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All Forums >> Electric Aircraft Universe >> Brushed/Brushless motors, speed controls, gear drives >> Puffy Lipo
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Puffy Lipo - 6/14/2009 5:10 AM   
jamiebravo


 

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From: Lebanon, OH, USA
Status: offline 		I have a 980kv inrunner on a 18 amp ESC swinging a geared 11x4.7 prop with a Thunder power 1320mah battery.  After my flight I noticed the battery had puffed, it cooled and the puff went away. I charged the battery and tried to fly on a different day and the battery puffed again and I did not get off the ground.  I am afraid to hook the battery back up to the motor,  I put the battery in the fridge to cool it and remove the puff and have since charged and used it in a different plane. 
I did have a couple of landings where the gear flexed enough to let the prop hit the ground and grind the tips off but nothing fancy or full throttle manuvers that first flight.  What is up?
What would be a good repacement for this if it is the motor?  It is in a Powerline (Art Tech) YAK.  www.Bananahobby.com sells these planes but I got mine from LHS on sale cheap.
Thanks for the help.
Jamie

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RE: Puffy Lipo - 6/14/2009 3:24 PM   
speedy72vega


 

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Status: offline 		Jaimie, you didn't mention the C rating on the battery, is it high enough capacity for your application? Do you have a watt meter to test the amperage and wattage draw of your setup?
Also, did the battery puff again on the other plane you used it in? If it did, I would say bad battery. If it didn't, I would say you're overdrawing that battery on the plane in question.
If that pack is only a 10C, then you can only safely draw 13.2 amps continuous without damaging the battery, that's why you really should get a watt meter or find someone you can borrow one from to test your setup.

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RE: Puffy Lipo - 6/14/2009 4:35 PM   
jamiebravo


 

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Status: offline 		That will be my next purchase after the plane I just bought...  THe battery is 17c constant and 20c Burst.  17c puts it just under 18 amp constant.  The second time I flew it It acted funny just taxing (like the prop spun on the shaft) so I aborted and checked it out and found the battery was puffed alot more than the first time.  The battery works fine in the foamy I am flying and I have a meter to check balance of the pack.  If the ESC is bad the plane will not work? If the motor is bad that could over heat the battery? Drawing to many amps? I guess I need to invest in a meter or find someone with one.  What would be a good replacement moter if that is what is wrong?

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RE: Puffy Lipo - 6/14/2009 5:32 PM   
TedMo


 

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Status: offline 		What's next step for puffy battery? Explode, fire? You're just looking for trouble. This could happen even when charging and you're elsewhere. Oh well battery probably costs $20 bucks.

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RE: Puffy Lipo - 6/14/2009 9:33 PM   
jamiebravo


 

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Status: offline 		Twenty bucks! Tell me where? I have only been able to find them for $44 plus shipping.  Tnder power is the only battery that fits in the Yak.

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RE: Puffy Lipo - 6/15/2009 1:03 AM   
TedMo


 

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Status: offline 		My main point was not cost but taking a chance for few bucks.

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RE: Puffy Lipo - 6/15/2009 2:23 AM   
bobferguson



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Status: offline 		I am reading this and wonder what I should do with my TP PRO 30C 3850mah 3s1p pack that has puffed.  I have not even used the pack. Just some static tests at 35 amps. I have never had a TP puff on me. I guess I'll see what TP rma has to say.



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RE: Puffy Lipo - 6/15/2009 2:39 AM   
jamiebravo


 

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I got the 'few bucks' thing, a battery would be cheaper than burning down the house. 
Bob let me know what they say about the battery, prob. replace it and say pitch the old one.  I saw on youtube a guy showing how to 'unpuff' a lipo.  He poked a hole in it to let the air out then used CA to close the hole, did it in a seam so he could seal it better.  Says they work fine...



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RE: Puffy Lipo - 6/15/2009 2:22 PM   
speedy72vega


 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: jamiebravo

That will be my next purchase after the plane I just bought...  THe battery is 17c constant and 20c Burst.  17c puts it just under 18 amp constant.  The second time I flew it It acted funny just taxing (like the prop spun on the shaft) so I aborted and checked it out and found the battery was puffed alot more than the first time.  The battery works fine in the foamy I am flying and I have a meter to check balance of the pack.  If the ESC is bad the plane will not work? If the motor is bad that could over heat the battery? Drawing to many amps? I guess I need to invest in a meter or find someone with one.  What would be a good replacement moter if that is what is wrong?

