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, 201610 yr by shellylh

not dangerous.  LiPoly chargers are intelligent, and won't attempt to charge a battery that is too discharged

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, 201610 yr by shellylh

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. 

They're all safe and probably ok

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? 

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.

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