RCCrawler Forums

blue10 · 08-25-2010, 10:52 PM

Several have advised that to properly dispose of a LiPo, you should make a strong mix of salt water, and fully submerge a battery into it. The salt water will conduct the pos and neg and slowly discharge the battery into the water. When the battery is spent, it can be safely thrown in the trash.

This is what I've been told by several quite reliable sources, so this is what I did. I mixed a pound of salt into two quarts of water and dropped in four 1300mah 3s packs out in the garage and went inside. An hour later, I came out to find this.

No smoke, no sulpherous or chemical odor, just black water and grey foam.

What happened? I won't take the batteries out till morning, some of them are still bubbling away like they should be. I expect I'll find one opened up.

Damn Motorola Droid takes a halfway decent picture....

Failedabortion · 08-25-2010, 10:56 PM

Just don't use the droid to crawl...

Everything I've read says to leave them in for a week...not sure if it takes that long.

kmnss · 08-25-2010, 11:01 PM

Takes about 24hours to fully discharge.

SMR 510RR · 08-25-2010, 11:09 PM

Good to know. I have some that I think I should get rid of before they take a dump on me.

kmnss · 08-25-2010, 11:15 PM

Also, a pound of salt in 2 quarts is more than likely overkill on the salt to water content. You just need a little to make it conductive for DC voltage. Those packs are "over discharging" in the water which is why it looks like that. A steady stream of bubbles is normal.

Also, please dispose of them properly, they still have lithium in them when they're completely discharged. Lithium is bad for water supplies and most landfills. Just like taking your used motor oil to an auto parts place or other, these guys need to be disposed of properly.

blue10 · 08-25-2010, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmnss

Also, please dispose of them properly, they still have lithium in them when they're completely discharged. Lithium is bad for water supplies and most landfills. Just like taking your used motor oil to an auto parts place or other, these guys need to be disposed of properly.

Oh really, I kept hearing once they were flat, they were inert and trash can was fine. What is the correct disposal then? Fire station? Best Buy? Neighboring town's water supply?

mann0mann · 08-25-2010, 11:25 PM

Try your LHS. At my store, we use a free recycling service for batteries and take batteries for customers all the time.

blue10 · 08-25-2010, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mann0mann

Try your LHS. At my store, we use a free recycling service for batteries and take batteries for customers all the time.

Ah! We've got BatteriesPlus++ nearby...they ought to take them.

The Violator · 08-26-2010, 12:00 AM

So giving them to Smokey to drive a spike through is not a proper disposal technique?

kmnss · 08-26-2010, 12:09 AM

We have a service here that takes paint, paint cans, oil, antifreeze, lead, mercury, lithium, etc. You bring your water, electric, gas bill with you to prove that you live in the city and they take it for free. They also advertise that they take the CFL's too. Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs. I think anywhere that takes those will take the lipo's that are discharged completely. Look up "Cell phone recycling" in the phone book, anyone who takes those deals in lithium disposal.

Not that I haven't thrown my fair share of shit away, but now that it's mainstream, it could become a problem.

blue10 · 08-26-2010, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Violator

So giving them to Smokey to drive a spike through is not a proper disposal technique?

Smokey suggested I do that a couple days ago. Right before he told me to use a lot of salt....

He got the first copy of the pic in the OP. His response, "Holy shit that's crazy" Very helpful Smokey...

Now I got that witch's brew looking pot of black toxin sitting in my garage with who knows what going on beneath the surface. No problem though, thanks to the helpful folks in this thread, I now know I can take that pot of unholy water and my pickled batteries down to the city to have it all properly introduced into the water supply.

SMOKEY · 08-26-2010, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Violator

So giving them to Smokey to drive a spike through is not a proper disposal technique?

Everyone else was to chicken

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue10

Smokey suggested I do that a couple days ago. Right before he told me to use a lot of salt....

He got the first copy of the pic in the OP. His response, "Holy shit that's crazy" Very helpful Smokey...

If my memory serves me correctly I told you to shoot it with a BB gun and or to use a decent amount of salt in a 44oz cup! In no way did i tell you to use a pound of salt.

blue10 · 08-26-2010, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMOKEY

Everyone else was to chicken

If my memory serves me correctly I told you to shoot it with a BB gun and or to use a decent amount of salt in a 44oz cup! In no way did i tell you to use a pound of salt.

Oh yea....I was thinking the pellet gun was for the toad that went under my car, which by the way, the dog got the next evening and had to be flushed again.

As far as the pound of salt, well, I upped the recipe to serve more batteries in 2 quarts of water. I come from an Italian family, that's how we cook.

Terranaut · 08-26-2010, 08:29 AM

So, have ya taken the batteries out yet? What happened? What do they look like? First time I've seen this done, I've got a bunch all ready to burn my house down!

By the way, that's a great looking brew ya got there. Add sugar, bottle it and let it ferment for a couple weeks, then invite the in-laws for a BBQ.

Cheers.

blue10 · 08-26-2010, 09:29 PM

Ok this morning all the gray in the water had settled to the bottom. Looks flakey, like some kind of heavy ash.

I pulled the batteries out and they all are even more puffy and dangerous looking than they were before. But I found the culprit to the mess.

The "top" one of these cells is completely deflated....but it's still off gassing a little.

Now what am I supposed to do with these?

