First serious LiPo mishap

[earthsciteach]

Took the quad out for a test hop a little bit ago. It was too dark, so I just went up and hovered, checked controls for a few secs and landed. Picked up the quad, unplugged everything and set it on one of our deck tables. A short time (with a minute (?) I hear a distinct, "PFFFFFFFFFTTTTT!" turned my head and the battery was off gassing. I grabbed the quad, ripped off the battery and threw it into the yard. Here's the result. It is quite painful. Be careful out there!

 

[makattack]

Yikes Patrick! Glad to hear you caught it quick, but sorry you got hurt. Hope it'll heal quick and clean.

 

[Snarls]

Ouch! Glad you and your property is okay. Do you know why it did that? Seems scary that it would randomly happen.

 

[RAM]

Undervoltage ??

 

[earthsciteach]

No idea why. Was balance charged to 12.6 v. Only flew to check for control inputs. No warning. POOF!

 

[TEAJR66]

That sucks. Hope it heals quick.

Those pesky electrons. Sometimes they seem to have a mind of their own.

 

[abieex]

Sorry to hear that Patrick and hope you feel better soon. I have 5 batteries to get rid of today just not sure where to take them.

 

[Craftydan]

Teach,

Perhaps your multirotor demons weren't in the pesky flight control boards after all . . . they're in your lipos!

All your batteries look longingly at your fixed-wing planes all day, when you pull one out and strap it to a multirotor, they revolt!

hmm . . . batteries Re-volting . . . wouldn't all rechargeable packs do that? So was the off-gassing pack "un-volting"?

(sorry for your burn, but too many good directions to go with this )

 

[Craftydan]

Sorry to hear that Patrick and hope you feel better soon. I have 5 batteries to get rid of today just not sure where to take them.

So long as the pack isn't hot, most of the BatteriesPlus stores will accept them for recycling. Not sure about other similar stores, but it wouldn't hurt to call and ask.

 

[Balu]

Someone needs to design a quick-release LiPo holder. Perhaps with an explosive charge to get it further away from the aircraft. Or something like an launch escape mechanism used on rockets.

 

[earthsciteach]

I'm fine. I have a BIG blister on my finger. Upon closer inspection of the offending cell, it looks like there is a tiny puncture hole. Probably landed on a rock of a stick in the yard. The Bat Bone legs are short and the battery is just slightly above the ground level when on a level surface.

 

[RAM]

glad you found the cause