[Arschloch]

Dead LiPo battery and the designated charger won't charge. Can it be rescued or is it toast?

[Richard230]

If the battery is completely dead or showing a very low voltage, the battery is toast. Trying to recharge it might result in a fire. If you try that be sure to charge the battery outside, sitting on a fireproof surface and make sure that nothing flammable is around it.

[Arschloch]

Thanks, respecting the safety measures how would i try it when the LiPo charger doesn't do it? Do I take the lead battery charger or lab power adapter set it to 12V and 1Amp?

[Richard230]

Thanks, respecting the safety measures how would i try it when the LiPo charger doesn't do it? Do I take the lead battery charger or lab power adapter set it to 12V and 1Amp?

I can't answer your question as I have no experience with LiPo batteries. My response was what I have heard from posts on my electric motorcycle forum. All the lithium batteries that I have firsthand knowledge of use LiFePo4 chemistry, which is much more stable than lithium polymer batteries, such as are used in radio controlled toys.

However, if you actually have a 12V motorcycle lithium battery, then that will be LiFePo4 type and you can use a standard 12V motorcycle battery charger, like a Battery Tender Plus, or a dedicated lithium battery charger, which is also made by BT, or other brand to attempt to recharge your battery. Just be sure that the charger that you are using does not have a pulse function designed to bring sulfated lead acid batteries back to life. That type of charger will finish off a lithium battery for sure.  If the charger will not turn on that means that the voltage is too low for the charger to bring the battery back to life.

If you decide to use a lab charger, then set it at 14.3 volts and use a very low amperage setting, until it looks like the voltage is rising back to normal. When and if that happens, you can switch to a motorcycle-type battery charger.

[gizzo]

If you decide to use a lab charger, then set it at 14.3 volts and use a very low amperage setting, until it looks like the voltage is rising back to normal. When and if that happens, you can switch to a motorcycle-type battery charger.

If it's gone completely flat, some damage has been done. But I've brought back many rc model lipo packs doing what Richard described. Set the charger to the 12v lead acid setting and give it a few minutes like that. It'll give the battery enough surface charge for the lipo charger to start working. They're never as good as before, but better than no battery.

[Arschloch]

Ok, it's a LiFePo4, however I think it's going to land on one of those giga battery yards they are going to build around soon.

[Richard230]

Give charging it a try. The LiFePo4 chemistry is fairly robust for lithium batteries, so it might recover.  Anyway you have nothing to loose. 

[Arschloch]

I gave that poor thing already a chance placing it under my arse, now you want me to provoke it also and place it under my arse again?   

[Richard230]

I gave that poor thing already a chance placing it under my arse, now you want me to provoke it also and place it under my arse again?   

If you sit on it long enough maybe it will hatch.   

[Arschloch]

The last time i sat on it it grew over my head. 

[Bilgemaster]

Bit late to the party, and while I have no real experience with Lithium batteries, I have found that if other battery types like lead acid or nickel cadmium are allowed to discharge below a certain point, like from just sitting around, then "smart chargers" may not kick in to even TRY to bring them back. The threshold for this for vehicle (12v lead acid or AGM) and cordless drill (18v NiCad) ones seems to be about 10v. Less than that, and a modern day charger with voltage sensing doodads built in may just shrug, throw up its hands and shut down. If you can sort of "jump start" them just a smidgeon to just over 10v--sometimes for just a few seconds--then the "smart charger" can often jump in and take it from there.

I recently brought back from the brink an old but still serviceable 12v lead acid battery from my tow-beast Durango and a pair of 18v NiCads from my quite ancient blue cordless Harbor Freight DrillMaster drill-sander-jigsaw-flashlight kit of yore in this way (I still adore the sander), and all is now well with them.

Now while none of this may apply to a LiPo, it might be worth a very cautious try with appropriate safety precautions (done outside with at least safety goggles). What is its present voltage?

[Arschloch]

It had around 4 Volts, to hell with it.... not worth the rescue.

I don't own any knight suits.