It Can Happen...and It can Happen FAST

[Mikeq]

reyn3545;18475 wrote: OK... as long as we're cleansing our souls about stupid battery tricks.....



I crashed a brand new 91" EF Extra on Sunday, just lost orientation for a second at the wrong time. We went out to pick up the pieces, and since there were so many pieces, one of the first things I did was unplug the batteries and put them in my pants pocket. They were A123's. About 30 seconds later, one of the guys helping out said that my pants were on fire! I looked down, and smoke was coming up through my pocket! I reached in as quickly as I could, pulled the battery out and threw it on the ground.



As it turned out, the charge wires (just servo wires) had stripped in the crash, and they were shorting together in my pocket, melting and smoking the insulation. On top of crashing my plane, that scared the schidt out of me! Needless to say, not my best day at the field.

You're lucky someone saw smoke...had a club member pick a battery up out of a wreak and he didn't notice the wires had chafed or somehow lost insulation and when he grabbed it he got a pretty good burn on his hand and it happened in a millisecond...those A123s can really crank out some amps..

 

[49dimes]

I feel your pain. Hope you did not get hurt cause those "SA" fires are a biotch.

 

[stangflyer]

reyn3545;18475 wrote: OK... as long as we're cleansing our souls about stupid battery tricks.....



I crashed a brand new 91" EF Extra on Sunday, just lost orientation for a second at the wrong time. We went out to pick up the pieces, and since there were so many pieces, one of the first things I did was unplug the batteries and put them in my pants pocket. They were A123's. About 30 seconds later, one of the guys helping out said that my pants were on fire! I looked down, and smoke was coming up through my pocket! I reached in as quickly as I could, pulled the battery out and threw it on the ground.



As it turned out, the charge wires (just servo wires) had stripped in the crash, and they were shorting together in my pocket, melting and smoking the insulation. On top of crashing my plane, that scared the schidt out of me! Needless to say, not my best day at the field.

Bummer....that is like adding insult to injury. Salt to an open wound or a sharp stick in a blinded eye.

 

[Mikeq]

stangflyer;18509 wrote: Bummer....that is like adding insult to injury. Salt to an open wound or a sharp stick in a blinded eye.

I know I won be sticking batteries in my pocket...

 

[Jetpainter]

That gives a whole new meaning to "hot pockets", ouch.



And Mike, my condolences on the Extra.



Doug

 

[reyn3545]

LOL!



I was very lucky to have someone nearby who noticed it. My mind was still on trying to figure out how I lost orientation, gathering up the pieces, etc.. When I looked at my pocket smoking, I didn't even think that I could burn my hand, I just reached in and yanked everything out. Luckily enough, no burn to the leg, my any or any other nearby organs! Lesson learned... no more batteries in the pockets! Glad they weren't LiPo's.

 

[reyn3545]

And I'm really going to miss the Extra.. it was a very light, very fast plane with a DA85 in a 91 inch plane. But I'm on the road to recovery. I came home Sunday evening and worked a deal on an un-assembled CARF MX-2 and a 3W 157 CS. I had one of these years ago with a DA170 and always regretted selling it... so soon I'll have one back!

 

[Jetpainter]

reyn3545;18587 wrote: And I'm really going to miss the Extra.. it was a very light, very fast plane with a DA85 in a 91 inch plane. But I'm on the road to recovery. I came home Sunday evening and worked a deal on an un-assembled CARF MX-2 and a 3W 157 CS. I had one of these years ago with a DA170 and always regretted selling it... so soon I'll have one back!

That's the way to do it!

 

[reyn3545]

.... still trying to figure out what to tell the wife! I have a few days to work out the details.

 

[Jetpainter]

reyn3545;18590 wrote: .... still trying to figure out what to tell the wife! I have a few days to work out the details.

Sounds like a furniture or jewelery purchase in your future?