[Yaesu] HAZARD-Charging LITHIUM battery vs Temperature

bobbyb at frontiernet.net bobbyb at frontiernet.net
Thu Mar 5 12:20:41 EST 2009



   Hi All

   I have been following this thread.... As one who sells  this type  
of gear for a living perhaps I can help...

   Apologies for the stories...  but first hand experience is by far  
themost valuable info in backing up a mfg claim..

   As for written documentation, you have it from the MFG of your  
device.. I'm not sure why you need more.. but what the hell....

   If you want a third partyy how about the AMA [ Americam modelers  
association ]

   I have an Emergency safety alert the AMA posted  re lithium  
charging... They considered it an EMERGENCY safety situation...

   drop me a fax number and I'll send a copy to you...

   As a hobby shop owner who SELLS chargers  
and batteries... Lithium, NIMH, NICD etc... AND the fireproof  
explosion sacks that the manufactureres push heavily...

   A few words....

   1- I have expereinced 3 product recals in the hobby industry on  
Lithium products. The reason in all 3 cases was charging normally was  
causing some units to catch fire. [ They never mention the "explosion  
" or "over pressurization " as true engineers  like to explain the  
mess. The differeance being one makes the mess at a rate of 10-50 ft  
per second and the other in hundreds of ft per second.  

   2- I have helped one person put out the FIRE in his engine  
compartment [ nice Honda SUV] seems that the engine compartment was  
not the best place to hook up a lithuim battery and charge it at the  
field...  [ it was quite the explosion and did manage to make quite  
the mess in the engine compartment.. ]

   Some thoughts...

   If its charging in a "safe place" and "safe manner"  no matter what  
goes wrong...  Worst case is you loose a radio / battery...

   If its charging in a "less than safe place and / or less than safe  
manner"  Even a best case "failure" can have real bad results...

   If you choose to do the latter, a fire extinguisher and burn  
ointment would be a good investment...  perhaps beefing up the home  
opwners insurance too....

   Bobby B\
K3RJB

   Quoting kc3vo at aol.com:

> Go to: "batteryspace.com" --click on SAFETY (at the top of page) scroll
> down, and READ about charging.--There are other, similar sites!
> (OR-IGNORE this, charge the batteries at 20 degrees F, or above 120
> degrees F, and do not complain if you destroy the battery, or produce a
> fire! As they say, I have "led the horse to water, but I cannot make
> him drink"--In the end, it is YOUR battery, your house, your money-do
> as you please! (although many devices have temperature sensing, to
> PREVENT such abuse, for reasons of liability)73, KC3VO, Bob Curry
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WBrown at e1b.org
> To: yaesu at mailman.qth.net
> Sent: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 11:06 am
> Subject: Re: [Yaesu] HAZARD-Charging a new battery for VX5R
>
>
>
> Can someone substantiate these claims with links to reference material?
> Preferably no stories about a friend who had one blow up on their
> kitchen
> table or about laptop batteries burning up their truck. :)
>
> --
> May you solve interesting problems
>
> William Brown
> KB2TOY
>
> KC3VO wrote on 03/05/2009 11:00:04 AM:
>
>> It is true for perfectly GOOD Lithium ION/Polymer batteries! At or
>> below 32 degrees F, charging will cause pure lithium to plate out of
>> solution, rendering the battery hazardous, and damaging it. Good
>> chargers will not charge in a cold environment because of this! (If
> all
>> else fails, read the manual) High temperature charging varies
> according
>> to exact battery chemistry and charger type, but most are not advised
>> to be charged above 110 degrees F, many have even lower limits. KC3VO,
>> Bob Curry
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Keith Dutson <kdutson at sbcglobal.net>
>> To: KC3VO at aol.com; tsjohnson at jsb-partners.com
>> Cc: yaesu at mailman.qth.net
>> Sent: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 9:33 am
>> Subject: Re: [Yaesu] Charging a new battery for VX5R
>>
>>
>>
>> AFAIK this is only true for defective batteries.
>>
>> 73, Keith NM5G
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>>   From: yaesu-bounces at mailman.qth.net
>> [mailto:yaesu-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
>> On Behalf Of KC3VO at aol.com
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 12:19 AM
>> To: tsjohnson at jsb-partners.com
>> Cc: yaesu at mailman.qth.net
>> Subject: Re: [Yaesu] Charging a new battery for VX5R
>>
>> Do not charge LITHIUM batteries in the COLD!  Attempting to do so, you
>> will
>> separate out the LITHIUM metal, as a pure electroplate, and damage the
>> battery/create a firebomb, if the charger does not stop you! These,
> and
>> most
>> other batteries should be charged at normal room temperature, near 75
>> degrees F.
>> Other batteries may charge poorly, but it can be DANGEROUS to charge a
>> litium battery that is too cold or hot!
>>                                                     Please be
>> careful!--73,
>> KC3VO-Bob Curry **************Need a job? Find employment help in your
>> area.
>>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Yaesu mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/yaesu[1]
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm[2]
> Post: mailto:Yaesu at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net[3]
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html[4]
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Yaesu mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/yaesu[5]
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm[6]
> Post: mailto:Yaesu at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net[7]
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html[8]
>

   --
Bobby B
Hangar 11
www.hangar11.com
845-926-1959

Links:
------
[1] http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/yaesu
[2] http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
[3] http://www.qsl.net/
[4] http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[5] http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/yaesu
[6] http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
[7] http://www.qsl.net/
[8] http://www.qsl.net/donate.html



More information about the Yaesu mailing list