Lipo (Lithium) Battery Safety Guide

Lithium Polymer or LiPo batteries are a great new way of storing energy for portable devices from cell phones, home electronics to RC hobby battery packs used in cars, boats and flight. They’re great because they can store 350% (approximately) more energy than a typical NiCd/NiHm battery pack and weigh 10% - 20% less. They can also discharge much more current than a NiCd/NiHm battery and can be fully charged in about an hour. When charging your TATTU professional UAV LiPo batteries, they must be charged at the voltage of the number of cells in series, therefore a 5S4P pack must be charged as a 5 cell pack. 0 LiPo Battery Charging Tips

• Always use a charger made to charge LiPo packs
• Double check that the settings for the lithium polymer charger are correct for the pack being charged. This includes the cell count, as well as the current settings. In general, most lithium polymer batteries should be charged to no more than 4.2 volts per cell or depleted to less than 3.0 volts per cell.
• Ensure that charging leads are connected correctly. Reverse charging can lead to cell damage or a fire or explosion.
• Always charge LiPo batteries on surfaces that won’t catch on fire such as cement, steel, ceramic or stone. Wooden tables and carpeted floors are not recommended charging surfaces.
• Do not charge batteries near flammable products or liquids.
• Never charge a LiPo battery while inside your model or other electronic device. If it catches fire it can lead to total destruction of the item it is being charged in.
• LiPo batteries should be charged within a temperature range of 0C to 50C. Batteries charged outside this temperature range may experience leakage, heat generation or cell damage.
• Never leave a charging lithium polymer battery pack unattended.
• Do not charge inside an automobile, especially while driving.
• Do not store batteries inside an automobile.
• If unsure of the charge rating, never charge a lithium polymer battery pack at a rate over 1C (1 x the battery packs rated capacity).
• Never charge a LiPo pack that has ballooned or swelled due to over / under charging or from a crash.
• Never charge a lithium polymer battery pack that has been punctured or damaged in a crash.
• Never, under any circumstances let the positive and negative battery leads touch each other. It can lead to cell ballooning, cell damage or fire or an explosion.
• Have a fire extinguisher near the charging area or a large bucket of dry sand. Do not try to distinguish with water.
• If you notice your LiPo battery pack is swelling, stop the charging process immediately, put the battery in a safe container and observe it for 15 minutes.
• Always charge your Lipo battery packs in a Lipo charging safe bag.