to not touch it. Was it charged when you stored it?

[rustnpede]

Never charged. I took it out of the mailbox, opened the packaging checked to make sure it was what I ordered, put it back in the package then stuck it on the shelf. It hasnt seen daylight since. The only charge it had was whatever it left the factory with.

I had 5 lipos swell when I was out of the country for almost 90 days. I followed every body's advice and left them half charged. Every one of them puffed the cell that was on top - 2S or 3S, it was top cell that went bad.

I was supposed to be gone only for a month, that might have been ok, but from now on, I'll store mine starting fully charged.

[jhautz]

do you have voltmeter to check the voltage of the pack?

[rustnpede]

No but I can get one. Can I safely connect it to my superbrain 989 to check the voltage without hitting the start button?

you can, but you can only check the voltage on the pack not each cell

Blunten

[MTBikerTim]

I had a pack puff last night after I left it plugged into my car over night. It was already puffed a bit but this puffed up a lot.

[rustnpede]

Originally Posted by Blunten

you can, but you can only check the voltage on the pack not each cell

Blunten

So im suposed to remove the shrinkwrap and test the voltage of each cell then remove the bad cell?

Originally Posted by MTBikerTim

. . . It was already puffed a bit but this puffed up a lot.

How long have you been using this puffed pack? Is it common for people to continue using pack after theyve puffed. Sounds scarry to me.

[JerryF504]

You don't have to remove the heat shrink, you can test the voltage of each cell at the balancing tap.

[rustnpede]

I understand what your saying about checking the voltage through the tap. But In the end, could I remove the bad cell and salvage the pack?

[JerryF504]

Originally Posted by rustnpede

I understand what your saying about checking the voltage through the tap. But In the end, could I remove the bad cell and salvage the pack?

Yes, be careful when you are seperating the bad cell to not damage the good ones.

Assuming its only one cell that went bad, yes you can save it. Ive done that with 2 different packs.