Battery - red error

Cranky Trapper · Nov 25, 2016

So I purchased a new battery and when I connected it to the charger - automatically it gave me a solid red light error.
There is nothing wrong with the charger as it charges the other batteries without a problem.

Is there any way to get this battery to charge?

I've tried putting it in the freezer but that didn't do a thing.

Any advice or tips would be much appreciated

Jafo · Nov 26, 2016

Do you own a decent battery tester ? One that shows you individual cell voltages ? Look for a weak cell in your battery.
Unlike older batteries, putting lipos in the freezer is a really poor idea.

Cranky Trapper · Nov 27, 2016

Yes I do. So if there is a weak cell - I'm hooped?

Jafo · Nov 28, 2016

If you find a weak cell, you can try to balance the cells if there not to far out of whack. If voltages are to low or to far apart from each other the battery won't charge.
Otherwise, your pretty much SOL.

Bernard · Dec 4, 2016

I just had a similar problem. In low temp, ( -2C outside today), I brought the battery to critical level then landed. But I left the Q500 on for another 10 minutes while I was chatting with a neighbor. The St-10+ then showed 8.7V !! I shut it off. When I connected the battery to the original charger, I got a solid error red.
I then checked the battery voltage, it was at 9.00 V. I took a car battery maintainer ( 1.5A, 12V ) and plugged it to the battery, using alligator clips. I then let the charger increase the battery voltage for MAXIMUM 2 minutes, while I kept my hand on the battery to monitor its temperature. Then I quickly unplugged and hooked up the battery to the Yuneec charger. And voila !!!! Blinking red !!!

It's now charging. I will not go too far from the battery for a couple hours, just in case. I don't know yet what will be the outcome and I'll have to do some near ground flying while monitoring the voltage.

Will report later.

Cranky Trapper · Dec 4, 2016

Bernard said:
I just had a similar problem. In low temp, ( -2C outside today), I brought the battery to critical level then landed. But I left the Q500 on for another 10 minutes while I was chatting with a neighbor. The St-10+ then showed 8.7V !! I shut it off. When I connected the battery to the original charger, I got a solid error red.
I then checked the battery voltage, it was at 9.00 V. I took a car battery maintainer ( 1.5A, 12V ) and plugged it to the battery, using alligator clips. I then let the charger increase the battery voltage for MAXIMUM 2 minutes, while I kept my hand on the battery to monitor its temperature. Then I quickly unplugged and hooked up the battery to the Yuneec charger. And voila !!!! Blinking red !!!

It's now charging. I will not go too far from the battery for a couple hours, just in case. I don't know yet what will be the outcome and I'll have to do some near ground flying while monitoring the voltage.

Will report later.

Excellent! Please keep me posted

Bernard · Dec 4, 2016

So far, so good !!!

Bernard · Dec 4, 2016

the type of charger / maintainer I used to revive the battery. Do not use any high current charger !! Do not charge for more than 1 or 2 minutes @ 2 Amps max !! The only thing you want is to bring the battery voltage above the threshold where the Yuneec charger refuses to charge.

I suggest you use the lowest current ( 1 or 2 Amps) battery maintainer you can find. Again...for just enough time to bring the voltage up ever so slightly...
This Mercedes-Benz battery maintainer is just too expensive for what you need, but I work for M-B and I had it in my tools.

Bernard · Dec 4, 2016

Just flew my bird. Saved my battery. All is fine.

Bernard · Dec 4, 2016

Cranky, try it. Save your battery... Don't keep it undercharged for too long.

Cranky Trapper · Dec 8, 2016

Bernard said:
Cranky, try it. Save your battery... Don't keep it undercharged for too long.

Thanks! I'll give it a try. At $160.00 a battery it's worth a shot.

Bernard · Dec 18, 2016

Any update? Battery still dead?

Cranky Trapper · Dec 18, 2016

Bernard said:
Any update? Battery still dead?

Well I did give it a boost and was able to get some charge but not a full charge. I haven't been able to try it out yet as it has been way too cold out to fly.

redbird007 · Jan 20, 2018

Cranky Trapper said:
Well I did give it a boost and was able to get some charge but not a full charge. I haven't been able to try it out yet as it has been way too cold out to fly.

Any luck yet?

I flew my Q500 on Friday. It was 34 degrees out with a 3mph breeze. I brought the drone back as soon as the batteries' voltage dipped to the first warning. However, the Yuneec charger is indicating an error with two of the batteries. Each time I plug one of those two in, the charger indicates it's balancing the cells, then it indicates it's charging for a few seconds, and then the red light turns solid.

I keep a battery log, so I don't understand why there would be a problem with the batteries. Battery 1 began with a charge of 4.16, 4.17, 4.17; ran the motors for 13:27; and returned with a voltage of 3.79, 3.80, and 3.79. It charged without problem.

Battery 2 began with a charge of 4.16, 4.17, 4.16; ran the motors for 10:56; and returned with a voltage of 3.81, 3.83, and 3.82 -- higher than Battery 1, but now indicating an error.

Battery 3 began with a charge of 4.14, 4.15, 4.17; ran the motors for 9:55; and returned with a voltage of 3.82, 3.83, and 3.83.

The return voltage readings are in line, and even slightly above, with other voltages.

Cnorris · Mar 8, 2018

Bernard said:
Just flew my bird. Saved my battery. All is fine.

Bernard how did you hook the battery trickler up to the battery?

redbird007 · Mar 8, 2018

I went ahead and bought the Venom Pro Duo charger. My batteries are fine now. The charger does a much better job of balancing the cells than Yuneec's charger. Plus, it charges in less than half the time -- and two batteries simultaneously.

Cnorris · Mar 8, 2018

Will that battery charge a battery the is showing a solid red?I cracked the drone in a tree and it ran dead?

redbird007 · Mar 8, 2018

Cnorris said:
Will that battery charge a battery the is showing a solid red?I cracked the drone in a tree and it ran dead?

I don't know. If the battery drained completely, it's probably dead for good. I was getting an error message with the Yuneec charger after it made a brief attempt to charge each battery. The Venom charger really is a good investment regardless because it will also discharge batteries for long-term storage and you can use it for all kinds of other batteries. So if you upgrade to a better drone later, the charger will handle the better drone's batteries as well.

Cnorris · Mar 8, 2018

I just hooked my trickler to the battery for like a minute then put it on the charger now it is blinking!I crashed it last night in the tree and wasn't able to retrieve it till today so the battery completely was dead.