Video - Do each of your batteries have the same # of charges?

[CAPTAINDRONE]

Your Typhoon battery is only rated for a certain number of charges before it no longer performs well. You'll know it's nearing the end of it's life cycle when your flight time gets shorter and shorter. If you have more than one battery, then it is best to ensure that each battery gets an equal number of charges.

Here is a simple tip I've been using for sometime which works for me. It may work for you if you don't already have a system.

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[martins]

thx

 

[Rayray]

If you have more than one battery, then it is best to ensure that each battery gets an equal number of charges.

Why, Cap? So you can buy replacements all at the same time?

Somewhere I read a study on LIPO's that said the life is longer if they are not charged to the max (and obviously not run down too low). So, instead of 16.8, maybe 16.6. Have you seen that study? What do you think?

 

[Atomic08]

I have four batteries for my TH..I just put a red rubber band around a battery that I just used, letting me know it needs charged !

 

[Rayray]

I have four batteries for my TH..I just put a red rubber band around a battery that I just used, letting me know it needs charged !

Yep, exactly. That's the thing that's important. I've got 3 "piles", those needing charge, those charged, and those with storage charge. Let's see now, which pile is...uh...

 

[CAPTAINDRONE]

Why, Cap? So you can buy replacements all at the same time?

Somewhere I read a study on LIPO's that said the life is longer if they are not charged to the max (and obviously not run down too low). So, instead of 16.8, maybe 16.6. Have you seen that study? What do you think?

I'm not an expert when it comes to batteries so I won't blow smoke up your butt quoting stuff I read or heard someone else say and try and pretend I know what I'm talking about (I'll leave that for someone else to do).

I'll give you my honest two cents on the charging voltage battery thingy using common sense.... Think of other devices that you charge often that use lipo batteries such as your tablet, your cell phone, etc. Do you ever bother to not run them down or keep the voltage at a certain level or discharge them when not in use? I'm guessing no. Do they work fine? I'm guessing yes. You can kinda tell which camp I'm in. I'm in the camp that treats the hobby as a "fun" hobby where I don't get too wrapped around the minor issues that some will have you believe are major issues.

 

[CAPTAINDRONE]

I have four batteries for my TH..I just put a red rubber band around a battery that I just used, letting me know it needs charged !

When I first began in the drone hobby I used to do that. I then changed to the method in the video because I found I was charging the batteries, but some batteries were being used way more than others and I would eventually end up a battery that would no longer hold a charge for very long. Now all the batteries get charged the same number of times so I can pop in any battery and expect the same flight time.

 

[Rayray]

I know you're not saying it's OK to let our H batteries run down as low as possible like a cellphone. Is it fair to compare the way the H batteries are used to devices with cheap LIPO's? Your videos sell knowledge, rightfully so, and knowledge without paranoia seems a good thing. If I can get 20% or so more life out of 5 batteries that cost over a hundred bucks each, I'll go for it.

 

[David Armstrong]

I know you're not saying it's OK to let our H batteries run down as low as possible like a cellphone. Is it fair to compare the way the H batteries are used to devices with cheap LIPO's? Your videos sell knowledge, rightfully so, and knowledge without paranoia seems a good thing. If I can get 20% or so more life out of 5 batteries that cost over a hundred bucks each, I'll go for it.

I definitely agree that it is probably best to not fully discharge your batteries for the lipo's battery health.
But more importantly, I would not want to run the battery all the way down and take a chance on my bird falling from the sky.

The lowest voltage I have ever flown (not on purpose) was 13.9V under load. I was fighting a little wind and so didn't get to land as quickly as I was trying to. (Once that 2nd warning kicks up, your battery goes fast!) Once I was down to that voltage, my copter starting getting very sluggish and the response was very slow. Luckily, I was only a couple feet off the ground by that point.

It popped back up to about 14.2V after the copter set down.

 

[Rayray]

The lowest voltage I have ever flown (not on purpose) was 13.9V under load. I was fighting a little wind and so didn't get to land as quickly as I was trying to. (Once that 2nd warning kicks up, your battery goes fast!) Once I was down to that voltage, my copter starting getting very sluggish and the response was very slow. Luckily, I was only a couple feet off the ground by that point.

