Solo Battery Calibration

Joined
Jul 12, 2016
Messages
294
Reaction score
134
Location
Tunkhannock, PA
I conducted a few studies on how the more popular aftermarket antennas compare. Using the Google URL shortener I was able to track the views and was surprised that they exceeded 3,200.

So I figured I would look at the Battery Calibration. I posted my findings on the owners Group five days ago and see that the document has accumulated 850+ views so I figure I'll post here for any interested in the Battery Calibration process.

There isn't anything that most here aren't well aware of. Perhaps there might be some information helpful to the new members of the Forum.

Most of the Solo packs have or will soon be approaching their third birthday and are showing signs of deterioration and outright failure. The Battery Calibration will add additional capacity to a viable pack but never intended to revive a spent battery. Batteries are still readily available but the best news is that there is work in progress to provide us with a fresh battery that promises better performance than the original pack.

goo.gl/BXyn16
 
Mike, do you know how to silence the low battery beeping when draining charge using Solex? I'm not being very fruitful in my searching
 
Mike, do you know how to silence the low battery beeping when draining charge using Solex? I'm not being very fruitful in my searching
Great question that I don't have an answer to. Not sure if there is a parameter you can toggle on and off. That said, to do so is well above my understanding as to how to accomplish that. :confused:
In my experience using the Solex Battery Drain the motor cut off preceded the the beeper. I now use my HiTec to perform the precalibration discharge. I was very impressed with the HiTec discharge mode as it took the battery down to 0%/0mAH from 96%/2199mAh in under 7 hours using a .6A maximum rate. :)
 
Great question that I don't have an answer to. Not sure if there is a parameter you can toggle on and off. That said, to do so is well above my understanding as to how to accomplish that. :confused:
In my experience using the Solex Battery Drain the motor cut off preceded the the beeper. I now use my HiTec to perform the precalibration discharge. I was very impressed with the HiTec discharge mode as it took the battery down to 0%/0mAH from 96%/2199mAh in under 7 hours using a .6A maximum rate. :)
Interesting.
I actually used Solex to spin the motors for 2 minutes then got complaints so I took it outside and hovered about a meter off the ground. I just watched the voltage decline to 12V then landed. My batteries were already low from test flights earlier so the process was maybe 3-7 min each.
 
I was doing the discharge thing yesterday using the solo. Had it on "fast" when the beeping started. I wrapped a pillow around the bird and that helped a tad...not much. So, to make a short story even lomger, I switched from 'Fast' to 'Medium" and the beeping never returned. Unfortunately I fell asleep and upon awakening discovered everything was silent and the battery read 6 volts. I waited the 5 hrs and then started the chargeing. Am curious what the end result will be.
 
I was doing the discharge thing yesterday using the solo. Had it on "fast" when the beeping started. I wrapped a pillow around the bird and that helped a tad...not much. So, to make a short story even lomger, I switched from 'Fast' to 'Medium" and the beeping never returned. Unfortunately I fell asleep and upon awakening discovered everything was silent and the battery read 6 volts. I waited the 5 hrs and then started the chargeing. Am curious what the end result will be.
Man the same exact thing was happening to me except whrn i woke up i did [emoji2]
 
I conducted a few studies on how the more popular aftermarket antennas compare. Using the Google URL shortener I was able to track the views and was surprised that they exceeded 3,200.

So I figured I would look at the Battery Calibration. I posted my findings on the owners Group five days ago and see that the document has accumulated 850+ views so I figure I'll post here for any interested in the Battery Calibration process.

There isn't anything that most here aren't well aware of. Perhaps there might be some information helpful to the new members of the Forum.

Most of the Solo packs have or will soon be approaching their third birthday and are showing signs of deterioration and outright failure. The Battery Calibration will add additional capacity to a viable pack but never intended to revive a spent battery. Batteries are still readily available but the best news is that there is work in progress to provide us with a fresh battery that promises better performance than the original pack.

goo.gl/BXyn16
Do you have any idea when the new batteries will be in production.
 
I'm not aware of any company making or testing any new batteries for the Solo. No, phillip is not and there's no reason to believe there will be new batteries this year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rotorboy2.4gh
That's dissapointing - this thread had got my hopes up.

Batteries

I'll go with you P2P on this, as the most reliable of sources on all things Solo.

Thanks for the info, guess I'll be digging out my stopwatch when the time comes...
 
Paul has also several times commented that new batteries were in the making. That said, little or nothing has come out of the Smart Guys camp lately until P2P's comment so it seems things have taken a different course. Discouraging.
 
Any ideas on why my barely used solo drone batteries last 2-3 minutes when they both were lasting 10-15 minutes only change is I have my GoPro camera and gimbal attached. Does this really cut flight time to a minimal of less than 5 minutes? I have a new charger and batteries on the way to rule out bad and or overly used batteries to make sure it’s not my drone!
 
Any ideas on why my barely used solo drone batteries last 2-3 minutes when they both were lasting 10-15 minutes only change is I have my GoPro camera and gimbal attached. Does this really cut flight time to a minimal of less than 5 minutes? I have a new charger and batteries on the way to rule out bad and or overly used batteries to make sure it’s not my drone!
Sad truth is they probably have gone off to that Old LiPO place in the sky.

The Solo packs are going on 4 yrs old which is the beginning of the end from an EOL perspective. That's why the battery mod is so important. It keeps us flying while we wait for a fresh run of Solo Batteries.
 
This is my not so elegant but workable solution. i use hard case batteries and guts from old battery, leave battery guts plugged into Solo and just change battery, I use similar batteries on some of my RC planes so plenty to experiment with.
Just secure with a velcro strap around battery and body, lots of cooling for battery!!
DSCN1767.JPG
 
This is my not so elegant but workable solution. i use hard case batteries and guts from old battery, leave battery guts plugged into Solo and just change battery, I use similar batteries on some of my RC planes so plenty to experiment with.
Just secure with a velcro strap around battery and body, lots of cooling for battery!!
View attachment 9883
You got mojo I don't. When I disconnect the battery from the BMS I loose calibration.
 
You got mojo I don't. When I disconnect the battery from the BMS I loose calibration.
The cell voltages is all I care about which it still reports correctly, I cycle and charge battery on my RC battery charger. I don't care about what the BMS reports as long as cell voltages and overall voltage get reported back to Solo.
You will notice I kept the standard balancing connector that came with battery so that I can balance charge, storage charge, measure cell internal resistance, etc on this or other battery I might experiment with on my RC charger.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Michael Lione
I just read the following regarding calibration:
  1. Gently discharge the battery pack until it cuts off the first time (this is around 12V).
  2. Allow the pack the relax for at least 5 hours. The pack’s voltage will climb above 12V during this process. DO NOT TRY TO DISCHARGE THE PACK AGAIN. Damage to the battery may result.
  3. Charge the pack completely and leave it on the charger for 48 hours. The pack will relax, then do a balance cycle, then top off.
  4. Let the pack sit for at least 2 hours off the charger before using the pack.
This tutorial was written by the Solo EE team (Jeff Wurzbach and Philip Rowse).

Question - How do I "Gently discharge the battery pack"?
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
13,093
Messages
147,741
Members
16,047
Latest member
pvt solo