I have been sending e-mail messages back and forth about some 3 cell 1700 packs I have. One has been charged 1 time and the othesr don't have connectors on them (new and unused ). These have puffed up and I have been instructed to send them back. Well I was in the garage this morning and smelled smoke. One of the new packs that was on top of the work bench started burning up. This pack has been untouched for over a week.

There is no way I am going to mail these anywhere and I am amazed that they can be sent through the mail. I am glad for the slate countertops on my workbench.....HOUSE BURNED DOWN AGAIN>>>>>

Keep your packs in a fire safe or other unburnable location...they can self destruct at any time without warning....!!!!!



THIS COULD HAVE BEEN UGLY|!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am ordering some more of the Rhino Packs though.

Be Safe

Rick

I say send 'em back!

The one that burned, was it a brand new, uncharged, pack just like you received it from HC?

Did all the cells in the pack burn?

How much were the packs puffed? Got a picture?

I am not going to put these on a plane unless they are in a fireproof container. That would cost more than the batteries are worth...

Yes, as received, unused, no connectors, not charged.

They are puffed a little more than my other United Hobbies Batteries.

I see they have a 90 day return policy now. These packs are the ones that they replaced from the previous return. ( I am past the 90 days) I had 5 of the 3 cell 1700's and 5 of the 3 cell 1000's. The 1000's seem fine and of the 5, 3 are still unused. Of the 5 1700's, 3 are bad of those I have charged 1 of them 1 time, and been using 2 of them without any problems so far. The other two as stated, unused in factory new condition. One of these is the one that started burning.

I took a photo but my camera is not that good. Some smoke and black stuff. Looks like all the other photos of burned up batteries.

All 3 cells burned up.

I am not complaining, I have some of the packs that I have been using without fault...My concern is putting these in the mail and the spontaneous combustion thing happening and me being at fault.

Rick

Originally Posted by rzzzzz

I am not going to put these on a plane unless they are in a fireproof container. That would cost more than the batteries...

Yes, as received, unused, no connectors, not charged.

Dont blame u mate. Send a photo to HC and explain u dont want to risk another one of there lipos self-igniting. Surley a photo of a melted lipo is enough for these guys.

What packs are those? Brand _____?
It is no secret that when a pack puffs it is full of flamable gas. If enough pressure is there it will vent. When venting it is possible (very likely) for the outgoing gasses to generate a static spark and ignite.

Imagine these on a plane over the Pacific ocean when this happened? Whoa!!!
If sellers are not careful they will put an end to the mfg/selling of lipo's worldwide.

Oh, send a link to this page to HC. They need to know of this.

Rick

Looks like Hextronik Lipos, is it? If it is I will trash whatever I have left of them..

/Håkan

If they were really untouched, I am curious whether they still respond to emails..
It could be crazy to have hundreds or thousands of such packs in stock, one by one, stacked up in boxes.. close to other packs and balsa planes..
Do You think that they should sale them fast?

I had some dodgy UH packs approzx 18 months ago (the yellow unbranded ones). I sent them a pic and original invoice number and they replaced them within a week.

What idea which brand were yours, UH , LoongMax, Zippy ???

They are HXT Batteries

Rick

Originally Posted by rzzzzz

There is no way I am going to mail these anywhere and I am amazed that they can be sent through the mail. I am glad for the slate countertops on my workbench...

Forward their requirement that they be returned to China along with your e-mail explaining your desire to not endanger others to the USPS and UPS and ask them their preferrred method for you to warn them in advance of an impending explosion. Perhaps they have a special label marked "high explosives" or "run..." you could mark them with? It's ashame other folks don't get what a rip off UH is, every order only allows these crooks to keep going...

Jack

looks like this is getting fairly common (not just UH / HXT lipos)

http://www.3drc.info/forum/showthread.php?t=1137

the same thing can happen to a NORMAL pack sitting on top of the dash in a hot car parked in the summer heat of a parking lot

somehow the pack must have been heated up by sunlite coming thru a window in the HOT garage

I have heard dipping the batteries in a salt water bath will completely deactivate them.

Originally Posted by Mike4192

I have heard dipping the batteries in a salt water bath will completely deactivate them.

No on the salt bath, proven the wrong thing to do over the years. This can corrode the internal contacts leaving some cells still charged.

Simply hook up your LiPo to an automotive light bulb (a 7443 tail lamp for example) and allow it to fully discharge. Snip the leads and dispose of in a landfill...

Jack