"Eric Greenwell" wrote in message
...
If you are still interested in Lithium batteries for your glider, read
this article on the cautions given model airplane users. He gives
statistics and talks about safety aspects, including ways to avoid
torching your car or your house. Here's the article:

http://rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=209187


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Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

I spent a couple of days at the Academy of Model Aeronautics Convention
which was in the Ontario, CA Convention Center a month before the SSA
convention was in the same venue. SSA had a booth there.

LiPo battery vendors were everywhere on the convention floor. Electric R/C
helicopters and airplanes were being flown indoors all powered by LiPo
batteries.

I asked all the vendors about the "Fire/Explosion problem" with Lithium
Polymer batteries. They said, "Sure, if you are dumb enough to use a
charger designed for a lead acid battery." No one said there were any
issues with the batteries IF you used the correct charger and didn't do
something dumb like puncture a cell.

It's worth noting that the model airplane guys use Li-Po cells in metal foil
pouches instead of hard plastic boxes because they are lighter. Any Li-Po
battery likely to be used in a glider will be in a hard, impact resistant
case. The real problem is that 8AH, 14.8V Li-Po packs cost about $300.
That's likely to drop by 50% in the next year.

The only guy that claimed there was a problem was a guy in the parking lot.
However, he was setting on a case of homebrew Nitro-Methane model engine
fuel while puffing on a cigarette. I think his label said "Standback &
Duck".

Bill Daniels