District VIII - 2006/12
Beware: an editorial and my personal opinion follows
This, for some AMA members, may be the most important district column I have ever written. It may well save your model aircraft, your means of transportation, your workshop, your motel room, your home, or possibly even save your life or the lives of those you hold near and dear from the results of a catastrophic failure and spectacular fire. I mention this because if this doesn’t apply to you now, someday it may—please review this column.
The catastrophic failure of several types of rechargeable batteries regularly used in aeromodeling can result in an awesome and spectacular fire. I will not belabor the subject by trying to relate the causes of such catastrophic failures. I’ve seen very knowledgeable people debate for hours the possible causes and who or what is at fault. Just know that it can and does happen. Having seen such a fire, I would compare it to igniting a pile of gunpowder or lighting a large box full of Fourth of July fireworks all at once.
For your own information, do an Internet search (or ask a friend to do one for you) using any popular search engine. Search on “LIPO” or “Li-Poly fire.” You will find numerous still pictures and videos of actual fires as well as staged demonstrations involving batteries commonly used in aeromodeling. Catastrophic failures and dramatic fires can and do happen. Please be reminded of recent events in the laptop-computer battery industry: recalls of millions of units. I will not be discussing why these failures occur, but be forewarned by this information and by what you may find on the Internet: the potential for catastrophic failures and devastating fires is infrequent but quite real and always unexpected.
Recommendation: use a fire-resistant container
For some peace of mind and the cheapest insurance you can purchase to protect yourself, obtain a fire-resistant container. Use it at all times for the storage, transportation, and charging of any and all batteries that have the potential for a catastrophic failure and fire. The cost of doing this may range from just pennies to less than a hundred dollars.
- Heavy-duty crockpot liners can be purchased inexpensively from secondhand stores.
- Ammunition boxes from surplus stores are inexpensive and durable.
- Purpose-built, fire-resistant home document safes can be bought new from discount stores for less than $20.
- Purpose-built, fire-resistant containers are also available specifically in the modeling industry.
Once a catastrophic battery failure or fire happens, it does not matter what caused it. Protection from such failures is vital and could be one of the most important—yet cheapest—precautions and sources of peace of mind you can purchase.
Problems with rechargeable batteries used in aeromodeling are infrequent and often unexpected, but they are real. An ounce of prevention goes a long way. I cannot overstate the importance of this information. It does happen, but damage and death are totally avoidable.
SANE: Safe Aeromodeling is No Accident! Flying, Fun, and Fellowship. Sandy Frank.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
