Airsoft Battery instructions & safety advice.

Before you start to charge any airsoft battery

Always inspect your batteries before and after each use. You want to ensure the battery is not crushed or punctured. Ensure that it is not puffed up. 

Check the wires to make sure that they are not crimped or the protective coating is not broken because exposed metal wires can lead to short-circuit and cause severe risk and/or injury. 

Double-check that all the wires are firmly connected to the connectors as well as the battery.

 If any of the problems I have mentioned are found upon inspecting your battery, discontinue the use of that battery immediately and be sure to dispose of it properly.

Plug the charger into the wall outlet first. 

This is important because it will ground the charger. Plugging the battery into the charger before plugging the charger into the wall outlet will cause a surge into the battery, which increases the risk for battery failure. 

Ensure all lights, the display panel or any other functions on the charger are working properly.

Be sure to follow the instructions provided with the charger. 

Never throw away the instruction booklet for a charger. It has important information that you may need later. 

Connect the battery to the charger properly by plugging the balancing connector on the LiPo or lithium-ion battery into the charger. Do not plug the Tamiya or T-connector, also known as the Deans connector, into the charger. 

 The balancing connector is the small white connector that is separate and normally has three or four coloured wires based on the number of cells and leading into the balancing connector. 

The balancing wires are typically red, black and also include one or two blue-coloured wires. Charge all batteries inside a battery charging bag. charging bags are designed to help contain the heat, gasses and flames that can result when a battery combusts during charging or while in storage. 

Never, never leave a charging battery unattended.

When your battery is fully charged 

disconnect it from the charger and unplug your charger from the wall outlet. Discontinue the use of any battery pack immediately if any of the cells are over-discharged. The average voltage per cell in a LiPo battery is between 3.6 to 4.2 volts when fully charged. Discharging any cell within the pack below 3.0 volts diminishes reliability, reduces charging cycles and could result in catastrophic battery failure. 

Cell failure can contribute to pouch puffing, electrolyte leaking or fire. 

Never try to revive a dead battery. 

Your average wall charger has built-in technology to prevent charging if it detects voltage below a specified threshold. 

However, some higher-cost programmable chargers can bypass this feature and revive a dead battery. 

Reviving a dead battery significantly reduces the number of charging cycles and can accelerate the possibility of battery failure that could result in a fire. 

We highly recommend using an aftermarket battery alarm or MOSFET that features voltage protection. These devices typically flash when any cell reaches 3.3 volts, and then an alarm will sound when the cell is below 3.0 volts indicating that the battery should be charged. We recommend the Valken Energy LiPo Power Level Battery Tester. 

Airsoft Batterie storage.

Always store your LiPo and lithium-ion airsoft batteries in a safety sack/charging bag.

NiMH batteries are pretty safe, but LiPo and lithium-ion batteries are volatile if not used and looked after correctly. Its highly recommended by bbguns4less to Always store your LiPo and lithium-ion batteries in a safety sack in a cool, dry environment when you are not using them.  

 Be sure to inspect your safety sack/charging bag for rips, frays or holes.

 We sell the Valken Energy LiPo Battery Charging Safety Sack and Nuprol Lipo charging bag on this website.

Disposing of batteries

Don't just put your old batteries in the household bin; it's dangerous and not good for the environment; the easiest place to recycle batteries is in any of the major supermarkets, like Tescos or Sainsburys etc. They will then be safely removed and taken away to be recycled by local authorities. 

Top Ten Tips for airsoft battery safety.

1. Ensure you are using the matching charger for the type of battery. (Nimh Charger with NiMh Batteries and Li-Po with Li-Po Etc) 
2. Read all the instructions and warning labels for the charger and battery to ensure proper charging. 
3. Properly inspect your battery for signs of damage. Do not charge any battery that shows signs of excessive wear or damage. 
4. Always plug your charger into the wall outlet before plugging the battery into the charger.
5. When using a programmable charger, be sure to double-check your settings. 
6. Charge your lithium polymer and lithium-ion batteries in a safety sack/ battery charging bag. 
7.  Never leave a charging battery unattended. 
8. Disconnect your battery from the charger when full, even though many chargers have trickle charging capabilities. 
9. Keep your batteries stored in a battery storage case or battery safety sack in a cool, dry climate. 
10. Properly dispose of any damaged battery or chargers immediately. Continued further use of a damaged battery or charger can cause bodily injury and/or extensive property damage.

also see our airsoft battery buying guide for more info.