St16 battery dead?

[Pier2162]

Good morning.
Last week I flew my H after recharging the controller battery to 100%.
After 3 flights (3 batteries) I switched off the controller and I remember the battery level was around 50%.
This morning I took out the drone from its backpack for a new flight but the controller screen didn't light up. The blue led was on but the fan was not spinning. Tried to connect the recharge cable and after a couple of minutes I saw the level indicator blinking red. Left it in charge for at least 1 hour then tried to switch on the controller, It works but battery level was only 4%. Controller didn't search drone and camera too, but immediatly appears the "welcome pilot" message.
Questions:
How can battery discharge totally this way?
Do I have to suppose there is a short circuit in the hardware or into the battery?
Is it normal that the controller does not search for drone and camera?
I've alreasdy ordered a new battery, hoping to solve and that the trouble is only a faulty battery.
What do you think about?

 

[DoomMeister]

You will have to charge the battery on a charger Once it gets that low it will not charge in the ST16 via USB.

I had one of mine discharge after use in the past. Thought the switch was fully in the off position, but it wasn’t and the battery did a deep discharge. Used a third party charger with the proper adapter to recharge. Have not had an issue since then.

There have been others that had issues with the switch or on/off/charging circuitry going bad. They would have to disconnect the battery during storage periods.

 

[Pier2162]

You will have to charge the battery on a charger Once it gets that low it will not charge in the ST16 via USB.

I did it just now...battery reach 90% in 10 seconds (??). If I keep it connected for 1 hour at 2 Amps it goes to 93%, but if I stop and restart the charger, the initial capacity is still 3%.
The internal resistance measured is 249 Mohm!
I think battery is definitively dead.

 

[Steve Carr]

I think battery is definitively dead.

Yes, one battery in the pack probably failed. There are three 18650 Li-ion batteries wired in parallel.

 

[Pier2162]

There have been others that had issues with the switch or on/off/charging circuitry going bad.

I think it's my case too.
I left the battery under charge for all the day long, then I reinstalled it into the controller.
Seems to be working but on the level icon I see the "plug" as if it is under charge (see pic.1). In the "settings" of the pad, battery is "not charging" (Pic. 2).
If I switch off the controller, it tries to restart and shows the battery icon as if it is charging (Pic. 3) and after few seconds stops. If I tap the screen nothing happens.
Ideas?

 

[Pier2162]

Just to add another problem I've found on the ST16....the HDMI output doesn't work anymore. I ve checked into HDMI settings, but it shows "HDMI disconnected".
Can this problem be related to to the defect previously described? I've seen that the battery is directly connected on the HDMI board.

 

[DoomMeister]

That sounds like you may be on the right path Pier.

I just did a small test with my ST16:

1) Power switch off and plug in USB power - fan turns on for a few seconds, screen flashes a few times, battery symbol appears then disappears. Tapping screen brings battery symbol back.

2) Power switch on with main FlightMode app - battery level icon on upper right shows battery level. When USB power is plugged in the symbol changes to showing charging symbol.

3) Pad mode started with Settings, Battery selected - battery percentage shows with discharging, then upon plugging in USB power it changes to showing charging.

With your new findings with the HDMI I would suggest checking all connections associated with that board. Also, are you able to connect the ST16 to your PC via USB?

As a last resort it may be an issue with firmware acting up. You could try saving all of your Flightlogs then doing a system reset which should clear any system bugs.

 

[Pier2162]

I'll check asap. Thanks

 

[Pier2162]

1) Power switch off and plug in USB power - fan turns on for a few seconds, screen flashes a few times, battery symbol appears then disappears. Tapping screen brings battery symbol back.

Yes, the same.

2) Power switch on with main FlightMode app - battery level icon on upper right shows battery level. When USB power is plugged in the symbol changes to showing charging symbol.

Yes but there's another issues from this morning (yesterday works fine):
screen and flyapp starts only if I've usb cable connected. Battery level shows 78%. If I start controller normally, blue led lights on, I hear a "bip" but screen don't start. After startup with usb connected, If i remove the cable the controller stays on for few seconds then dies, black screen and blue led on, fans off. If I maintain connected the USB cable, controller stays on. Then I removed the battery and check it on my analyzer, it was totally drained (2% residual charge). Or the battery is really faulty or there's a short circuit into the ST16.

3) Pad mode started with Settings, Battery selected - battery percentage shows with discharging, then upon plugging in USB power it changes to showing charging.

Yes

With your new findings with the HDMI I would suggest checking all connections associated with that board. Also, are you able to connect the ST16 to your PC via USB?

Yes, it connects.



I'll wait to reset, I want before try with the new battery that i should receive in the next days, but I'm thinking about some component (s) burnt on one or more boards, also due to the fact that hdmi out don't works too.

 

[DoomMeister]

I'll wait to reset, I want before try with the new battery that i should receive in the next days, but I'm thinking about some component (s) burnt on one or more boards, also due to the fact that hdmi out don't works too.

Good idea to see what difference the new battery makes! It truly seems that the pack has at least one bad 18650 in it.

