Am I being silly getting rid?
Probably, but take that as a compliment.
Thing is, there are people out there I'd rather not see handling LiIon batteries, but you don't seem to be one of them. ;-)
There ARE things that can go wrong, but if you:
- turn in any battery with signs of mechanical damage
- avoid overdischarge (charge after use)
- use high quality cells and chargers
- always use protected batteries if you use multiple, especially in series
- protect well against shorts, especially loose batteries
then most of our LiIon usage is safer than a cellphone.
There are people out there buying the cheapest fake random crap on eBay, then dropping it in their pocket along with keys. Just like gasoline, it's pretty safe when used right, but should be treated with respect.
It's pretty obvious at this point that you're not completely oblivious to the risks involved, and paradoxically, that's also what qualifies you to handle them safely.
I'm not on a mission to convert you to the light and bright side of LiIon, but don't get rid of the lights for the wrong reasons. Keep them, or get rid of them for better reasons.
If I were in your shoes, I'd charge all your LiIons now, but:
- recycle any with a voltage below 2V
- inspect for mechanical damage before placing in charger (always)
- recycle any you have a bad feeling about, bought from a suspect seller for example
- check them once in a while during charging, for excessive heating
- develop a habit or rotating battery in use, always charging after use, with inspection. That way, no battery will self discharge to a dangerously low level, they all get inspected (voltage, damage, heating during charging) and cleared.
It's not a lot of work, and you'd bump the safety and feeling of safety, if you don't already do this.
If you've got money to spare, you could also get an analyzing charger, giving you even more data to work with. I'm partial to the SkyRc MC3000, but it's on the expensive side.
If you'd like to be even more careful, you could set aside your current stock, and order newer safer batteries (depending on what you have now).