My SOLO is confused about voltage

[locutus]

I had something strange happen during a flight. I had approximately 40 to 45% battery remaining when I received an audible alert stating that I only had 10%. I looked down at the controller and it showed zero. The interesting thing is that the zero was not red. Upon landing solo, there were two white LEDs flashing on the battery which would be roughly 20 to 25%. Does anybody know what is going on here?

 

[Chip Luck]

I had something strange happen during a flight. I had approximately 40 to 45% battery remaining when I received an audible alert stating that I only had 10%. I looked down at the controller and it showed zero. The interesting thing is that the zero was not red. Upon landing solo, there were two white LEDs flashing on the battery which would be roughly 20 to 25%. Does anybody know what is going on here?

I always try to land at ~25% and have had a few issues where Solo's battery went below that value. I cannot tell you the LED 'count', however just 2 LED's left on the battery display IMHO is not good, that is very low and as far as I can tell from memory, and it appears, that battery display is NOT linear.

Why you had no previous warnings, I have no idea especially at the 25% level...

Cheers

 

[Chuck]

I had the same issue with a battery a while back. I took off with about 93%, and within 45 sec. I was at less than 20%. Even not being too far away, by the time I landed I had gotten both battery warnings, and showed 2% before shutdown. Later it recharged ok, but on a very controlled test flight, it went from 97% to less than 20% after less than 10 sec. hovering a few feet off the ground. I sent it to 3DR, and they determined it was a bad battery, and sent me a new one. I don't know if this is the case with yours, but be very careful using that particular battery.

 

[Marich]

Sounds like your batteries are beginning to store memories. This is best dealt with by fully cycling the batteries with a lipo conditioner. Might be difficult with solos "Smart" batteries.

 

[Chip Luck]

Sounds like your batteries are beginning to store memories. This is best dealt with by fully cycling the batteries with a lipo conditioner. Might be difficult with solos "Smart" batteries.

And to boot, would not 3DR provide a way if it is a 'smart battery' for a charger to condition the battery? I use AA sized Lipo's in my Nikon camera flash unit, and an external charger that will dis-charge and cycle the batteries automatically to condition them. Storing Lipo batteries at ~40-50% charge is good, but no real easy way to do that except fly Solo and land at that percentage. Maybe 3DR will modify the charger for a condition/discharge mode? Interesting...

 

[Rich]

LiPo batteries don't develop a memory, that's an old NiCad issue.

 

[Chip Luck]

LiPo batteries don't develop a memory, that's an old NiCad issue.

Rich, agreed on the memory issue - thank God that is not a problem with LiPo. However, it is still recommended to store LiPo's at the ~40% charged state.