shellylh Posted June 27, 2016 Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 (edited) I realized that I have a ton of portable equipment that has a lithium battery in it and that has been sitting unused for years (long before Tim passed away): Pico, Pico Slim, cell phones, cameras. How dangerous is it to charge up a battery that has been sitting around discharged for a long time (evidently you are not supposed to do this ever)? I know that lithium batteries are not as likely to leak as alkaline batteries but can be really bad if they go. What should I do with this stuff? The cell phones I can recycle but I am not sure what to do with the Pico and Pico Slim. I was going to sell them or give them away since I never use them but now I am worried about shipping something with an unsafe battery. I just gave my D90 camera away to someone but the battery has been sitting uncharged. Should I tell them to recycle the battery and get a new one? For example, this website talks about the dangers of Lipo batteries and how you should always charge them in a firesafe bag! That seems crazy but now it has gotten me worried. http://thedronegirl.com/2015/02/07/lipo-battery/ Here, it says that "Below ~2.5V/cell, most manufacturers of LiPo chargers have said that the battery is too dangerous to be recharged." http://www.instructables.com/id/Restoring-over-discharged-LiPo-Lithium-Polymer-bat/step1/Background-Cautions-Warnings/ Perhaps only Li-pos are dangerous to bring back from fully discharged and not li-ion? Edited June 27, 2016 by shellylh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grawk Posted June 27, 2016 Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 not dangerous. LiPoly chargers are intelligent, and won't attempt to charge a battery that is too discharged 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shellylh Posted June 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 (edited) Before I read this, I plugged in the charger to the Pico amp and it was charging it even though the battery has been probably discharged for at least a year I am guessing (it is a Lipo battery). I haven't used it in a very very long time. So you think it is ok to give away or sell the Pico, Pico Slim and other devices with the current battery. I assume that I might as well ship them discharged. Isn't is safer to ship discharged lithium batteries? Why do so many places say that fully discharging a lithium (ion or polymer) battery could damage the battery? Edited June 27, 2016 by shellylh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shellylh Posted June 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 What about the extra Logitech Performance MX mouse that I bought in 2011? Is that still good or should I trash it? I'd probably give it to goodwill if it is still good because I already have two of them that I use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grawk Posted June 27, 2016 Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 They're all safe and probably ok 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shellylh Posted June 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2016 I am going to ship my ipad 1 to a friend with kids. What level should I have the battery before shipping (for safety) - 30% or 60% or should I discharge? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthrimus Posted June 28, 2016 Report Share Posted June 28, 2016 Lithium Polymer batteries are Lithium Ion batteries BTW. Same basic chemistry just a different cell structure. All safety concerns that apply to one apply to the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justin Posted June 28, 2016 Report Share Posted June 28, 2016 3 hours ago, shellylh said: I am going to ship my ipad 1 to a friend with kids. What level should I have the battery before shipping (for safety) - 30% or 60% or should I discharge? D. any of the above Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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