Propper disposal of lipos?

[tourerjim]

For many months now been teaching my grandson to fly, I just hope he doesn't read some of these posts.

[ChrisB]

Me too.

Humans love to contaminate their enviroment at every possible opportunity.

[p4ddy]

For many months now been teaching my grandson to fly, I just hope he doesn't read some of these posts.

I know, it could turn him into a kill joy eh. Think how boring the hobby would be with out a little fun now and then. Pah! Putting them in salt water... I dont know...people will advising others not to hold their 90 size into the wind with some neg pitch on the blades making a windmill next lol.

[tourerjim]

I would like to think showing these videos is more about a warning to those that know very little of the damage these lipo's can cause, I read on facebook someone in my area his apartment completely burrnt down due to a lipo.
I think we should just keep with the first post and put the 'fun' where it should be" in the hobby.

Thanks

[coolice]

Hey guys.

Where is the contamination?
As explained in a previous post, yes we made a mess, but we were also responsible for the clean up after.
It's no different to crashing an electric model and having to clean up the remains.

The only good thing said recently is that the videos serve to show the potential power and damage causing ability these packs can hold/do to those that, at present maybe, take them for granted or are new to the hobby.
Also bear in mind these are packs well past their most powerful state, newer/fresher packs will flare up much more and cause more damage if not contained.

Ian Contessa

[coolice]

So how do you dispose of the contaminated salt water after puncturing them? Drink it?

All the toxic crap that leaks from the pack onsite and wherever it travels to afterwards?

Why oh why not just sensibly recycle them in an undamaged state so it does not risk contaminating anything/anyone who may have to deal with it.

Do you pour engine oil down a drain,smash an old fridge up,flytip,smash up old lead acid batteries,burn old tyres? No? Though not.

Hey.

Ok, let's clear some things up shall we.

1. The salt water neutralises the contents of the LiPo cell, thus making it safe to then toss into the usual trash bin. I will see if I can find this method on the net again, as it's been a while since I needed to look it up.

2. The toxic crap is what you see burning, ok the smoke is then toxic so I wouldn't advise breathing it in so I'll give you that, but the fluid is now gone.

3. There is no longer any contamination once the pack is burnt, it's what we see burning, hence the funny colour flame that is green from memory.

4. Engine oil, don't use this in RC heli's, but when I do change my cars engine oil I take it down the tip. Same with a fridge, actually no I let someone else take that as my vehicles aren't big enough to swallow a fridge. Same with old tires, I'm not a tire fitter so I take the car to the experts and pay them to dispose of the old tires.

I think we're loosing sight of the post here with these pointless "let's blame people for contaminating the planet" rubbish. I do have kids which are inheriting this earth of ours after I am gone, so I'm not going to be stupid enough to cause them problems now am I.
You posted this same sort of post yesterday and then removed it, but jumped on the band wagon again this morning, but for what I don't know.

If you don't like it, don't watch it. Simples.

Perhaps this is why the hobby is dying as everyone has an opinion that at times can be flawed.

Ian Contessa

[coolice]

FYI;

1. http://www.4-max.co.uk/pdf/dispose-of-LiPo.pdf

There are loads more on the internet, it is advised to discharge the LiPo first before dunking in salt water. But then again you would discharge first as you need to puncture the LiPo(s) foil sack before dunking, to allow the salt water to circulate where it needs to go.

As an aside, many still do not know how bad LiPo's are. I had one guy a few years ago say his LiPo's were swollen and that he'd pricked them with a pin to let the air go, this I kid you not. I quickly suggested getting them out the house and have not heard from him since, so read into that what you will :-(

Ian Contessa

[Grumpy]

Just to fully discharge using a lightbulb or similar, then once discharged twist the wires together. Once the battery is down at zero volts it's inert.

[coolice]

Just to fully discharge using a lightbulb or similar, then once discharged twist the wires together. Once the battery is down at zero volts it's inert.

Hey Buddy.

Yes it won't go up in flames, but the liquid inside the cell pouches isn't good so ideally still needs proper disposal to deal with that waste by-product.

"Do lithium batteries need to be recycled?