It popped back up to about 14.2V after the copter set down.

Wow! Yes, others have commented on the fact that the true idle voltage comes up a bit higher at the end. i try to head back when the dynamic voltage goes below 14.8 or so, but i don't mind getting close to the first warning before landing.

 

[Dragonflyerthom]

I'm going to agree on most of this post. I personally fly to first alert then I'm close to home. IMO the batter should be recharged as close to immediate as possible. DON'T ALLOW THEM TO OVERNITE AT THE LOW VOLTAGE.
This is what kills Batteries. Its not flying them till Low, its leaveing them at low volt that does it. Fly safe.

 

[CAPTAINDRONE]

I know you're not saying it's OK to let our H batteries run down as low as possible like a cellphone. Is it fair to compare the way the H batteries are used to devices with cheap LIPO's? Your videos sell knowledge, rightfully so, and knowledge without paranoia seems a good thing. If I can get 20% or so more life out of 5 batteries that cost over a hundred bucks each, I'll go for it.

Honestly I don't know. I can tell you this though... I fly with many RC pilots (planes with electric motors) of all types. They buy Lipo batteries for anywhere from $30 to $80 each (3 cell to 4 cell). Flight time on average is around 3 mins for them. All the RC pilots I know probably have at least 10 to 15 batteries each. They don't seem to worry about running the batteries down in flight as they time their flight with their watch, so it could be 3 mins to 5 mins of flying. In the field they charge them up again off their car battery (through a converter of course). I guess what I'm saying is that someone, a long time ago (as the drone age was gathering speed), pointed out a few things to note about the care and lifespan of Lipo batteries. Since drone batteries are very expensive, some people started monitoring the charge of the battery like it was a religion and others picked up on their comments and spread the word around as if it was a gaurantee. What I'm saying is that the RC pilots are not too concerned, the FPV pilots are not too concerned, but drone pilots seem to be the only ones massively concerned when it comes to the use & charge of Lipo batteries.

The only thing I can point out from experience is that Lipo battery life is affected (like any rechargeable battery) by the # of charges it receives based on remaining voltage, hence the reason for my video. In my experience, if you spread the number of charges & use of the batteries out over all the batteries you own, then over the long run the batteries should decline more evenly vice having that one battery that suddenly no longer holds a good charge.

 

[Rayray]

Roger that. I gotta "No Fear" T-shirt.

 

[ArnhemAnt]

I never 'fully' charge a LiPo and have never flown a LiPo down too low - I just don't allow this to happen. My charger (Revolectrix PL8) allows me to customise my presets so my max charge per cell is 4.18, not 4.20. My storage charge is set to 3.80- slightly above the 'standard' 3.70.
I also only charge at 1C and always balance charge.
I use an EOS Sentry device to check the individual cell voltages and total voltage of each LiPo before, straight after, and prior to charge/discharge/storage.I also use the same Sentry device to check the battery once the charge is complete. I know what my batteries are doing at all stages.

Everyone should have their own method of tracking, and looking after their batteries as I believe this is one of the most important parts of this 'hobby'.

Once again Captain, a great, informative video and let's hope it helps some users out here as I think too many people overlook just how important battery care/understanding is.

 

[Rayray]

I never 'fully' charge a LiPo and have never flown a LiPo down too low - I just don't allow this to happen. My charger (Revolectrix PL8) allows me to customise my presets so my max charge per cell is 4.18, not 4.20. My storage charge is set to 3.80- slightly above the 'standard' 3.70.
I also only charge at 1C and always balance charge.
I use an EOS Sentry device to check the individual cell voltages and total voltage of each LiPo before, straight after, and prior to charge/discharge/storage.I also use the same Sentry device to check the battery once the charge is complete. I know what my batteries are doing at all stages.

Everyone should have their own method of tracking, and looking after their batteries as I believe this is one of the most important parts of this 'hobby'.

Once again Captain, a great, informative video and let's hope it helps some users out here as I think too many people overlook just how important battery care/understanding is.

That's what I meant to say, lol. I have set my charger to 16.75, balanced, and I store at 15, or a bit less. My choice, others have theirs.