I have read quite a bit about how to treat LiFePo4 batteries. But I couldn’t find sufficient information on where to best store these batteries. So please excuse me for asking that again if the answer already exists.
LiFePos have gradually replaced my LiPos. I now have 12V batteries with 4, 6 and 18 Ah. I usually store them not fully charged. My question is: Where do you store your LiFePo4 batteries between activations? Is it recommended to store them on a fireproof surface or even in fireproof containers? Do you store them in your home or in the basement?
At the moment I’m storing them on ceramic tiles in my home. But I’m not sure if that’s sufficient, especially with the large capacities. There’s quite a lot of energy stored in them.
LiFePo4 batteries are meant to be fire resistant so they should not catch fire when stored or mishandled. If you look at recommended storage charge then opinions vary. Probably store them at 50-75% charged. They don’t like it too cold or too hot. I store my LiFePo4 and LiPo/LiIon packs in the shack and the max temp in the Winter never gets much below 12C or above 22C.
I store mine in an ammunition box in my garage, just in case. I have an 18AH golf trolley LiFePO, two hard case 7 amp and a 4 AH, all LiFePos. They all just fit in the box, snug fit. Several of us SOTAists around this part of Yorkshire bought these brand new ammo boxes off the famous auction site. They were £20.85 in June 2024. This one is a few ££s more:
Hello Roman @DL3TU. So far I have always taken care of my LiPo batteries and also of the storage. With my LiFePo4 batteries, I have given less thought to this. I was always of the opinion that they are a lot less susceptible to impacts and other things - in contrast to LiPo batteries.
I currently store my LiFePo4 batteries uncharged in my flat. I only charge them shortly before use.
I look forward to hearing your experiences and reports on this topic here in this discussion. I suspect I have paid too little attention to the subject.
I store mine, piled up with spare 3S Li-ion’s and three powerbanks. They’re on the floor of my bothy next to the radiator and leaning against a bookcase.
A wee bit off topic but…
My XYL and I both run EVs now, the only petrol I buy is for my lawn mower. The manufactuer of my car has conducted extensive research on the use of lithium batteries in their vehicles. The guidance given for battery longevity states that the battery will last longer if it is charged to 80% capacity rather than 100%, what they call “battery care mode” in the on-screen menu. They advise also that the worst thing you can do is charge the battery to full capacity and then don’t drive the vehicle for several days.
The battery is warranted not to fall below a certain capacity for 8 years, albeit with a vehicle there is a lot more at stake if your traction battery underperforms, compared to when your radio battery underperforms!
Indeed, I watched a programme where tests were carried.out. Apparently the best range for battery longevity is 20% to 80% charge. The problem is that the quoted range of the vehicle is determined from 100% down to fully discharged and when the conditions are ideal… no heater, no A/C, dry weather, etc. In reality, the range is likely to be less than quoted.
With batteries used for radio, we generally charge to 100% to give us maximum capacity
and therefore longest time for the activation. I doubt whether many of us discharge our batteries to 20% during an activation. I am often surprised how little charge I have to put in after an activation to get the battery back to fully charged.
I have several 4AH LiPOs of 2009 vintage… now well over 15 years old. Recently one ran my 817 for two and a half hours and it was nowhere near being depleted even though its capacity must be quite low relative to new. I sometimes wonder how much we worry about our batteries, but then we generally invest a lot of time, effort and expense in our activations, so perhaps we are right to be mindful of how we use them and how we store them.
I use an iMax B6AC charger and store my LiPos and LiFePO4s at what the unit determines to be a storage charge. The batteries are kept in the shack in sturdy plastic boxes. The temperature normally ranges from 15C to 22C. The only precaution I take is to wrap the LiPOs in an intumescent material that I obtained as samples for underfloor fire separation in buildings. I consider no such precautions are required for LifePO4s. All batteries are wired with in-line fuses.
Perhaps the time when the batteries are being charged is the most critical time and being present is a wise precaution.
On the kitchen worktop or in my backpack ready for the next outing.
Only if it’s dusty in there and you want to stop the batteries getting grubby.
My LIfePO4 charger doesn’t have a storage option.
The LiPo charger does, but it will only charge LiFePO4 if it has a balance plug which the Miady battery doesn’t have (built in BMS/balancer presumably)
I read but cannot now find the article where the 80% charge option was analysed. This was for iPhones and it’s where the phone only charges the battery to 80% capacity. My phone recently (last 6 months) got an update which now offers 100% or 80% charge option and so I read the iPhone article.
The result was for the phones tested and reviewed they could find no advantage to 80% charging in long term life over 100% charging. Now this was LiPo for an iPhone and not EV batteries. But I found the thing interesting.
On my phone obviously 80% has less life than 100% but it seems to discharge from 80% to 60% much faster than from 100% to 80%. That may just be the gauge calibration.
Thanks for all the useful feedback!
I did a quick search and found second hand ammo boxes for small money on the well known auction site. Even if it is overkill, I feel much more comfortable when the batteries are stored inside such a box.
Those boxes may be watertight but I know from personal experience that they are not smoke tight. So, if there is a fire inside, it will not necessarily contain the fumes and smoke.
But they do provide physical protection for the batteries, and make it easier to grab the batteries and toss them out the window if you do have a problem.
My experience comes from my hobby as a model airplane. We use lipo batteries that we are going to discharge on board model aircraft with discharge rates equal to 10C the nominal current value. Obviously, this is not the case for use in the radio field. In any case, my batteries after a flight session are always brought to storage even if they will be used after a week. I keep them in metal boxes. I. Years of employment I have never had any problems. 73 Luca
Hello Roman @DL3TU. I feel the same way. After reading a few things about this, I’ll be stowing my batteries a little differently in future. The corresponding accommodation is already on its way.
The ammo boxes provide protection for the batteries and, in the event that one should burst into flames, it will hopefully be limited to the inside of the box.
As for the LiPos, I’ve added a bag of extinguishing agent. Just in case.
