Lithium ION Batteries

[Salamander]

I mentioned a couple of Lith Ion Batts I was about to obtain.  Got both. 12v/4800 milliamps.  Both fitted with a safety PCB that stops overcharging and also stops running the battery down over it MIN safe voltage .  Comes with a charger (each)  12v/350 milliamp output.  Another garden rail modeller has run his battery (4500 milliamp) for 5 hours in his diesel.  I have not run mine yet.  Batteries from Hong Kong cost incl airmail-sign for- approx $28 to the USA and £17.50 to UK. 

Yikes! I see they now have a 12v/9800 milliamp battery available with charger  (approx $45.00)!!

 Google  http://shop.ebay.co.uk/wow2buy/m.html?_nkw=batteries&_sacat=0&_trksid=p3911.m270.l1313&_odkw=&_osacat=0 for full info.

 

 

[Salamander]

The lap top scare fires were caused by  thousands of faulty  produced batteries (LITH) by a very famous battery maker (or its agent in manufacturing)..  The major problems have been by aeromodellers (I am one and know what these modellers do to their 'planes!!)  People will just not follow the instructions.

The LITH ION batteries with their low voltage protection circuit are a great advance in the manufacture of the batteries.  LITH POLYMERS on the other hand did not have these circuits in them and consequently were overcharged with the heightened risk of fires.  There are now even safer Lithium types available - albeit at a greater cost. . .but what price safety ?..this does not mean we can leave the batteries to be charged unattended.  I would not do so and anybody that can read will see the majority of leaflets tell users NOT to leave charging batteries unattended.

These batteries have been used by my collegue and I for over 100 charges and discharges in a largish model helicopter for over a year. We do not leave the batteries unattended when being charged AND  we use the correct chargers. It is flown sedately not like a mad bumble bee.  Proves the case really.  Take care and you will be ok.  Go mad and you ask for trouble..and a loco does not go mad!  Besides.  Lith cells are in daily use in cameras, phones, lap tops. Not heard of fires lately in these. (Heck, some people even give their 5 year old kids a mobile phone with a lithium battery installed in it and send them off to school with them!!).  . 

Abuse anything and you get trouble and that is what aeromodellers are doing..abusing their batteries by flogging them to death. Check out the 3D heli guys at the local field for instance.  I think railroad modellers who use them regularly, will tell you they have not had trouble and that most of the scare stories about Lithium batteries  come from either people who have only read about them and not used them regularly, or those who have used and abused them as mentioned above.

I think people are free to make up their own minds whether to use the new batteries and should not be put off by scare stories. 

However, the guy that charged his batteries on the tailgate of his car (Volvo), left them and went flying  rued the day he did that trick.  His car was burned out.

 As a matter of interest, the only time I have had a battery disaster was from a NiMH 4.8v pack which short circuited . . but that was my own fault.

 Lesson learned - keep metal tools away from batteries!

[Greg Elmassian]

Actually the scares of fires really got going when laptops caught on fire.

Lithium ion batteries are not safer than nicads or nickel metal hydride batteries by a long shot.

You must take more care with them, in chargers, protection circuitry, and handling

I use them, but having a protection circuit does not mean the batteries themselves are safter.

Just use them as directed with the proper handling, protection and chargers.

 

Regards, Greg

[Salamander]

The following show  LITH ION types with a low voltage cut off pcb installed.  http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370243681588  A battery of your choice for example,  a 12v.4500 milliamp type  (I would call it 11.6v) comes with a charger as well  Price ?= .  $28.3857 US  /   £17.00 UK  /   19.9601 EURO/   Post free!  There is also a 4800 maH type.  See also http://inesun.com/show-10408,YSD-12300.html

In view of the fact that these are reputed to be safer for the operator to charge/use  it has to be  worth a look at least. I have ordered two so will report back.  One thing.  These batteries are for CCTV surv cameras and have what appear to be audio plugs (?) on them.  As the charger has the same plug then it only requires one battery plug changed. 

 Lithium batteries (particularly Lithium Polymer types) have taken an awful lot of flack about fires etc.,This mainly comes from the model airplane crowd who hammer the batteries doing 3D type aerobatics.  A battery, if treated properly and not flogged to death, charged properly and NOT let run right down below their optimum voltage is ok.  Just read the instructions and warnings and note them.

FORTUNATELY..the LITH ION types are a safer bet.  IT DOES NOT MEAN YOU DISREGARD WARNINGS.  Just treat with respect.  They carry a fair old whack of power.