• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Are Lithium Polymer batteries too dangerous? (1 Viewer)

Alastair Rae

London birder
I've just bought a 12V actinic trap and lithium polymer battery pack.

Li-Po batteries are marketed as a lightweight alternative to lead acid but the safety warnings are pretty dire. I've seen warnings like batteries should NEVER be left unattended while charging; do not charge overnight indoors; keep a dry fire extinguisher nearby; charge in a fire-resistant container etc.

Given that a 14 Ah battery takes over 10 hours to recharge, what am I supposed to do? Take a day off work to watch it charge?

I wish I'd seen these warnings earlier or I'd have got a cheaper lead acid battery.
 
I can only assume from the lack of replies that either I'm the only poor sod on BirdForum stuck with one of these batteries or people are baffled by my concerns.
 
Did the warnings come with the battery itself, or are they merely what you have discovered elsewhere?
What documentation comes with the battery itself? There is no obvious reason for there dire safety warnings. I do battery research for a living so may be able to help.

Rob
 
Did the warnings come with the battery itself, or are they merely what you have discovered elsewhere?
What documentation comes with the battery itself? There is no obvious reason for there dire safety warnings. I do battery research for a living so may be able to help.

Rob

So you're to blame for piss poor battery life in my phone!!!.........3:)

Andy
 
Did the warnings come with the battery itself, or are they merely what you have discovered elsewhere?
What documentation comes with the battery itself? There is no obvious reason for there dire safety warnings. I do battery research for a living so may be able to help.
The manufacturer's instruction leaflet with the battery didn't mention any of this. The retailer included an additional sheet saying not to leave the battery unattended while charging. That got me searching the net and found all sorts of dire warnings. If it helps, the battery in question is the Tracer 12V 14Ah. The retailer quoted some correspondence with the manufacturer saying they sells 1000s of these every year and nobody has every raised these safety concerns.

Am I being overcautious? This Fire Brigade leaflet doesn't seem to think so.
 
I believe you are OK. LiPo batteries are popular with model plane enthusiasts - they have much more of a safety issue since you won't be crashing your moth trap! Looking at the data sheet your battery does not use lithium metal as the anode but uses carbon instead. This is safer. However in Paris they have a fleet of electric vehicles with LiPo batteries and lithium anodes - so even these are safe enough.

Always use the approved charger.
Btw is the case rigid?

Rob
 
The case is ABS which I assume allows for some swelling.

I still have a nagging worry. Even those Li-Po charging bags have big warning labels saying don't leave them unattended and place on non-flammable surface.

I'm going to have to return it and find a heavy and bulky but safe sealed lead acid that I can leave on trickle charge.
 
This is really just a big lithium-ion battery, not a LiPo battery. Do you leave your phone/laptop unattended while charging?

Rob
 
Hello,

For what it is worth, I use a Lucas 22ah Golf Cart Battery and a Numax Connect & Forget charger when taking my 12W Actinic away from home. Obviously a converter is used in between them as I have a standard wall plug moth trap set up. I may try getting a different set up to eliminate the converter to lighten the load.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/LSLC22-12G-...82579&sr=8-3&keywords=lucas+golf+battery+22ah

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Battery-Cha...482642&sr=8-4&keywords=connect+forget+charger

Regards,
Andrew.
 
I have repeatedly used three of these types of batteries but the 22ah - which last longer - repeatedly charged them unattended and together. I wouldn't swap them for the older heavier batteries of the type that I have previously used and the flexibility to stick three actinics in a rucksack and carry them a distance with lightweight batteries to set out in habitat is a real advantage.

My only doubt is that my local gamekeeper has made covetous comments about them when I have set the traps on his land and they are pricey to replace. 3:)

All the best
 
lipo batteries can be dangerous when charged at a fast rate , they also can suffer from the cells not charging equally , when hobbyists use them they tend to charge them very fast , thus they heat up and are in danger of catching fire . Hobby use was also with a cell pack hooked up to a charger , not a consumer product that is designed for home use . The reason they were used in RC was becuase they could handle dumping a huge load of energy out in a very short time period , this was also why they depended to catch fire .

On a item that trickle charges you should be okay . It was very rare that lap tops and cell phones caught fire when using them.
 
I have repeatedly used three of these types of batteries but the 22ah - which last longer - repeatedly charged them unattended and together.
Do you take any special precautions when charging them? And if they're so safe why does the manufacturer say not to leave them unattended?
 
Do you take any special precautions when charging them? And if they're so safe why does the manufacturer say not to leave them unattended?

Alastair

No warranty on safety or otherwise nor any other recommendation that my approach is safe. Clearly each person needs to assess their own approach to what they feel comfortable with.

I tend to put them on my carpet all attached to the same 4 way adaptor next to my telly.

A friend has an inverted petrol can approach to making sure he can run his generators for longer. That's something which is certainly too unsafe for my tastes.

All the best
 
Last edited:
Ok, maybe I'm convinced it's not a ticking time bomb. But I think I might have to spend a tenner on an ammo box to charge it in just to keep my better half from worrying. (And me too).

Thanks all.
 
Ok, maybe I'm convinced it's not a ticking time bomb. But I think I might have to spend a tenner on an ammo box to charge it in just to keep my better half from worrying. (And me too).
Thanks all.
Hi Alastair
I would have thought that would make the problem, if it exists, worse. I'd be inclined to leave it open to dissipate any heat whilst charging.
Martin
 
The ammo box is a good idea, I have heard of some RC flyers doing that also a coffee can filled with sand and the battery on top of the sand. Any heat the battery builds up,does not come from being inclosed .

But as I said if this trap you bought comes from a reliable company and you trust their build then you should be fine , but if you have worries then go ahead and use the ammo box.
 
I have repeatedly used three of these types of batteries but the 22ah - which last longer - repeatedly charged them unattended and together. I wouldn't swap them for the older heavier batteries of the type that I have previously used and the flexibility to stick three actinics in a rucksack and carry them a distance with lightweight batteries to set out in habitat is a real advantage.

My only doubt is that my local gamekeeper has made covetous comments about them when I have set the traps on his land and they are pricey to replace. 3:)

All the best

What sort of actinic traps do you use that you can fit 3 in a rucksack? This sounds like a great set up. There are so many places round here I'd like to run a trap sometime but they're not really accessible carrying a generator and all the gubbins for a MV light.

Cheers
 
Warning! This thread is more than 8 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top