Rechargeable, Lithium Ion batteries can be recycled, but only at specified locations. ... When you discard them, they must be disposed of at a household hazardous waste collection point (check with your local landfill) or battery recycling drop off location, NOT placed in the trash."

Just grabbed from the internet quickly. However Lithium Ion seems like it could be classed differently? I am not sure.

Ian

[Grumpy]

Hey Buddy.

Yes it won't go up in flames, but the liquid inside the cell pouches isn't good so ideally still needs proper disposal to deal with that waste by-product.

Yeah, for sure. I was just meaning how to make them safe before disposing of them in the appropriate recycling facility. FWIW LiPos are just a form of Lithium Ion battery. The chemistry is the same, the only difference is that LiPos are in polymer 'pouches' vs the traditional cylindrical metal case.

[ChrisB]

Cheers,saved me the trouble.I work for a freight carrier and i have full Hazchem qualifications and ADR with yearly training.I will post some info into just how poisonous these batteries are and a report where 5 people suffered serious smoke inhalation injuries when a Lithium Polymer battery went up in a package in an partially enclosed area(Lithium dust burnt thru their lungs,along with the official disposal proceedures for damaged lithium batteries.

Rechargeable, Lithium Ion batteries can be recycled, but only at specified locations. ... When you discard them, they must be disposed of at a household hazardous waste collection point (check with your local landfill) or battery recycling drop off location, NOT placed in the trash."

[coolice]

Yeah, for sure. I was just meaning how to make them safe before disposing of them in the appropriate recycling facility. FWIW LiPos are just a form of Lithium Ion battery. The chemistry is the same, the only difference is that LiPos are in polymer 'pouches' vs the traditional cylindrical metal case.

Yeah, for sure. I was just meaning how to make them safe before disposing of them in the appropriate recycling facility. FWIW LiPos are just a form of Lithium Ion battery. The chemistry is the same, the only difference is that LiPos are in polymer 'pouches' vs the traditional cylindrical metal case.

Hey Buddy.

Yes very true. But I'm sure the chemistry is a little different between LiPo and Li-Ion, which is what makes the Li-Ion's safer and their terminal charge voltage lower also. Reason why the airlines and mobile phones use Li-Ion over polymer I think.

In any case, you can't just throw the duff cells in the bin which is the main point I think being touted here now.

Ian

Cheers,saved me the trouble.I work for a freight carrier and i have full Hazchem qualifications and ADR with yearly training.I will post some info into just how poisonous these batteries are and a report where 5 people suffered serious smoke inhalation injuries when a Lithium Polymer battery went up in a package in an partially enclosed area(Lithium dust burnt thru their lungs,along with the official disposal proceedures for damaged lithium batteries.

Rechargeable, Lithium Ion batteries can be recycled, but only at specified locations. ... When you discard them, they must be disposed of at a household hazardous waste collection point (check with your local landfill) or battery recycling drop off location, NOT placed in the trash."

Hey Chris.

It's good to get a perspective from someone who has been trained in the safe handling of LiPo's within the courier business, which is of course not what we're questioning here. But I think the way in which points were made came across wrong perhaps.

In any case, what we did can be considered silly and dangerous and certainly not something we advise others to do, but along with the great many others on YouTube that destroy LiPo's also serves a good purpose as well in showing what can happen if mistreated.

Ian Contessa

[ChrisB]

Put it this way,a flier at our club punched a screwdriver thru an old lipo and smoke started coming out,i was about 100 feet upwind of it before you could blink.

[Grumpy]

Hey Buddy.

Yes very true. But I'm sure the chemistry is a little different between LiPo and Li-Ion, which is what makes the Li-Ion's safer and their terminal charge voltage lower also. Reason why the airlines and mobile phones use Li-Ion over polymer I think.

Li-Ion charge to 4.2V per cell just like LiPo. The main reason they are considered safer is that they are sealed in a metal case so more durable and cant swell or burst like a LiPo can. Mobile phones use LiPo (pouch type cells)

[Mike Sanders]

one guy a few years ago say his LiPo's were swollen and that he'd pricked them with a pin to let the air go,

He is lucky he didn't sustain an injury.