Are you wary of Li-Po batteries?

So,
If we are aware, and use common sense, there is probably not a great risk from the technologies we are commonly using?

I was aware of house-fires being caused by cheap mobile chargers (not necessarily connected to a phone) being left 'on' 24/7 a few years back..
As in all walks of life, we only here of the problems (few) compared with the millions of uneventful charge-cycles happening every day.

I think my own conclusion is if I buy a battery pack, and suitable (not the chinky-cheapest) battery charger, and steer clear of the most volatile technologies, I do not really need to worry about this..?? Probably NiMH technology will co for me and the Grandkids.
 
I'll echo all that has been said. If you are unhappy with the risks associated with li-ion battery technology in your locos, then don't go down that route. Stick with what you know and feel comfortable with.

Rik
 
ge_rik said:
I'll echo all that has been said. If you are unhappy with the risks associated with li-ion battery technology in your locos, then don't go down that route. Stick with what you know and feel comfortable with.

Rik
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I appreciate the sense of that, Rik, but what I'm trying to do is gather enough info to make an informed assessment of the risks..... many of the contributions to this thread have been useful to that end, and I think this is the conclusion I've reached: I understand that a properly protected, good quality lithium pack used and charged with due care (and with a suitable charger!) SHOULD have a minimal risk attached to it - certainly no greater than charging my smartphone or laptop. However, IF I can figure out a quick and easy way of making the battery pack removable from the 2095 without having to do a full body-removal for each charge, then I will probably charge it outside the loco just for belt-and-braces safety. To that end, I'm going to investigate locating the battery pack in the BoBo's fuel tank (the big box between the power bogies) and see if I can work out a removable bottom plate for the fuel tank so that the battery can easily be dropped out when required.

Jon.
 
ROSS said:
Agree Phil...
Moral to the question. If in doubt...don't do it!

This question has now appeared on 3 forums I know of!! ;D
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Hi Ross.
I placed the question in four fora.
Perhaps you haven't seen the Freerails forum?
 
Zerogee said:
I appreciate the sense of that, Rik, but what I'm trying to do is gather enough info to make an informed assessment of the risks..... many of the contributions to this thread have been useful to that end, and I think this is the conclusion I've reached: I understand that a properly protected, good quality lithium pack used and charged with due care (and with a suitable charger!) SHOULD have a minimal risk attached to it - certainly no greater than charging my smartphone or laptop. However, IF I can figure out a quick and easy way of making the battery pack removable from the 2095 without having to do a full body-removal for each charge, then I will probably charge it outside the loco just for belt-and-braces safety. To that end, I'm going to investigate locating the battery pack in the BoBo's fuel tank (the big box between the power bogies) and see if I can work out a removable bottom plate for the fuel tank so that the battery can easily be dropped out when required.

Jon.
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Sounds like an excellent plan, Jon. I think, if I could find a way, I'd make my battery packs removable for charging, but for the majority of my builds it's just not feasible. Of course, even then there are some risks disturbing the wiring and handling the batteries each time - so nothing is perfect.

I can remember many years ago when NiCd rechargeables were becoming more widely available, writing guidance for teachers against their use in technology lessons. There had been cases of children being burnt and even batteries exploding when they had been accidentally short circuited. On courses we ran, I recall more than one primary school teacher wiring the switch across the terminals of the battery in a circuit with a battery and bulb. Of course the bulb went out because the battery was short circuited. What worried me was that even after their error being explained a couple argued, " So what, it works doesn't it?"

Rik
 
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