How are your batteries holding up?

[5r49cfu]

All Solo batts were made back in 2015 or so.

Has anyone started seeing their batteries starting to fail or act unpredictably?

 

[Joe Horn]

Oh my, yes! I now have 10 of them on the "unusably short life" shelf, and only 5 left on the "still good" shelf.

 

[RichWest]

I've still got unused waiting...for "that" opportunity. Then a couple of flyers giving me 14 or so minutes. And like Joe, another 10 waiting for a rebuild if all else fails.

 

[makatanav]

for me all 3 are "unusable"
from one took BMS for battery mod, other two are laying in drawer

 

[5r49cfu]

how can you tell if still-boxed batteries are good?

 

[dougputt]

Oh my, yes! I now have 10 of them on the "unusably short life" shelf, and only 5 left on the "still good" shelf.

I'm looking for some on the unusaualy short side if you want to part with any?

 

[Joe Horn]

I'm looking for some on the unusaualy short side if you want to part with any?

I'm keeping my almost-dead batteries in the hope that somebody will invent an easy way to revive them or a relatively simple mod that makes them like new again.

 

[makatanav]

how can you tell if still-boxed batteries are good?

my 5 cents - you can't
need to charge, drain, measure every cell voltage difference, mAh with 3DR Solo Battery diagnostic tool (3DR Solo Battery diagnostic tool and charging adapter. – Madhacker.org)

 

[fvincent]

how can you tell if still-boxed batteries are good?

Get the battery tool !

 

[jonbrotherton]

In case you missed it, here is the step by step way to renew your batteries.

Solo Battery Mod for Dummies (Rev).pdf

drives.news

 

[Flyinglawnmower]

Like most everybody else has said, I have a shelf divided into 3 piles. The dead pile (5 of them), the pile of batteries that have a short flying time life of 7-10 minutes which I don't use anymore (3 of them) and the pile of batteries that are new and never used that I check from time to time to make sure they have 4 or 5 lights worth of charge showing (16 of them). I have 7 batteries in the backpacks with the birds that are in regular use. Somebody asked how to tell if new and unused boxed batteries are still good. I don't have the battery diagnostic tool but it would sure tell you the relative value of batteries. When I bought my last batch of 12 new batteries from B & H when they had their clearance sale some time back, I checked them all upon receipt of them to find that 2 of them would not light up at all. I contacted B & H right away to tell them of the problem with 2 of them. Kudos to B & H as they sent me 2 more within a couple of days, no questions asked.
When 3DR closed its doors, battery supply became the immediate question and the writing was on the wall that we would be having this problem. This is obviously one of the main reasons that the price for a Solo has come down so much in the last year. So, with my little hoard, I think I'm in a reasonably good position for a few years yet.

 

[timgilley]

In case you missed it, here is the step by step way to renew your batteries.

Solo Battery Mod for Dummies (Rev).pdf

drives.news

The NFG label is a nice touch. Made me chuckle.

 

[5r49cfu]

my 5 cents - you can't
need to charge, drain, measure every cell voltage difference, mAh with 3DR Solo Battery diagnostic tool (3DR Solo Battery diagnostic tool and charging adapter. – Madhacker.org)

Makatanav—I have those tools. Some of my well-used batteries (30 to 50 cycles) that have become unreliable still have good cell voltages.

I find that the voltage doesn’t drop until under load, and then they aren’t unbalanced

thanks a lot

 

[Johnny gosney]

Yes my battery .it's funny I see somebody mentioning about battery.yes I've noticed my battery drains quick.way faster then before.im thinking I need a new battery

All Solo batts were made back in 2015 or so.

Has anyone started seeing their batteries starting to fail or act unpredictably?

 

[la.batman]

I just received 3 new batteries. 2 of them were at about 50% charge out of the box and one was just about drained. Could that one battery be bad? Ive heard that they generally ship with 50% charge in them.

 

[jonbrotherton]

Yes that one will be no good.

 

[la.batman]

Thats what I thought. So I order 2 more from another person. I received those today. 1 was at 50% and one was fully charged. So Im wondering why the other one was fully charged. The seller said that he did not charge them before shipping.

 

[jonbrotherton]

A Madhacker battery tool would tell you how many times it has been cycled. If it was new in the box and reads a full charge it is probably no good.

 

[la.batman]

Is there a viable alternative that can be used as a replacement?

 

[Wetstone]

Is there a viable alternative that can be used as a replacement?

Soloflies.com