How do you know a LiPo Battery is Dead - RC LiPo Basics

This video provides 3 easy steps to determine if your LiPo battery is dead or past it's lifespan.
Your battery pack is the only significant wear item in your RC power system. The LiPo battery used in many RC applications typically has a lifespan of approximately 3 years.
Higher drain RC's will tend to reduce the lifespan of the battery as the LiPo is worked much harder and aggressively.
You will be able to determine the end of your batteries lifespan by:
1) Physical Size
2) Performance in your RC vehicle
3) Internal Resistance as measured from your computer charger
Disposing of batteries
• How can a RC LiPo BATT...
#lipobattery #rcbattery #rclipos #rc #radiocontrolinfo

[@alphaj9]

“I’ve been keeping this pack outside due to safety reasons. Now watch as I put it right up to my face and press on it” 😂

[@ronchang9791]

At the end of the video, you mention that you use all 3 parameters to determine the health of a battery. Does that mean that if it begins to increase in size, but the performance and IR numbers are still low and equivalent, it should still be replaced? Thanks.

[@RCexplained]

A puffed lipo subjects the user to increased risk of the pack failing or bursting.

[@nl0779]

Heyy, I have a 3.7v 10a powerbank battery I don't know if the battery is good or bad it's not swollen but the covering of battery doesn't look neat, I mean like unironed, doesn't have any hole or doesn't seem to be bad but a doubt, is it a good batter?

[@Abszurdista-fatalista]

One of my 1-cell LiPos has an internal resistance of 100mOhm. What is your opinion on its condition?

[@RCexplained]

It's hard to say with limited data. The best approach is to refer to a manufactures specification. If the pack was a 120mAh cell, that would be great. If it is a 5000mAh cell, the resistance you have measured is very bad.

[@cindyshields5753]

My battery is a 3s lipo battery hard cased and it's on a full charged and when I'm on offroad/grass terrain, it kinda cuts on and off a bit very little on and off ac but noticed. Help please? Not seen any of my batteries do this..

[@RCexplained]

Your pack if it's old may be losing its punch

[@silviamills5218]

I have a micro 2s battery pack I've been running in a crawler it's always looked a little chubby on one end of it but the rest of it looks fine, I actually have two micro battery packs and it looks about 1/3 to 1/4 centameter bigger than the other, it also has two layers of wrap a clear wrap all the way around the battery and a black wrap that's just around the sides of it but is open on the ends for the wires to come out on the other one it's got plenty of room but on this one it looks kinda like someone trying to fit into pants that are just a little bit too small for comfort. Do you know how puffed would be too puffed it's not getting hot it's staying quite cool actually and the performance seems the same as the other (brand new) one. Is it ok?

[@RCexplained]

Do you know what the internal resistance of the battery is for each pack?

[@silviamills5218]

@@RCexplained no my charger has a test function but my micro charger doesn't and my regular charger doesn't have the right plug.

[@RCexplained]

@@silviamills5218 batteries that have expanded in physical size is a sign that the health of the pack has degraded. It is tough to comment on the condition of your pack without running tests and being able to see it. I'm sure if you showed a member of your local RC club they could assess it for you.

[@bdubq3653]

My challenge is that I like how a hardcase LiPo provides some sort of protection against the elements in an RC car application, but it makes it impossible to tell if the cells are ballooning, right? Would I expect the plastic to actually deform from the extent of the battery degradation or would it be too dangerous by then? Should I open it up and check? Stick with only soft packs?

[@RCexplained]

A hard case does offer good protection, however I would definitely be interested in knowing the condition of my LiPo. If I could not crack the case open to see the LiPo, I probably would not use that LiPo. Some hard case LiPo's will expand out a bit as the LiPo cell begins to expand. It is not as obvious though. I personally prefer not to use hard case LiPo's but hard case LiPo's can work very well and are very safe if used correctly and the health of the pack is monitored.

[@cindyshields5753]

@@RCexplained My battery is a 3s lipo battery hard cased and it's on a full charged and when I'm on offroad/grass terrain, it kinda cuts on and off a bit very little on and off ac but noticed. Help please? Not seen any of my batteries do this..

[@RCexplained]

@@cindyshields5753 if the battery is old it may be losing its punch.

[@arjunsk1924]

@@cindyshields5753 I’m having the same issue and thinking the same, but my cut outs are very noticeable as the car doesn’t go over 4 mph once driving off road

[@cindyshields5753]

@Arjun SK that means you got a dead cell in the Lipo. I figured out what was wrong. All good now. "It was the ESC".

[@perceptrongaming4290]

My quadcopter is not lifting up ,could be the lipo-battery be the problem ?

[@RCexplained]

Hey Alpha Gaming, If your quad is not able to get airborne, the LiPo could be the problem. See if you are able to compare the internal resistance of the LiPo against when the LiPo is new. Internal resistance being too high will not allow the pack to dump enough power for your quad.

[@perceptrongaming4290]

@@RCexplained thanks for your help

[@pankon13quesos]

When an esc gets fried by a short via the motor connecters, does it kill your lipo? I've checked the volts with a lvm and it read charged. So I plugged it to my rcs and it works on some of them. Any info or advice?

[@RCexplained]

Not necessarily. It depends for how long the battery was dealing with the "short." you can confirm this by measuring the internal resistance of the pack.

[@cobyhartzler4041]

I have a 4s Lopo and when I use it at full charge around half throttle it will work like normal but if I try going full throttle for longer than a couple of seconds it cuts it down to half power. But if I unplug it and plug it back in it goes back to normal. Is this the battery or the rc truck?

[@RCexplained]

What are the internal resistances of all 4 battery cells in milliohms?

[@cobyhartzler4041]

@@RCexplained I am not sure my charger does not tell me

[@RCexplained]

@@cobyhartzler4041 your battery could be weak

[@SKYELOVER]

I have a phone with a battery what you have how long would you keep a battery before you get rid of it?

[@RCexplained]

I would keep it until performance has become significantly impacted that it does not function as required. Or I would get rid of it if there was obvious physical damage to the battery.

[@SKYELOVER]

@@RCexplained hey i have a big serious super important question i have a 6 year old battery pack and it wouldn't get off flat without me putting a load on it and it is getting super hot and taking way longer to charge on tue same adaptor as i normally use does that mean its on the way out?

[@RCexplained]

Hello do you know if your phone is running an application that is drawing a lot of power? Have you cleared all apps from memory? Is the battery and other parts of the phone also getting warm to the touch.

[@SKYELOVER]

@@RCexplained i meant battery pack with usbs it is getting super hot on charge and it never did before

[@RCexplained]

@@SKYELOVER getting hot while charging is a problem.

[@Axxetto]

The thing is that I don't know if my drone has a problem or its the battery

[@RCexplained]

What is happening with your drone that makes you think you have a problem?

[@filane-paprićoze]

What if a LiPo battery smells like fruit or something thats based on sugar?

[@RCexplained]

A sweet smell can be a sign of a damaged LiPo. If the pack has been physically damaged, I would dispose of it.