unless the battery pack is severely mistreated, so in normal usage there is no likelihood of explosion or fire.
Lithium Ion/Polymer battery packs must NEVER be discharged below 3 volts per cell
NEVER charge Lithium Polymer battery packs at greater than 4.2V per cell, Lithium Ion at 4.1V volts per cell or LiFe at greater than 3.7V per cell as this will cause irreversible damage to the cells and will invalidate all warranty claims.
NEVER charge Lithium battery packs above their maximum charge rate. This can damage the pack and can be dangerous. Generally, Lithium Polymer packs should not be charged above 2C (2 x Capacity). However, some newer packs do allow charging at up to 5C, but charging at these higher rates will reduce the life of the pack.
e.g Pack of 2500mAh capacity : 2C = 5000mAh = 5A max charge current.
DO NOT use discharge rates in excess of those specified with the battery pack as this will result in a significant drop in voltage under load and will dramatically reduce the number of charge/discharge cycles the battery pack will give.
If disposing of Lithium battery packs ensure that the pack is fully discharged by using a light bulb, electric motor or similar to completely discharge the pack.
DO NOT allow any Lithium battery pack to
BEFORE charging any Lithium battery packs they should be closely inspected for any damage, such as punctures in the sleeving or if the battery has swollen or expanded in size. If any such damage is detected DO NOT charge, even if the battery otherwise appears to be brand new.
Before commencing charging ALWAYS double check the settings on the charger to ensure it is set correctly for the battery pack to be charged. Using the wrong settings is likely to result in damage to the battery pack being charged and could result in the battery catching fire.
17