Battery Business

[RichWest]

I use 12VDC auto lamps to create a discharging station, about 120 watts total. I have a volt meter and use that to determine voltage rather than the LED indicator on the battery. I stop the discharge at around 12.5V. Also the battery will not turn off until unplugged from the load.

The Dev's recommendation was to hover Solo, overriding failsafe and obviously at a ground effect height. Solo would basically cut off prior to the 12VDC threshold. Not sure what happens, disarmed or just can't maintain altitude due to lack of voltage. Again his recommendation and not something I'm comfortable with, why I've only used a discharger.

The whole point in either method is to refresh the capacity. Once discharged let the battery cool for 5+ hours, at room temps. Then you place the charger on the battery for 48 hours straight. This is supposed to provide one balancing charge event after being fully charged.

And for what it's worth my english is not so good. Had to look up anglophone to see what it meant...

 

[Michael Lione]

Well I have to say I never expected my original post back on 10/18 would have stirred up this much discussion. I for one have learned a lot, mostly from the Matt and Philip, about lipos and more specifically the Solo battery.

At the end of the day I have resigned to take a watch and see stance. Almost winter here and as a strictly fair weather old man enthusiast I have the luxury to dry dock the fleet and drag out the Sim app. Tempting as it was knowing the remaining battery inventory as well as prices are getting low I resisted picking up any additional new/old spares. Especially considering that the last batch will be approaching 2 -1/2 years old come Spring.

I jump into Battery Threads in the various FB Groups when I can to help newcomers through the flattening process. To many it seems confusing at best and even more disconcerting is the conventional wisdom the the calibration is a heal all when actually it fails more time than not only because it becomes employed after a cell threw in the towel.

To makokoy's credit I am an anglophone and like Rich also had to look up the meaning of the word.

Hey, any of you guys put in a bid on that empty gimble box on the ebays? It was up to $102 with 18 bids. I just checked it back down to $85 with 12 bids Must be somebody wised up.
3dr Solo Gimbal Box With Instructions | eBay

 

[Ed.it.Ed]

I too would like to know where is this
Battery drain function in Solex? I have six batteries here all run till RTL . They’ve been resting for eight hours and are ready for the next step . Someone? Anyone?
How to proceed? Thanks

 

[jimloss]

I too would like to know where is this
Battery drain function in Solex? I have six batteries here all run till RTL . They’ve been resting for eight hours and are ready for the next step . Someone? Anyone?
How to proceed? Thanks

Vehicles > Select proper vehicle on left side > scroll to bottom of page > select motor speed > click start > click OK

To stop motors, just backup a screen

BE CAREFUL not to run the voltage of any single cell too low or this will make a poor performing battery completely unusable!

 

[Michael Lione]

Protect people and pets from spinning blades. I put mine in the bathroom while the blades are spinning. Be sure your GP is mounted in your gimble if it is installed. It will burn out otherwise. Fast mode is best. No, it won't launch this is only 25% throttle. The Solex should kill motors before the battery is damaged. Usually at 12v. If you have a bricked cell it should kill motors when that cell hits 3.0v. If the remaining cells are well above the bad cell when the motors stop chances are pack is toast. The purpose of the Battery Calibration is NOT to rejuvenate a bricked pack but attempts to "flatten" all the cells to an equal voltage.

 

[XevetS]

Protect people and pets from spinning blades. I put mine in the bathroom while the blades are spinning.

Get aftermarket props and flip them over, and rotate them one position around the frame, pushes the SOLO down instead of up and you can increase throttle without taking off.

 

[Michael Lione]

Get aftermarket props and flip them over, and rotate them one position around the frame, pushes the SOLO down instead of up and you can increase throttle without taking off.

Great idea, I think. I wonder if that would compromise cooling the pods.

 

[XevetS]

Great idea, I think. I wonder if that would compromise cooling the pods.

