Announcements:
( updated Monday, February 7, 2012):

We have tentatively arranged to conduct the field improvement project, as approved by the membership at our last club meeting, during the upcoming week.
Depending on the weather and on finalizing arrangements with the several individuals involved in this project, work will start on Monday (3/5) and last through Friday (3/9). Because of the heavy equipment in operation on and around the runway,
the field will be closed to flying while this work is in progress.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Sincerely,
Louis Capurso
OCM President

General Note: Field work typically does not mean the field will be closed to flying unless stated it will be.

THANKS TO ALL WHO CAN COME OUT TO HELP!

Jackson Hobby Shop
Normal Store Hours:
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 10:00 to 6:00
Friday: 10:00 to 7:00
Saturday: 10:00 to 5:00
Sundays, Mondays: Closed

Jackson Hobby Shop
2275 W. County Line Rd.
Bennetts Mills Plaza
Jackson, NJ 08527
(732) 364-3334
www.jacksonhobby.com

(Remember to show your current-year OCM membership card for 10% off of most items.)

Regularly check the website for Field Work Updates.  Click here, Field Work Updates, to go to the Field Work Updates page.

For Directions to the monthly OCM meeting location at the Manchester Municpal Complex in Ocean County:

The meetings of Ocean County Modelers will be convened at the Manchester Municipal Complex located on Colonial Drive, Manchester, NJ at on the 4th Wednesday of each month.  Meetings will start at 7:00 PM in the Civic Center Meeting room on the lower level of the complex.  Below are the directions to the meeting place:

1.                  Coming west on Rt. 70, make the jug handle turn on to Colonial Drive and proceed toward Rt. 37.  Just before the light on Rt. 37, turn right into the parking lot for the Municipal Complex.  Park in the Parking lot adjacent to the Main building.  Proceed to the doorway facing Colonial Drive (flag poles in front) and enter automatic door. Immediately turn right and descend stairs to meeting room.

2.                  Coming west on RT 37, turn right on to Colonial Drive and turn left into the Municipal Complex parking lot.  Follow directions in 1 above.

3.                  Coming east on Rt 70 from Whiting, go around the circle and proceed on Rt 70 to Colonial Drive.  Turn right on Colonial Drive and proceed toward Rt 37.  Just before the light, turn into the Municipal Complex parking lot.  Follow the directions in 1 above.

Send your newsletter articles or bargain/for-sale items to our current newsletter editor at: OCMRC@YAHOO.COM.
If you are a current OCM club member and are interested in having the same bargain/for-sale items listed on our club web site, send an email to our webmaster, Salvatore Piu at: spiurc@comast.net

SAFETY ALERT
From the Academy of Model Aeronautics, 4/23/04

 

Lithium Battery Fires

Lithium batteries are becoming very popular for powering the control and power systems in our models. This is true because of their very high energy density (amp-hrs/wt. ratio) compared to NiCads or other batteries. With high energy comes increased risk in their use. The, principal, risk is FIRE which can result from improper charging, crash damage, or shorting the batteries. All vendors of these batteries warn their customers of this danger and recommend extreme caution in their use. In spite of this many fires have occurred as a result of the use of Lithium Polymer batteries, resulting in loss of models, automobiles, and other property. Homes and garages and workshops have also burned. A lithium battery fire is very hot (several thousand degrees) and is an excellent initiator for ancillary (resulting) fires. Fire occurs due to contact between Lithium and oxygen in the air. It does not need any other source of ignition, or fuel to start, and burns almost explosively.

These batteries must be used in a manner that precludes ancillary fire. The following is recommended:

 

  1. Store, and charge, in a fireproof container; never in your model.

     

  2. Charge in a protected area devoid of combustibles. Always stand watch over the charging process. Never leave the charging process unattended.

     

  3. In the event of damage from crashes, etc, carefully remove to a safe place for at least a half hour to observe. Physically damaged cells could erupt into flame, and, after sufficient time to ensure safety, should be discarded in accordance with the instructions which came with the batteries. Never attempt to charge a cell with physical damage, regardless of how slight.

     

  4. Always use chargers designed for the specific purpose, preferably having a fixed setting for your particular pack. Many fires occur in using selectable/adjustable chargers improperly set. Never attempt to charge Lithium cells with a charger which is not, specifically, designed for charging Lithium cells. Never use chargers designed for Nickel Cadmium batteries.

     

  5. Use charging systems that monitor and control the charge state of each cell in the pack. Unbalanced cells can lead to disaster if it permits overcharge of a single cell in the pack. If the batteries show any sign of swelling, discontinue charging, and remove them to a safe place outside as they could erupt into flames.

     

  6. Most important: NEVER PLUG IN A BATTERY AND LEAVE IT TO CHARGE UNATTENDED OVERNIGHT. Serious fires have resulted from this practice.

     

  7. Do not attempt to make your own battery packs from individual cells.

     

These batteries CANNOT be handled and charged casually such as has been the practice for years with other types of batteries. The consequence of this practice can be very serious resulting in major property damage and/ or personal harm

 

Safety Committee
Academy of Model Aeronautics
 

5161 E Memorial Drive
Muncie, IN 47302