Trakpower 4900 failure

[jenski]

One of my Trakpower 4900 is on the verge of massive failure as one of the cells seems to be failing following my last race meeting. The back of the pack has separated with expansion and when I have checked the cells they are now out of balance.

I am not going to try and charge them up as I don't think the wife woudl like me to burn the house down with a lipo explosion.

Any ideas on what to do with them as I only purchased them at the end of last year and I would have thought they would have lasted a bit longer due to me being very careful not to let them go too fall and alway balance charge them.

Any suggestions?

[bodgit]

Try this
http://www.rctoys.com/pdf/thunder-power-disposal-of-old-damaged-lipo-batteries.pdf

[jenski]

Anyone else with any ideas?

[mark christopher]

One of my Trakpower 4900 is on the verge of massive failure as one of the cells seems to be failing following my last race meeting. The back of the pack has separated with expansion and when I have checked the cells they are now out of balance.

I am not going to try and charge them up as I don't think the wife woudl like me to burn the house down with a lipo explosion.

Any ideas on what to do with them as I only purchased them at the end of last year and I would have thought they would have lasted a bit longer due to me being very careful not to let them go too fall and alway balance charge them.

Any suggestions?
contact the store you got them from, they should then return them to Energon for you, or send them direct to Energon, with proof of purchase for the attention of warranty

[TonyM]

Just bin them. I had two out of three Gold TrakPower 4900's do this - balance charged every time. The company is dissolved, so the potential for recompense is minimal. The sad thing is I then went on to buy TrakPower Dark series - dumb S**t.

[ian h]

Just bin them. I had two out of three Gold TrakPower 4900's do this - balance charged every time. The company is dissolved, so the potential for recompense is minimal. The sad thing is I then went on to buy TrakPower Dark series - dumb S**t.

Are you sure they are dissolved? I was talking to them a few days ago to arrange return of a faulty pack.

[TonyM]

They were bought out I believe. If you can still get support I would appreciate the contact info.

Are you sure they are dissolved? I was talking to them a few days ago to arrange return of a faulty pack.

[AmiSMB]

Remember that you not only have to balance charge Lipo packs but if you want to have them last then always store them with around 60% charge left in them otherwise they loose capacity very fast.

[mark christopher]

tonym,

Before you make inncorrect statements try reading here, www.energonsolutions.co.uk.

Make me laugh, you post that then want help!!
Your first port of call is the shop you bought them from as i have already said.

[TonyM]

So what was incorrect with my statement? Possibly the middle bit about potential for recompense? If others are still getting them exchanged by Energon Solutions I stand very much corrected. But I am right that the company no longer exists and I am right that I bought 4 Dark Series to find they are not BRCA approved – entirely my fault, but still doesn’t increase my love for TrakPower - hence the vitriol. Enjoy your day.

"Just bin them. I had two out of three Gold TrakPower 4900's do this - balance charged every time. The company is dissolved, so the potential for recompense is minimal. The sad thing is I then went on to buy TrakPower Dark series - dumb S**t."

tonym,

Before you make inncorrect statements try reading here, www.energonsolutions.co.uk (http://www.energonsolutions.co.uk).

Make me laugh, you post that then want help!!
Your first port of call is the shop you bought them from as i have already said.

[mark christopher]

So what was incorrect with my statement? Possibly the middle bit about potential for recompense? If others are still getting them exchanged by Energon Solutions I stand very much corrected. But I am right that the company no longer exists and I am right that I bought 4 Dark Series to find they are not BRCA approved – entirely my fault, but still doesn’t increase my love for TrakPower - hence the vitriol. Enjoy your day.

"Just bin them. I had two out of three Gold TrakPower 4900's do this - balance charged every time. The company is dissolved, so the potential for recompense is minimal. The sad thing is I then went on to buy TrakPower Dark series - dumb S**t."
Your incorrect as trakpower have never been a company, its allways been a brand, the guys that ran the company that sold/owned the brands split and energone was born,
There was never a company called trakpower to disolve (as you put it)

[Jnunu1]

Remember that you not only have to balance charge Lipo packs but if you want to have them last then always store them with around 60% charge left in them otherwise they loose capacity very fast.