I guess don't run it at full throttle too long and check the motors for heat, I would run the battery down by flying around a while and finish it off using the Solex technique, Arducopter folks do this to run CompassMot, I use it Myself, see this here halfway down the page>> Advanced Compass Setup — Copter documentation

 

[Ed.it.Ed]

Why not just remove the props?

 

[XevetS]

Why not just remove the props?

Keeps them cooler by drawing air past the motors and the extra load with props attached drains em faster?

 

[Ed.it.Ed]

I don’t know how much load the props are adding on the battery but I did fly them until the low battery initiated RTL . Landing with somewhere between 8 % and 15%. How much voltage is remaining I’m not sure but I cant imagine it’s much. I believe that Solex will Inform me of that next

 

[Michael Lione]

Why not just remove the props?

The motors will overheat if you run them for an extended time without them. They depend on the prop wash to keep them cool. The Solex Battery Drain not to be confused with the Motor Test that runs each motor individually for a short interval. The Motor Test does not require props.

 

[Michael Lione]

I don’t know how much load the props are adding on the battery but I did fly them until the low battery initiated RTL . Landing with somewhere between 8 % and 15%. How much voltage is remaining I’m not sure but I cant imagine it’s much. I believe that Solex will Inform me of that next

Yep. In the Solex Battery Drain you will see the individual voltage of each cell. Pay attention to the readouts during the drain process. If any of the cells drain down much faster than the others chances are very good the battery is a door stop. Be aware that the Battery Calibration is intended to "flatten" the individual cells to each other. It will not rejuvenate a failed pack.

 

[XevetS]

I don’t know how much load the props are adding on the battery

The props add more load on the Motors pulling more Amps from the battery draining it a lot quicker, all motor load tests are done with props on.

 

[Ed.it.Ed]

The props add more load on the Motors pulling more Amps from the battery draining it a lot quicker, all motor load tests are done with props on.

That all makes sense . Is the prop and ash cooling necessary even when the battery is at 8% after RTL?

If they are required then the suggestion of reversing their positions to create downward f thrust would be a good one and would get the job done quicker it seems.

 

[Ed.it.Ed]

How do I turn off the low battery alarm?

I found the Vehicle page and the slow medium and fast settings for the motors. But I still haven’t found the actual select battery drain function is that actually the name of the function or my looking for something else?

 

[Ed.it.Ed]

The props add more load on the Motors pulling more Amps from the battery draining it a lot quicker, all motor load tests are done with props on.

Yep. In the Solex Battery Drain you will see the individual voltage of each cell. Pay attention to the readouts during the drain process. If any of the cells drain down much faster than the others chances are very good the battery is a door stop. Be aware that the Battery Calibration is intended to "flatten" the individual cells to each other. It will not rejuvenate a

Yep. In the Solex Battery Drain you will see the individual voltage of each cell. Pay attention to the readouts during the drain process. If any of the cells drain down much faster than the others chances are very good the battery is a door stop. Be aware that the Battery Calibration is intended to "flatten" the individual cells to each other. It will not rejuvenate a failed pack.

I’m still unable to find the read out for the individual cells and also would love to know how to turn off the alarm thanks for your replies

 

[XevetS]

That all makes sense . Is the prop and ash cooling necessary even when the battery is at 8% after RTL?

If they are required then the suggestion of reversing their positions to create downward f thrust would be a good one and would get the job done quicker it seems.

The only reason I suggested to reverse aftermarket props was for safety only, nothing to do with the Solex test at all it can be done with props on in the normal positions..

 

[Ed.it.Ed]

the low battery alarm finally stopped on its own. THANK GOD! Or rather , thank KELLY.

FYI I’m doing all this motor running from the Vehicle Details Page where you can select between SLOW MED FAST for motor speeds.

It also shows individual motor info regarding motor hours but not individual readings on the battery cells.

Am i on the right page? If yes, how to see the individual cells?

 

[XevetS]

Found this on Youtube by this guy "Rooland Theunissen out of The Netherlands" a glimpse of how it works cool stuff..

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