I has been over a year since I opened one of my ST16’s. I’ll look through my photos to see if I can refresh my memory of the board layout and connections.

 

[DoomMeister]

I’m a little more refreshed on the PCB layout of the ST16 now. The Power Switch and USB connector are on the Main board. The Battery, fans, and HDMI are on the board toward the antenna side of the ST16.

Hopefully the new battery will solve all the issues. If it does not solve the HDMI issue check the connections on the board. The HDMI function may have its own interface cable.

 

[Pier2162]

Thank you.
I am more inclined to think that there is a problem on some board, because I had recharged the old battery externally with the charger that I usually use for drone batteries. The charge had been successful up to 100%, it had absorbed over 6000 mA, and I am surprised to have found it completely discharged after reassembling it on the remote control and trying to turn it on. And I find it absurd that if I connect the usb everything works (apart from the hdmi that I have not yet re-checked).
I'll keep you updated after testing the new battery.

 

[Pier2162]

Update.

Last night I received the new battery, I left it under charge overnight at 500mA. This morning it indicated 100%, but it will need a few cycles to keep the full charge. After installing it in the remote control I turned it on, the charge immediately dropped to 82% but at the same time the remote control seems to work, it has no longer turned off by itself. The charge drops quite quickly, I had never noticed before if it had always been like this. In 25 minutes it dropped to 70%, it seems to me to be normal behavior, with a full charge on average I made 3 or 4 flights. The hdmi still doesn't work, in the next few days I'll try to open the case and check the board and connections.
At the end, the old battery was faulty. Now thinking at the many discussions I've read about "black screen" may be some of them could have been caused by the battery, symptoms looks the same (black screen, blue led on, fans off etc.).

 

[Pier2162]

Bad news today...
I opened the controller, I didn't see any badly connected or detached plugs, or burnt components.
However, after closing everything and turning the controller back on, the battery indicated 5% charge (it was at 70% before opening). This let me think that the old battery was still good.
I think there is a card with short circuits, and most likely it is the hdmi one that still does not work.
I noticed also that the part indicated with the arrow in the photo becomes very hot to the touch, I don't know if it's normal being right at the cooling fans.
The fact is that I don't trust flying, now I don't know if it's time to buy a replacement board or if it's better to buy a used controller. What would you do?

Thank you

 

[DoomMeister]

It would depend on the cost difference if you can get just the board. If you can get the board and you save a significant amount it might be worth it. If there is little difference in cost, getting a second controller would be the better choice, and save this one for parts (sticks, switches, WiFi board, etc.)

 

[Pier2162]

I've just found an used st16 (model with 2 antennas, i've with 3...) for less than 100€, I think I'll buy this, should work.
The cost of a spare video board is almost similar but the shipping costs are too high (the board comes from US, not available here in EU).

 

[h-elsner]

This board the red arrow points to contains the main processor, Intel Atom Prozessor Z3735F. It may be hot during normal operation, but if cooling is working not too hot.

 

[Steve Carr]

You could unplug the Wifi board and see if the power drop improves.
In any case, a spare ST16 is a good plan. It gives you something to compare with.

 

[pierre240]

Good morning.
Last week I flew my H after recharging the controller battery to 100%.
After 3 flights (3 batteries) I switched off the controller and I remember the battery level was around 50%.
This morning I took out the drone from its backpack for a new flight but the controller screen didn't light up. The blue led was on but the fan was not spinning. Tried to connect the recharge cable and after a couple of minutes I saw the level indicator blinking red. Left it in charge for at least 1 hour then tried to switch on the controller, It works but battery level was only 4%. Controller didn't search drone and camera too, but immediatly appears the "welcome pilot" message.
Questions:
How can battery discharge totally this way?
Do I have to suppose there is a short circuit in the hardware or into the battery?
Is it normal that the controller does not search for drone and camera?
I've alreasdy ordered a new battery, hoping to solve and that the trouble is only a faulty battery.
What do you think about?

Hello. This is my first participation on this forum.

I have carefully read the various exchanges concerning your breakdown.

I have suffered exactly the same problem as you, battery that does not charge, charge gauge of the remote control permanently indicating that the device is charging when it is not, inactive HDMI output.

I concluded that the problem came from the card that manages the power supply and the HDMI port. This is the one on which the battery connector is connected.

Its reference is: YUNST16115 and I bought it on the Ebay site at this address: Yuneec Video-HDMI Out Board YUNST16115 for ST16 Controller NEW with WARRANTY | eBay.

The card can also be found on the site of the same merchant in the United States at this address: New Yuneec Video-HDMI Out Board YUNST16115 for ST16 Controller NEW with WARRANTY for Sale at ProTechSupply LLC new with warranty

I hope I have helped you because personally it took me almost a year to find this card because in France it is impossible.

 

[Pier2162]

Hi Pierre, welcome to the Yuneec pilots forum, and thanks for sharing your experience.
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I already saw that post on eBay, for the same cost I've found an used controller here in Italy, I can receive it faster than from US. Doing so I will keep my old ST16 for other spare parts (if needed in the future) instead of repair it.