On the above - my UDC30 has both a lipo balance and a lipo fast charge function. Given that lipos should always be balance charged, would i ever fast charge without balancing? Why the extra function then?

On storage, how long is classed as "storage" and how long is "between use"?

Jnu

[TonyM]

All very confusing and when I try and go to their old site TrakPower.com there is a warning message saying the website has been hijacked!! All very sniffy.

So, we can blame Energone for not obtaining BRCA approval?

Your incorrect as trakpower have never been a company, its allways been a brand, the guys that ran the company that sold/owned the brands split and energone was born,
There was never a company called trakpower to disolve (as you put it)

[mark christopher]

All very confusing and when I try and go to their old site TrakPower.com there is a warning message saying the website has been hijacked!! All very sniffy.

So, we can blame Energone for not obtaining BRCA approval?

tony are you trying to be thick, or does it come naturally?

Ever heard of adverts, go to trakpower.com ans click find out more, bottom left, low and behold there is a dark serries advert, now you wont believe this but that was there before the company changed as thier launch of the dark serries

Id blame your self, you summed it up in your own post..... Where was it claimed they would be legal? Or were u a dumb s**t and assumed they would be (as you put it!!)

[gnr racer]

On the above - my UDC30 has both a lipo balance and a lipo fast charge function. Given that lipos should always be balance charged, would i ever fast charge without balancing? Why the extra function then?

On storage, how long is classed as "storage" and how long is "between use"?

Jnu
I am under the understanding a Lipo does not 'always' need to be balance charged.
if a lipo is to be left without use for more than a month (this would warrent storage mode) then use the storage function on your UDC30, which will charge each cell to 3.75 V (im pretty sure its that figure) if you are storing a lipo check its voltage 'per cell' every month or so as it will discharge slightly

[TonyM]

Yep spot on - being thick does come naturally to me. Bought three gold, two went duff and then I order four Dark Series. How thick can you get.

Without thick customers like me there would be much less business. Oh, you are connected to the business arent you?

I'll probably go on to make similar mistakes and buy poor quality gear again - never learn hey.

[mark christopher]

tony
Sponsored by them yes, work for them no....

It it true if you store packs for too long, they can be damaged though to the other posts.

[mark christopher]

sponsored yes, work for no, so you decide.


To the other posts
It has been proven that leaving packs full for storage can cause damage to them.

[Jnunu1]

I am under the understanding a Lipo does not 'always' need to be balance charged.
if a lipo is to be left without use for more than a month (this would warrent storage mode) then use the storage function on your UDC30, which will charge each cell to 3.75 V (im pretty sure its that figure) if you are storing a lipo check its voltage 'per cell' every month or so as it will discharge slightly

Thanks for that

jnu

[Neil Skull]

Hi Jenski,

We have tried fixing a few packs like this but they have never worked.
Its best to put the pack in Water with salt added.
This will neutralise the pack so you can discard in your household rubbish.

Some people say you can recycle old lipos but i have yet to find a rycling centre that manages Lipos. Lead acid yes but not lipo.

[mark christopher]

Hi Jenski,

We have tried fixing a few packs like this but they have never worked.
Its best to put the pack in Water with salt added.
This will neutralise the pack so you can discard in your household rubbish.

Some people say you can recycle old lipos but i have yet to find a rycling centre that manages Lipos. Lead acid yes but not lipo.

Neil

if the pack has expanded like jenski's has then you should not try to recover it at all, once swollen they have failed

[Northy]

Just to add another user experience.....

I have had and used several TP 4900 packs and none have ever missed a beat. Some are a little tired now, low on punch, but they've had a hard life!

Several of the packs were sent to us to use in the EBOR 24 hour race, and where charged, raced, cooled (a bit), charged, raced etc

So not all doom and gloom with these batteries. ;)

G

[gnr racer]

the balance port on my 4900 failed
anyone else had this?

