Convert Ryobi RM300e to Lithium battery

[BillDeLong]

A potential firebomb in your garage. I would store it outside under cover away from your house.

I believe heat is the cause for many of these battery failures, I truly feel that storing the battery at 40% charge inside a cool climate controlled home is the safest option. Under cover away from the home is perfectly fine in cooler months but drastically increases risks with any heat above 113°F, that's the point damage begins to occur and risk of battery fire.

While I choose to store/charge mine inside the house, I would not be opposed to any recommendation of charging the battery in the garage provided you are monitoring the battery while it's being charged.

Of the dozen or so LiPo fires I've personally seen at the R/C race track in my area, in every case they were caused due to some form of negligence from the operator

 

[BillDeLong]

As I approach the 2 year mark since my Lithium conversion, I am happy to report that the battery is holding up well with no signs of swelling around the case and I recently mowed my neighbors yard immediately after mine for a combined 2/3 acre of mowing on a single charge with the 25Ah battery. Just sharing this info for others to consider for their battery sizing requirements if they are planning to do the same conversion.

 

[Auto Doc's]

Lithium battery technology has been a great improvement over older NiCD but comes with greater cost if there is a failure.

Understanding the Dangers of Lithium Batteries: Risks, Causes, and Safe Handling

IntroductionLithium-ion batteries have revolutionized how we power devices—fueling everything from smartphones and laptops to electric vehicles and industrial machinery. Yet, despite their high efficiency and energy density, these compact power sources carry inherent risks. Explosions, fires...

www.lithiplus.com

 

[BillDeLong]

Lithium battery technology has been a great improvement over older NiCD but comes with greater cost if there is a failure.

Understanding the Dangers of Lithium Batteries: Risks, Causes, and Safe Handling

IntroductionLithium-ion batteries have revolutionized how we power devices—fueling everything from smartphones and laptops to electric vehicles and industrial machinery. Yet, despite their high efficiency and energy density, these compact power sources carry inherent risks. Explosions, fires...

www.lithiplus.com

Much appreciated for the link to the article, I've updated the OP to include this very important safety info!

 

[sgkent]

What a choice to be forced to make, save the world in 2774 or burn to death in your house now. There is a reason they won't let you pack your laptop in your baggage when you fly. Every day I think about the tool batteries in the garage, and the phone in the other room at night. Ignition rarer than e-bike batteries yet it still happens doesn't it.

 

[BillDeLong]

What a choice to be forced to make, save the world in 2774 or burn to death in your house now. There is a reason they won't let you pack your laptop in your baggage when you fly. Every day I think about the tool batteries in the garage, and the phone in the other room at night. Ignition rarer than e-bike batteries yet it still happens doesn't it.

I truly believe if they had followed the safety precautions listed above then the fires would've been avoided.

 

[sgkent]

I truly believe if they had followed the safety precautions listed above then the fires would've been avoided.

that is your belief. People who have had it happen say otherwise.

 

[BillDeLong]

that is your belief. People who have had it happen say otherwise.

I have experienced a LiPo fire first hand and have also witnessed several other LiPo fires first hand. In every single case it was due to operator negligence and/or abuse.

Of the fires that occurred while in use, the batteries were previously damaged from hard impacts where internal wiring had shorted out or a cell was punctured from extreme flex.

Most of the fires occurred during the charge cycle with either a faulty charger setting or in my case, charging a pack that was swollen and far beyond its service life. Ideally you want to check the (IR) Internal Resistance of the cells to gauge the health of the pack. I firmly believe this should be the industry standard for all electric powered automobiles which will prevent catastrophic fires on the road. I have never heard of a single case where someone reported a LiPo fire on a battery with known low IR readings. We have proper tech and safety protocols to use LiPo in a practical manner.