Extra Batteries

[Pigskin75]

Purchased a new Breeze last week and I've been practicing in my backyard (low and slow). I'm really enjoying the drone (my first) and I'm ready to gt out to an open area and really open it up.

My problem is I only have one battery. I've looked everywhere and can't find reasonably priced batteries.

I know batteries can be had at Walmart for less then $30 but these re out of stock.

Any suggestions as to where to get batteries these days?

 

[PiraTech]

Try searching on ebay. Someone even has a larger capacity battery for about the same price. Plug N Play.

 

[Scott_in_Colorado]

Lipo batteries are nothing to fool with. Suggest you look at the battery posts and cautions you should be aware of.

 

[mouthfulloflake]

can anyone recommend a decent off brand? or is it best to stick with Yuneec, my factory battery is quite weak I think.

 

[Scott_in_Colorado]

Why do you think your Yuneec battery is ‘quite weak’? What leads you to this conclusion?
- does it take a long time to charge?
- does the battery get hot when charging?
- are flight times reduced?
- is the battery hot at the end of the flight?

It’s s fact, LiPo batteries don’t get weak without indications - what are you seeing?

If you go with an off-brand battery will it still use the same interface / connections as the OEM battery or will you have to modify the Breeze to accept the battery? Do you plan to use the same Yuneec charger?

Unless you continually fly below 20% battery capacity the battery should last years.

Tell us more about what you are seeing.

 

[mouthfulloflake]

- it charges quickly and discharges quickly ( like 4 minutes of flight time with the camera running)
-its warm after flight, I have not noticed it warmer than that after charging ( I let it cool before charging)
- yes reduced flight times - but I didnt own this new, so are they usually 4 minutes long with the camera on?
- warm not hot.

I would happily modify the breeze or a battery to get more time/value from a battery, I am not worried about that aspect, is there a common battery upgrade that needs such things? not afraid to open it up and build one. but since they are $30 new, and if the new ones actually get even close to the advertised flight times, Id be fine with that.

is there a brand that has given good service and actual good flight times other than Yuneec?

 

[RickJKelley]

There are some chinese equivalents that I am I am using. GiFi Power cells I was buying them for $22usd shipping and handling included on amazon bUT don't see that price now. You have to be careful to buy the 1700mah and not the 1300mah ones as there is a 10-12~min difference in flight time to the original yuneec batteries. Also they are a wee bit fatter fit in the breeze 4K and charger.

 

[mouthfulloflake]

interesting, I just pulled mine out, it says yuneec
power 3- A
LIPO
1150 mAh
11.1V (12.765Wh)

is this not the battery for a breeze 4k?

Ill order up some gifi 1700 mAh and see how they go

 

[Scott_in_Colorado]

You need a volt meter to check the battery. Each cell should be around 4.1 volts charged, not under 4 volts. Since it’s a 3 cell pack you can expect 3x4 volts; 12volts or more. The DANGER comes from a cell that does not charge fully causing the other cells to overcharge so the total pack voltage is still 12+ volts. This is why better chargers ‘balance’ the pack voltage so overcharging does not occur. If you are getting 4 minutes recording, don’t record and check the flight time. You should get at least 8 minutes.

Proceed slowly as lipo fires are very dangerous and happen more often than you think.

There are video links of lipo fires on this site. Watch them so you understand the danger.

Good luck.

 

[mouthfulloflake]

I found this which is quite useful, I might rig up an adapter to allow my good charger to balance and charge the battery

 

[mouthfulloflake]

4.2 Cell1
4.19 Cell2
4.2 Cell 3

12.60v across all three


took off once phone and controller were connected at 1:30 seconds.
landed at 17% at 6 minutes and 42 seconds

hovered in place ( at 3 feet) with a very slight breeze
took 2 photos

5:12 flight time.

is that normal? or is my battery weak?

 

[RickJKelley]

I would suggest you look into the balancing of your lipos, this video will take you through building your own connectors and explain what a charger like comes with the yuneec breeze 4k which really is not that great for balancing, but works in a pinch:

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[mouthfulloflake]

I understand and am aware of balancing lipos.
this isn't my first nor 5th drone and i've had plenty of homebuilt RC stuff before.

is 5 minutes and 12 seconds a normal flight time for a Breeze to simply hover and take two photographs?

If not, what is a good aftermarket battery, are there any available with more capacity?

 

[mouthfulloflake]

according to this guy im not too far off, but still a bit shorter ( weak battery)

I cant imagine someone getting 20 minutes though

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[DoomMeister]

is 5 minutes and 12 seconds a normal flight time for a Breeze to simply hover and take two photographs?

That is only a little over half the normal flight time with the OEM battery. I can usually get about 9 minutes on a fully charged battery and I only take it from 100% to 30% before landing.

Refer to this wiring diagram and check voltages of each cell before and after charging. After charging all cells should be close to 4.20 volts within a couple hundredths of a volt of each other.

View media item 694

 

[mouthfulloflake]

Ok, so my battery is confirmed weak, thanks.

Ill try and find a couple of replacements.

 

[John Polasek]

Went on amazon and found 1700 mAH (as opposed to the 1150 mAH that came with the Breeze) battery for Breeze for $41 each or $52 for a 2 pack... I decided to try one first, and it just came in yesterday... took just over an hour to charge when I got home. Hopefully the wind will be low enough this afternoon to see how long it'll keep the beast in the air.

 

[mouthfulloflake]

Ive been testing the GIFI power batteries since last week.

TERRIBLE
, advertised as 1700 mAh
they last 2:20-3:00 minutes hovering with the camera off.

my OEM battery rated at 1100 and months old lasts 5+ minutes hovering with the camera off.

these are going back to amazon

this is what NOT to order

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07C2Q3VKL/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Scott_in_Colorado]

Sorry you had to find out the hard way. Battery specs (individual) vary and when you put three together no telling what will happen - if you don’t know what you are doing. In ‘theory’ a 1700mah battery GIVEN THE SAME ‘C’ RATING will be better than a 1300mah but as you found out, it’s not always the case.

 

[mouthfulloflake]

I could easily build a battery, I needed one before the July 4rth holiday, so I ordered these.

If I had some extra cases ( that didnt cost $40 each) Id happily build myself a wonderful battery pack.
I could hack the drone to accept whatever, but I hate to do that at this juncture.


At this point these are going back to amazon, and Ill try some OEM batteries.

But if you recall, everyone told me me the OEM batteries would last twice as long as I am getting ( 9-10 minutes is what people are saying) I am getting 5 if lucky with the single OEM battery I have ( camera off)

is it possible that something is wrong with this drone that is eating batteries faster than normal?

very slight nicks on the props... seems fine otherwise..