What to do with my puffed Turnigy LiFePO4 packs?
 

After seeing this thread on the Turnigy LiFes (http://www.rc-monster.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24416) I decided to get some.

Got four packs. I'd read that they needed to be "broken in" (mentioned both here and on the Amain web site). So before use each pack was given 15 cycles of about 1C charge (5 amps) and 4.5C (20 amp) discharge to a 50% discharge depth (take about 2500 mAHr out). Packs never even got warm during this process. Then I used them for racing 1/10th scale stadium truck with brushed motor. Never ran close to dumping them (more like used about 1/3 capacity). Never charged at more than 2C (9 amps) once they were "broken in".

Raced about 10 races this year and all my LiFe packs are puffed. They didn't puff during racing but in the two week interval between races sitting at about 50% charge. Actually, I only used two packs regularly, but even the ones barely used are puffed from sitting around.

I remember when MaxAmps announced their "Green Series" posters on RadioControl Zone lambasted them for their pricing, comparing them to the Turnigy packs. MaxAmps response was that the Turnigy packs were low quality seconds, which brought further booing and hissing at MaxAmps.

Maybe the MaxAmps guys were right. Seems a number of other posters here also have these packs puff.

So what do I do with my puffed Turnigy LiFe packs?

If it is the 4500 mah 2s pack, mine puffed just sitting, never used it.

That's the one.

The two sets I bought last winter both puffed. One from over discharge and the other just sitting. I have a set of 3S that also puffed just sitting. But they still have the voltage and capacity.

By "puffed", do you mean pressurized, or just a little squishy? :mdr: I have a few older LiPo packs that are a bit squishy and still run fine. Have you run them through a 1C cycle since they puffed to see where they stand?

Definitely pressurized. They are more like "rolly polly" :oops: than a little squishy. One of the idle ones feels a little soft but the other three are 1.2 inches thick in the center while the least puffed of the bunch measures 1.03 at the end of the pack where it is least puffed. So the really puffed ones are almost 20% bigger in the center.:gasp:

I have not tried cycling them. But they won't fit in my car any more as is.

I guess when I made the original post I was wondering if someone was going to suggest sticking them with a pin to let the gas out and sealing them again with duct tape.:gasp::gasp:

LiFes are not supposed to be dangerous when punctured, right?

I checked the discussion section on these at hobby city and a bunch of people have these puffed for no apparent reason.

Yeah, I'd call that puffed.

I'm pretty sure they still release hydrogen when they "puff" so I wouldn't recommend puncturing them.

I have an "H-bomb" in my cellar?

So what do I do with them?

No it's not an H-bomb. :lol:

Generally you dispose of lithium batteries by first completely discharging them (0 volts), then put them in a saturated saline solution, then puncture them. Let them sit in there for a day or so then just throw them away. At least that's what I do...

I just found this article, too. It explains things in more detail.

http://www.thunderpowerrc.com/PDF/DI...-BATTERIES.pdf

Bor-ing.

Put them at the end of the garden and shoot some holes in them with an airgun or a bow- much more entertaining....

Staples recycles all types of batteries, no charge. I take all my old batteries there.

Not so sure that will be very entertaining - LiFe batteries are not supposed to catch fire.

Are we talking about flat Lipo's or round LiFe's ? Can a round battery puff?

A123s arent just round Life cells, they have a hard metal casing; they dont puff, but if you heat them upto about ~300-400*F or so they will indeed explode. In this instance though, we're discussing softcase LifePo4 packs that are essentially the same construction as regular softcase lipo packs.

I wasn't aware they could do that yet, I guess i'm falling behind on battery tech. got a link to these soft LiFepo packs? Not interested in buying, just want to read up on them