START _LiPo Safety CONNECTOR This is a pretty basic one, as our hobby has lots of good-quality, high-current connectors available. If you use a poor connector or a crappy knockoff that can’t handle the current, you run the risk of melting it and shorting your battery—a good way to start a fire. Check your power specs, and ensure that your connector is adequate to handle the amps you plan on passing. DAMAGE Physical damage is the biggest safety concern when it comes to LiPo cell use. Fires are often caused by cells shorting out or by mixing internal chemicals that aren’t supposed to be mixed. Puncture damage is of the most concern, as it is sure to start a fire, but even swollen cells can cause an internal short due to vibration or as individual cells rub together in a collision. If your pack has any physical damage at all—a cracked case, swollen cells, cuts, slices, or punctures— safely dispose of it immediately. Using hard-case LiPo packs will help increase durability in this area. MINIMUM VOLTAGE Pretty much any LiPo-ready ESC has a cutoff voltage feature to cut power when battery voltage gets dangerously low. The lowest voltage you want to see is 3.0V per cell, but this is on a razor-thin edge of causing damage. The industry-standard cutoff is 3.3V per cell, but even this number can cause problems if you consistently hit it. We recommend setting your cutoff to 3.4V per cell, as it’s a bit safer and, by the time the voltage is this low, there is basically zero difference in runtime on the track, anyway. This slightly higher cutoff also helps to maintain a better balance between cells and allows your charger to match them faster. 32 WWW.VRCMAG.COM All of Derek’s soft packs look like a new bag of chips!
Velocity RC Cars Magazine VRC_031
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