Question about Trustfires

[samurai_rob]

Ok, this will be the first time I've used Lithium cells, and was wondering just how REAL is the threat of li batteries exploding? I hear lots of horror stories about batteries going BOOM! and was just wanting to find out how real the threat of exploding batteries is. I know the Trustfires are protected cells, but what usually causes the batteries to fail?

[=CharlieAstro=]

first off dont over charge them
and Li-Po's go boom iv never heard
of a Lithium blowing up mabe bern out
but not bloow up if that helps at all.

[samurai_rob]

My biggest concern is how safe are the trustfires? Or how easy it is to mess them up?

[=CharlieAstro=]

i ment Ni-Cad's dont go boom
Li-Po's do

[=CharlieAstro=]

am sure if you buy a good charger they
should be safe to use

[Novastar]

Samurai... somewhere on here (don't remember where) I posted a thread about Li-Ions with quite a bit of detail. If you find it... great.

In the meantime, all I can say is... in the past 2-3 years that I've used Li-Ion cells (mainly 18650s)... I've never once had a disaster in my own sabers. The only solitary dangerous situation came from an 11.1v pack that *I* did not buy, and it was in an H-blade saber that was given to me. I'm not trying to be biased--but it's just a fact: the pack smoked, sizzled, caught on fire, and charred a hole into the tile on the floor. It's a long story, but... at this point, the pack was isolated, sitting by itself. I can't imagine why it fried, but... it did.

HORROR STORY aside, lmao... that is only ONE pack, and Edwin and I have some mixed feelings about how that pack was being "drawn from" regarding current.

Otherwise, I've used probably 20+ Li-Ion cells in one way or another... and never ONCE had any kind of disaster. Closest thing would be that I "short circuited" a pack back in 2005/2006 (when I was very new) while trying to implement a kill/recharge port option... but I jacked it up due to being so new with stuff. HOWEVER... the PCB protection saved my butt since once it detected the short--it cut power.

The beauty of the Li-Ion setup is that the PCBs are made to protect against ALL sorts of things... reverse polarity... short circuit... over-draw... over-charge... over-drain... ... good stuff!

The slight disadvantage is that, yes, the PCB is always drawing a teeny tiny amount of current... but... so what? To forsake something like 1mA for a myriad of safety precautions... it's well worth it. WELL worth it.

[samurai_rob]

Thanks, Nova! I feel better, now. (but just watch me blow off a hand)

[Ghostbat]

The danger of LI is when people build battery packs without knowing what they are doing or charge them with a charger too dumb to know when to stop. A properly built battery (already done for you in the case of a trustfire) and a smart charger and you should be golden.

[Moordak]

Then I am correct in assuming there would be no problem using the Trustfires in the store with the Li-Ion smart charger also sold in the store. The actual smart charger not Trustfire All-in-one charger. I'd really rather not have to take them out everytime to charge them.

I know that's a noob question and I apologize, but I have no experience when it comes to Li-Ions and I've had some of the same concerns Sam Rob expressed.

[Tradeliphine]

ive been told by several members that it is fine, that is the very idea of putting rechargables in a holder and wiring in a recharge port.