GoPro Battery Level during "Storage"

[allen_993]

So I know that the Solo batteries are best kept at 50% when not in use. I assuming the same is true for the GoPro battery...and for the Controller battery for that matter? So for the GoPro, how do you get it to the 50% mark (or close approximation) when the only battery indicator is the small 3-bar graphic on the GoPro screen?

 

[Brendon Baddiley]

Following

 

[jbrunel]

I think that 50% storage only applies to li po not li on batteries

 

[Maddog]

I think that 50% storage only applies to li po not li on batteries

Agree- I don't think it matters to GoPro batteries. I charge mine up all the way until I need them.

 

[allen_993]

I did some research, and saw where GoPro recommends to leave it at 50%. BTW...I saw a whole lot of a negative discussion about GoPro battery drain issues.

 

[Maddog]

I did some research, and saw where GoPro recommends to leave it at 50%. BTW...I saw a whole lot of a negative discussion about GoPro battery drain issues.

How can you tell if it is at 50%?

A while back my 4 silver started draining the battery completely if I left it in the camera overnight. Now I have to leave it out until I'm ready to shoot.
No problem with the 4 black.

 

[allen_993]

How can you tell if it is at 50%?

As you see from my original post... "So for the GoPro, how do you get it to the 50% mark (or close approximation) when the only battery indicator is the small 3-bar graphic on the GoPro screen?"...that is the question I have. I guess I'll charge it to 2 out of 3 bars and call it good.

 

[KenMc]

When you press the power switch on an unattached battery - it gives an indication of charge. I assume that keeping the battery at roughly 1/2 that full scale is good enough. The 'new' batteries I've received are always charged to about this point.

 

[allen_993]

When you press the power switch on an unattached battery - it gives an indication of charge. I assume that keeping the battery at roughly 1/2 that full scale is good enough. The 'new' batteries I've received are always charged to about this point.

I think you are talking about the Solo battery. We are talking about the battery in the GoPro camera.

 

[KenMc]

Duh...sorry.

 

[KenMc]

I found some a reference to the GoPro's view of battery status in this PDF - they seem to regard the 3 LEDs as indicating 33% each - so 1 bar is probably 33%.

https://gopro.com/content/dam/help/...nuals/Battery-BacPac-UM-ENG-010611-v1_Web.pdf

I ran across this really interesting site about Batteries. They provide a more exact answer about storage here:

BU-702: How to Store Batteries – Battery University

It appears that 40% SoC is the best storage state for Lithium ion batteries.

I'd say that 1 bar (33%) is the best bet for storage.

----
Another item of interest is that charging with a USB port may not provide enough amperage to fully charge a small 1 cell LiPo. A poor quality USB cable combined with another device draining part of the 500ma will leave the LiPo undercharged.

I tried charging my GoPro battery to a full charge and checking the voltage - it was 4.21 Volts - indicating a full charge. It's interesting that the GoPro cable is short and heavier than most USB cables.

KenMc

 

[allen_993]

That is good information right there...thanks for that!

 

[KenMc]

A little more detail -

The LiPo docs I have says store at 3.8 Volts per cell

I charged my GoPro and then tried to work out what the bars meant - no joy.

Full is 4.26 Volts
2 bars - 3.79 Volts
1 bar - 3.70 Volts
Full discharge (GoPro turns on long enough to beep 5 times and turn off) - 3.41 V

I would appear that storing at 2 bars or 1 bar would be okay. But it's just a SWAG.

 

[David Boulanger]

Gopro's use lithium ion. I don't believe storage charge is that critical.