If the motor is bad, it definitely is possible to draw excessive amps. I wouldn't run that motor until you can get a meter and find out exactly what the current draw is. As far as the battery is concerned, i definitely wouldn't chance using it or charging it, time to get a new one.

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RE: Puffy Lipo - 6/15/2009 10:14 PM   
jamiebravo


 

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From: Lebanon, OH, USA
Status: offline 		Speedy,
If the motor is bad and I put the tester on it, won't I fry the new battery if it is pulling too much juice?  How could I check the motor without using a battery?  They are not cheap!
Jamie

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RE: Puffy Lipo - 6/16/2009 2:52 AM   
speedy72vega


 

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Status: offline 		Jamie, once you hook the meter up, start advancing the throttle slowly, with the meter set to amps. If the amps skyrocket immediately, back the throttle down right away. If you do it for very short bursts, shouldn't harm the battery. You might want to use the puffed battery for the tests, since it's already ruined, just don't hold the throttle very long.
Does the motor turn freely by hand? Do you feel any kind of binding or rubbing?
Also, you might want to check Hobby King for batteries, the Zippy's are working great for me so far, very cheap too. Their Rhino brand seems to be pretty good too. Just a suggestion.
I have a Flight Power 3S 1800ma 30C battery I bought for my Blade 400. The battery isn't even 6 months old yet, and for some reason it takes twice as long to charge and balance as all of my other batteries, and it cost me $60.00. I think it's already going bad.
I bought 2 Zippy Flightmax batteries, 2200ma 3S 20C batteries for $19.00 each, with no problems so far. I now have 8 Zippy batteries, and all of them work perfect (once again...SO FAR! lol).
The two things that really suck about HK is that the batteries are very often out of stock, and you have to pay international shipping.

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RE: Puffy Lipo - 6/16/2009 6:08 AM   
RedGN



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Status: offline 		Jamie....
Lipo batteries are very unpredictable.  Don't be fooled by price.  I have had a thunder power battery puff on me also.

I have not experienced fire or exposions but i have seen videos on you tube of people forcing lipo failure at 'worst case scenerio' and it doesn't look pretty.  Apperently some sort of flamable gas  is released... This is what makes the battery puffy.

I have cheap lipo batteries which are fine.

Hobbycity.com has some nice cheap batteries.

hope this helps


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RE: Puffy Lipo - 6/16/2009 2:13 PM   
speedy72vega


 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: RedGN

Jamie....
Lipo batteries are very unpredictable.  Don't be fooled by price.  I have had a thunder power battery puff on me also.

I have not experienced fire or exposions but i have seen videos on you tube of people forcing lipo failure at 'worst case scenerio' and it doesn't look pretty.  Apperently some sort of flamable gas  is released... This is what makes the battery puffy.

I have cheap lipo batteries which are fine.

Hobbycity.com has some nice cheap batteries.

hope this helps


By the way, Hobby King and Hobby City are the same company, as is Hextronics.


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RE: Puffy Lipo - 6/17/2009 3:02 AM   
jamiebravo


 

Posts: 39
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From: Lebanon, OH, USA
Status: offline 		Thanks for the info.  I have a Rhino battery from Hobby king and with shipping it is not much cheaper than the Thunderpower. It is bigger and heavier but has higher C ratings and is doing great so far, but the only battery that fits in my YAK battery compartment is the Thunderpower. I will get a meter and check the motor.  The motor is a little stiffer than normal but turns free.
Jamie

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RE: Puffy Lipo - 6/17/2009 5:43 PM   
speedy72vega


 

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From: Littleton, CO, USA
Status: offline 		If it's harder to turn than normal, it's going to draw much more current than it ordinarily would. Once you get a meter, should tell you right away. You might have a bent shaft, or a bad bearing.

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All Forums >> Electric Aircraft Universe >> Brushed/Brushless motors, speed controls, gear drives >> Puffy Lipo
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