Lithium polymer packs are the most expensive consumable in RC. Treat them well and a pack lasts years; treat them carelessly and it fades in a season. These are the seven habits that matter most.

1. Store at 3.80–3.85 V per cell

Full charge left sitting is the fastest killer. Most modern chargers have a storage mode – use it whenever the pack will rest for more than a week. Roughly half charge is where the chemistry is happiest.

2. Charge at 1C unless the label says otherwise

A 1500 mAh pack charges at 1.5 A. Fast charging works and is sometimes justified, but heat compounds over cycles. If you are not in a hurry, charge slow and the pack will repay you.

3. Do not run to empty

Landing with 3.5 V per cell under load is fine. Landing at 3.0 V every flight is not. Set a low-voltage alarm or timer and land earlier than feels necessary – capacity lost to deep discharge never comes back.

4. Unplug after every run

A pack left connected slowly discharges through the ESC and can be deep-discharged to death in two weeks. It is also a standing short-circuit risk. Make unplugging part of the shutdown routine.

5. Respect temperature

Charge at room temperature. Do not charge a pack straight in from a cold car, and let a warm pack cool before recharging. Heat during charge is what actually damages the cells, not heat during discharge.

6. Retire puffed packs immediately

A swollen pack has vented internally. It may still "work," but it is one hard landing away from an incident. Discharge it safely, tape the terminals, and take it to a battery recycling point – never household trash.

7. Balance charge, always

The balance lead is not optional. Cells drift apart over time, and a pack whose cells are 0.1 V apart ages faster and cuts off early. Balance charging keeps the cells matched and is your early warning of a weak cell.

Where to get packs and spares

We keep packs, connectors, and chargers under the battery category, and our FAQ covers the shipping restrictions that sometimes apply to lithium batteries.