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General Info About LiPo BatteryUpdated 2 years ago

Leaving the LiPo battery plugged into the main drive unit when not in use is not recommended. The battery may continue to drain - and if the voltage drops below the minimum voltage this will permanently damage the battery. This would not be covered under warranty, so to protect your investment ALWAYS disconnect the battery plug from the drive when not in use.

During the end of the charging process the charger will verify that each cell is balanced and indicate this balanced state by showing all three LED lights green if using the B3Pro charger - or by alternating between "FUL" & the voltage readout in the display window of the HotRC charger.

  • Always charge the battery inside a fireproof container such as a LiPo battery charging bag.
  • Always charge away from anything flammable.
  • Always charge to "FUL" before use every time to assure proper balance of all cells inside the battery. 
  • If the battery is used before it reaches FUL - this will permanently damage the battery causing it to stop taking or holding a charge.
    • Note: you may interrupt charging before it reaches full and continue charging later - as long as you don't USE it until it has been fully charged. 

  • Never charge, discharge, use, or store a damaged or puffy LiPo battery. Immediately dispose of them properly.
  • Avoid purchasing used LiPo batteries. You never know what the previous owner did with them and they could already be badly damaged. “LiPo Battery Like New, Used Once” is usually a scam and should be avoided.
  • Always use a LiPo battery charger recommended for your battery. 
  • Never leave your LiPo batteries charging while unattended. If a battery starts to become puffy, smoke, or catches fire you need to be able to immediately handle the situation.
  • A LiPo fire is a chemical fire. Always keep a Class D fire extinguisher nearby your battery charging/discharging and storage area. The battery charging/discharging and storage area should be free from any materials which can catch fire such as wood tables, carpet, or gasoline containers. The ideal surface for charging and storing LiPo batteries is concrete or ceramic.
  • Never overcharge a LiPo battery. 
  • Never “trickle” charge a LiPo battery.
  • Never fully discharge your LiPo battery. 
    • 11.1v Home Original battery - stop using it after the limit of 10 minutes of motor run time, or about five 90 second play sessions. Completely discharging the battery can cause permanent damage.
    • 14.8v Home Plus battery - stop using when the charge reaches 13.0 and recharge to FUL before using. Failing to charge to FUL or over-discharging the battery will cause permanent damage.
  • Never leave your LiPo batteries sitting around on a full charge for more than 2-3 days. 
    • If by the 3rd day you realize you are not going to use your battery today, you need to discharge your battery for safe storage until you are ready to use the battery again.
  • Always store your LiPo batteries at room temperature. 
    • Do not store them in a hot garage.
    • Do not store them in a cold refrigerator. 
      • Even though a cold battery has less chemical reaction taking place which can prolong its lifespan, taking a battery out from a cold fridge can cause condensation to occur on the inside of the battery, which can be very dangerous.
  • Always remember that heat is the number one enemy of LiPo batteries. The hotter your batteries get, the shorter their lifespan will be. 
    • Never charge a battery that is still warm from usage.
    • Never use a battery that is still warm from charging.
  • Depending on how they are used, your LiPo battery will last for 150 to 250 charge cycles. Leaving them around on a full or depleted charge all the time, running them completely dead, or exposing them to high temperatures will shorten this lifespan dramatically.
  • LiPo batteries do not work well in cold weather. The colder it is, the shorter your run times will be due to the slowing down of the chemical activity within the battery. If it is below 14F (-10C), LiPo usage is not recommended at all. Your battery could cause your SwiftPaws to suddenly fail without warning in these temperatures.
  • Always pack your LiPo batteries in your carry-on bag and never in your checked baggage when traveling on an airplane. It’s the law.

Disclaimer

The advice given above is general in nature and you are responsible for the safety of your batteries. SwiftPaws is not responsible for any direct, indirect, special, or consequential damages and personal injuries, including that to life, and health, resulting from the customer’s application and use of batteries sold by SwiftPaws.com.

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