[ian h]

the balance port on my 4900 failed
anyone else had this?
I had the same problem with a dark series pack 5000 40C. Just got a call from energon solutions to say that they will replace my pack as soon as they have them back in stock. Can't fault the level of customer service from these guys. On another note this is my first problem with trakpower products and in all I have owned a few going back to the 3200 20C gold sticks i got when they were first released.:thumbsup:

[Neil Skull]

Neil

if the pack has expanded like jenski's has then you should not try to recover it at all, once swollen they have failed


I know i should not but i have!!!!!!
It really depends on why its swollen and how much, if its a charging error they are normally dead, if it got hot in the car due to high current draw i have saved a few but i would never reccomend this to a customer.

[mattb]

One of my Trakpower 4900 is on the verge of massive failure as one of the cells seems to be failing following my last race meeting. The back of the pack has separated with expansion and when I have checked the cells they are now out of balance.

I am not going to try and charge them up as I don't think the wife woudl like me to burn the house down with a lipo explosion.

Any ideas on what to do with them as I only purchased them at the end of last year and I would have thought they would have lasted a bit longer due to me being very careful not to let them go too fall and alway balance charge them.

Any suggestions?just sent it back to trackpower with a letter and id say they will send you a new one their customer service is excelent

[jenski]

Thanks everyone for your replys, very good information and a few that were quite amusing. Does anyone have the trakpower address to hand?

[ian h]

Thanks everyone for your replys, very good information and a few that were quite amusing. Does anyone have the trakpower address to hand?

Energon solutions
8-10 Bell farm industrial estate,
Nuthampstead
Hertfordshire
SG8 8 ND

[jenski]

Ok, emailed Trakpower, i will update the post with their response. Thanks again for everyones posts :thumbsup:

[mark christopher]

Ok, emailed Trakpower, i will update the post with their response. Thanks again for everyones posts :thumbsup:
why do i bother??

i spoke to one of the directors and passed on what they suggested you do, so you ignore my post anyway :confused:

[DCM]

I am under the understanding a Lipo does not 'always' need to be balance charged.
if a lipo is to be left without use for more than a month (this would warrent storage mode) then use the storage function on your UDC30, which will charge each cell to 3.75 V (im pretty sure its that figure) if you are storing a lipo check its voltage 'per cell' every month or so as it will discharge slightly

you don't have to ALWAYS balance charge, but you do need to do it regular, and to be honest, for longevity and safety, it makes no great deal to balance charge it, you at least then know that both cells don't get over charged.

[jenski]

why do i bother??

i spoke to one of the directors and passed on what they suggested you do, so you ignore my post anyway :confused:

What Post???????:confused:

[mark christopher]

What Post???????:confused:

One of my Trakpower 4900 is on the verge of massive failure as one of the cells seems to be failing following my last race meeting. The back of the pack has separated with expansion and when I have checked the cells they are now out of balance.

I am not going to try and charge them up as I don't think the wife woudl like me to burn the house down with a lipo explosion.

Any ideas on what to do with them as I only purchased them at the end of last year and I would have thought they would have lasted a bit longer due to me being very careful not to let them go too fall and alway balance charge them.

Any suggestions?

Post 4

contact the store you got them from, they should then return them to Energon for you, or send them direct to Energon, with proof of purchase for the attention of warranty

[dodgydiy]

sponsored yes, work for no, so you decide.


To the other posts
It has been proven that leaving packs full for storage can cause damage to them.

if you store packs for a long length of time they tend to go very badly out of balance due to differing self discharge rates of the cells, have seen .3 of a volt out of balance on one of my cheap packs, charging the cells individually with a single cell charger, running for a few minutes and then balance charging seems to sort them out. they also lose a bit of ability to provide the required current although this can come back after a few runs providing the pack hasnt been left too long. 60% charge is supposed to be best for storage, personally i have just fully charged the packs and run them for about a minute.

[mark christopher]

most good lipo chargers have a storage mode, so just use that!

[jenski]

Post 4

Ah, that post. Sorry :thumbsup: