LiPo, LIFE, NiMH Battery & Charger Safety And Information

UNDERSTANDING BATTERY MARKINGS FOR NiMH BATTERIES

The capacity of a battery is stated in mA (milli-amps).

One milli-amp is one thousandth of an amp, therefore 2400mA is 2.4Amps.

The higher the milli-amp number, the longer the battery will last before a recharge is required. For example: a 2400mA battery pack will last approx. twice as long as a 1200mA pack. The capacity DOES NOT affect the velocity or rate of fire of any electric gun. The voltage of a battery pack DOES affect the rate of fire but does not affect the velocity (FPS) of any electric gun. Most AEG’s (Automatic Electric Gun) are designed to run on a 8.4V battery pack.

Using a 7.2V will decrease the rate of fire by approx. 10 to 15% but the gearbox will generally last longer as it is under less strain and will also use 10 to 15% less BB’s per minute of firing.

Using a 9.6V pack will increase the rate of fire by a similar percentage but will decrease gearbox life and obviously use more BB’s per minute of firing.

A 9.6V pack should only be used in AEG’s with steel gearsets as it will quickly destroy alloy gears. A battery will never increase the velocity or range of an AEG. Only an upgrade involving a new piston spring, possibly piston and/or o-ring seals will do this.

To calculate the charging times use the following formula:

Battery capacity (mah) divided by charger output (mah) multiplied by 1.4 to give charging time in hours.
For example:  1100/250 X 1.4 = 6.16 hours

Lipo & LIFE Batteries

Lithium Polymer cells are a tremendous advance in battery technology for RC, Airsoft, Power Tools etc, use. However, due to the chemistry of lithium cells, there is a possibility of fire if charging is not properly done, but if used safely by adhering to simple rules and precautions should give a problem free life.

• Batteries should NEVER be left unattended while charging.
• Be absolutely sure that the Lithium Polymer charger settings are correct for the battery pack being charged – both voltage and current settings.
• Lithium Polymer must be CHARGED and STORED in a fire-safe container like a Lipo bag.
• Do not charge batteries near flammable items or liquids.
• Never leave batteries inside a car on a hot day or any other place where temperature may exceed 140F / 60C.
• Do not place the loose cells on any conductive surface, such as a metal-topped table.
• We recommend purchasing pre-assembled packs rather than assembling packs from loose cells.
• Take care that the cells are not punctured, especially by metallic objects
• Keep a dry fire extinguisher nearby or a large bucket of dry sand, which is a cheap and effective extinguisher.
• Never charge inside an car or other place that is likely to be near, i.e a car on a hot summer day or near a radiator (yes people do do it)
• KEEP BATTERIES AWAY from children and pets at ALL times.

Connection: You must be sure that the correct polarity is observed when connecting a battery pack to charger, model or airsoft gun

RED = POSITIVE (+)
BLACK = NEGATIVE (-)

Charging/Discharging: Charge your lipo / LIFE battery pack at 5C or less on a lipo / LIFE approved charger only.  If you choose to charge at any rate higher than 1C, you must use a balance charging system.  Otherwise you risk your pack becoming severely out of balance over time, which in turn will significantly decrease the lifespan.

Do NOT charge your lipo packs on a NIMH/NICD charger. Your charger must be designed for lipo cells. Do not charge above 4.2V per cell, over discharge under 3V per cell. Never leave lipo / LIFE packs unattended during charging.

Don’t leave the battery pack plugged in while not in use. The pack can still discharge to an unsafe level and damage the pack even if all components are turned off.

It is dangerous to draw more power than what the pack is rated for.

Storage: If you don’t plan on using your lipo pack for longer than a week, store it at 60% of the pack’s rated capacity.  Make sure to cycle your packs at least once per month since leaving them on the shelf for a prolonged period of time can cause performance issues due to increased internal resistance in the cells.

Do not, under any circumstances, attempt to “heat up” your batteries or increase the voltage of a pack above 4.2V per cell using these devices or techniques. THIS IS NOT SAFE AND IS LITERALLY PLAYING WITH FIRE!

Do not  bump the voltage of LiPo / LIFE packs using settings other than the lithium polymer or LIFE setting on their charger. The manufacturers of lithium polymer cells suggest a voltage range of 3V-4.2V. Increasing voltage above 4.2V per cell is not safe. You should never attempt to charge your packs beyond the voltage set for lithium polymer packs on your lithium polymer charger. Using other battery settings to “bump” the voltage beyond 4.2V per cell can cause fire and injury.

Charger Selection: Remember NEVER use a battery charger not designed for the battery, even though LIFE batteries are similar to Lipo battery packs, they must NEVER be charged using a battery charger designed for the other battery, LIFE batteries operate in stages of 3.3v and again with LIFE batteries you must only use a charger designed for LIFE batteries even though often the case they use the same connectors as normal Lipo batteries.

Always charge any battery on a heat / fire proof mat or surface.

We can not accept any liability for any injury or damage caused by the use or charging of a Lipo / LIFE battery pack or charger, make sure you fully understand how to use, charge and store a Lipo / LIFE battery pack before purchase and use.

By purchasing a battery and or charger you fully accept the above terms