LiPo Safety Do's and Don'ts
LiPo Safety Use and Care- Please Read Before Use!
DO: Use a charger that is specifically designed to charge Li-Po batteries. Using chargers that are not Li-Po- specific or that are set to a mode other than Li-Po can be an extreme fire hazard.
DO: Disconnect your battery from your vehicle/charger when not in use. Leaving it connected to your vehicle for an extended period of time can drain your Li-Po pack below the minimum voltage causing permanent damage to the battery.
DO: Li-Pos don't develop memory or voltage depression characteristics like Ni-Cds. Charge them without the worry of cycling or discharging them first.
DO: Store Li-Pos at least partially charged. Li-Pos will maintain their performance levels over time, even during non-use, much better than Ni-Cds, and there's no need to cycle them.
DON'T: Never fully run down your Li-Po battery pack. Most vehicle electronic speed controls (ESCs) have a voltage cutoff that will prevent this from happening, but were designed for Ni-Cd & Ni-MH batteries. You need to make sure that your vehicle is set up to use a Li-Po battery. Please refer to your owner’s manual on your specific vehicle ESC for Li-Po cutoff setup. Discharging a Li-Po battery beyond its critical minimum voltage will cause permanent damage to the battery.
DON'T: Shorting a Li-Po pack for even an instant can cause damage to the battery. Whether the pack has been shorted when new, while adding or changing the connector, when fully charged or fully discharged, the pack should be charged with extreme caution. Be sure to take care when soldering connectors and during handling or charging to prevent shorts.
DON'T: If you have a crash and the battery is damaged, don't put the battery in your car or house immediately after a crash. It's possible that a chemical reaction can take place in the damaged battery that could cause a fire. Put the battery in a safe place for at least one hour.
DON'T: Never charge your battery unattended. Li-Po battery fires cannot be put out with water or a regular fire extinguisher. Be present during charging so that you can quickly get the battery out of your house if something goes wrong.