What am I supposed to do with the water?

prusik333 · 08-26-2010, 09:54 PM

1st: up your home owners insurance
2nd: leave the house, with all your crawlers of course
3rd: don't do this $hit again

blue10 · 08-26-2010, 09:57 PM

I think I might mix it in with my used motor oil. That stuff is filtered like mad in recycling and all the crap left behind gets incinerated. That ought to take care of it....??

sim · 08-27-2010, 09:43 AM

Why you throwing away the Deans?

rhett314 · 08-27-2010, 12:38 PM

Our local Lowes has a battery drop off that says they take lithium. It just says they have to be bagged separately. Doesn't say anything about being discharged or anything else.

08-25-2010, 10:52 PM	#1
blue10 Quarry Creeper Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Phoenix Posts: 477	Proper LiPo Disposal Several have advised that to properly dispose of a LiPo, you should make a strong mix of salt water, and fully submerge a battery into it. The salt water will conduct the pos and neg and slowly discharge the battery into the water. When the battery is spent, it can be safely thrown in the trash. This is what I've been told by several quite reliable sources, so this is what I did. I mixed a pound of salt into two quarts of water and dropped in four 1300mah 3s packs out in the garage and went inside. An hour later, I came out to find this. No smoke, no sulpherous or chemical odor, just black water and grey foam. What happened? I won't take the batteries out till morning, some of them are still bubbling away like they should be. I expect I'll find one opened up. Damn Motorola Droid takes a halfway decent picture.... Last edited by blue10; 08-25-2010 at 11:13 PM.

08-25-2010, 10:56 PM	#2
Failedabortion Rock Crawler Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Surprise, Az Posts: 848	Just don't use the droid to crawl... Everything I've read says to leave them in for a week...not sure if it takes that long.

08-25-2010, 11:01 PM	#3
kmnss Rock Crawler Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Arlington Posts: 684	Takes about 24hours to fully discharge.

08-25-2010, 11:09 PM	#4
SMR 510RR I wanna be Dave Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: San Francisco Posts: 2,236	Good to know. I have some that I think I should get rid of before they take a dump on me.

08-25-2010, 11:15 PM	#5
kmnss Rock Crawler Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Arlington Posts: 684	Also, a pound of salt in 2 quarts is more than likely overkill on the salt to water content. You just need a little to make it conductive for DC voltage. Those packs are "over discharging" in the water which is why it looks like that. A steady stream of bubbles is normal. Also, please dispose of them properly, they still have lithium in them when they're completely discharged. Lithium is bad for water supplies and most landfills. Just like taking your used motor oil to an auto parts place or other, these guys need to be disposed of properly.

08-25-2010, 11:25 PM	#7
mann0mann Like a boss... Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: NorCal Posts: 1,008	Try your LHS. At my store, we use a free recycling service for batteries and take batteries for customers all the time.

08-26-2010, 12:00 AM	#9
The Violator RCC Addict Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Token's life matters Posts: 1,836	So giving them to Smokey to drive a spike through is not a proper disposal technique?

08-26-2010, 12:09 AM	#10
kmnss Rock Crawler Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Arlington Posts: 684	We have a service here that takes paint, paint cans, oil, antifreeze, lead, mercury, lithium, etc. You bring your water, electric, gas bill with you to prove that you live in the city and they take it for free. They also advertise that they take the CFL's too. Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs. I think anywhere that takes those will take the lipo's that are discharged completely. Look up "Cell phone recycling" in the phone book, anyone who takes those deals in lithium disposal. Not that I haven't thrown my fair share of shit away, but now that it's mainstream, it could become a problem.

08-26-2010, 08:29 AM	#14
Terranaut Quarry Creeper Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Posts: 372	So, have ya taken the batteries out yet? What happened? What do they look like? First time I've seen this done, I've got a bunch all ready to burn my house down! By the way, that's a great looking brew ya got there. Add sugar, bottle it and let it ferment for a couple weeks, then invite the in-laws for a BBQ. Cheers.

08-26-2010, 09:29 PM	#15
blue10 Quarry Creeper Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Phoenix Posts: 477	Ok this morning all the gray in the water had settled to the bottom. Looks flakey, like some kind of heavy ash. I pulled the batteries out and they all are even more puffy and dangerous looking than they were before. But I found the culprit to the mess. The "top" one of these cells is completely deflated....but it's still off gassing a little. Now what am I supposed to do with these? What am I supposed to do with the water?

08-26-2010, 09:54 PM	#16
prusik333 RCC Addict Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Nevada Posts: 1,267	1st: up your home owners insurance 2nd: leave the house, with all your crawlers of course 3rd: don't do this $hit again

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08-26-2010, 09:57 PM	#17
blue10 Quarry Creeper Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Phoenix Posts: 477	I think I might mix it in with my used motor oil. That stuff is filtered like mad in recycling and all the crap left behind gets incinerated. That ought to take care of it....??

08-27-2010, 09:43 AM	#18
sim Quarry Creeper Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Malaysia Posts: 374	Why you throwing away the Deans?

08-27-2010, 12:38 PM	#19
rhett314 Rock Crawler Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fernley Posts: 870	Our local Lowes has a battery drop off that says they take lithium. It just says they have to be bagged separately. Doesn't say anything about being discharged or anything else.

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Thread: Proper LiPo Disposal