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Batteries Taking a Long time To Charge

Discussion in 'MōVI M15' started by Mark Laslo, May 12, 2016.

  1. Mark Laslo

    Mark Laslo New Member

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    I have been charing the included freefly 4s battery for a long time - over 3 hours. The white molex cable is pugged in, and the red and black leads are plugged in.

    The freefly charger is set to LiPo and 3A. Currently it seems to be balancing the cells, each time I check in on it - every 5-10 minutes or so, a different cell light is blinking. The main charge status led is in the green/red stage - it looks red except at a certain angle the green light is visible

    Some Notes:

    This is the first time this battery has been charged for this long. Fearing a faulty charger, we had been disconnecting the battery when the charge light was red/green. Freefly told us this was not a problem, and that it would eventually go green.

    The charge cycle was interrupted a couple of times due to an inability to monitor it for extended periods of time.

    To me. the cells do not feel puffy, and the battery is not warm.

    Any help is greatly appreciated.

    Thanks,
    Mark
     
  2. Graham Futerfas

    Graham Futerfas Well-Known Member

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    Hi Mark, I'd suggest getting a battery checker to see what the individual cells are doing. I had one of my Freefly batteries go bad after about 4 months. Not sure if it was drained too far or what happened. At this point, I have 7 batteries and consider them as expendables that need to be replaced periodically.

    Here's the battery tester I use:
    http://www.amazon.com/Floureon-Batt...tery tester&qid=1463074626&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

    I also have a battery charger that gives me more information about the batteries and can put them into storage if needed:
    http://www.amazon.com/Combo-Special-Tenergy-Balance-Charger/dp/B00466PKE0
     
  3. Gary Haynes

    Gary Haynes Administrator
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    How old and how many cycles on the battery? Has it ever gone full dead? Might simply be on its deathbed :) A battery checker is something to add to your kit. Really lets you see the actual health of the cells.
     
  4. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Mark: At what voltage was the battery before you started trying to charge it?

    Andy

    Forensic Software & sUAV / Drone Analyst : Photographer : Videographer : Pilot (Portland, Oregon, USA): Trees=2, Ground=1, Props=11. :(
    The Ground Is The Limit™
    ---------- Forensic Drone Analyst : Forensic sUAV Analyst : Forensic Unmanned Aircraft Analyst : Forensic Drone Expert
     
  5. Wolf Schiebel

    Wolf Schiebel Active Member

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    I have troubles with the balancer cable (white molex) on two of my batteries. It's broken and the bat won't charge with the FF charger. But it does on an other lipo charger without balancing. Never had any troubles with voltage or battery time. This cable seems to be a weak point on this batteries, actually on all lipo batteries....


    Best Wolf
     
  6. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Hi Wolf:
    Yeah, the FF charger is most likely using the presence/absence of the balancer connection as a safety-interlock.
    Charging a four cell (4S) with the balancing lead is not without its risks as if a cell days, the charger cannot detect that fact and keeps shoving electrons into the battery -- the most cost-effective and safest way of proceeding is to get the balance connector replaced, I'm afraid.

    Andy

    Forensic Software & sUAV / Drone Analyst : Photographer : Videographer : Pilot (Portland, Oregon, USA): Trees=2, Ground=1, Props=11. :(
    The Ground Is The Limit™
    ---------- Forensic Drone Analyst : Forensic sUAV Analyst : Forensic Unmanned Aircraft Analyst : Forensic Drone Expert
     
  7. Wolf Schiebel

    Wolf Schiebel Active Member

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    Hi Andy, i know about the risks, since i am handling lipos for more than 10 years now. Of course i always measure the cell voltages with a lipo tester. The risk of getting the cells unbalanced is much higher in a high current draw usage, like multicopters. The balancer cable is damaged not in the connector but in the battery at the solder joints of the cells, and it's far to complicated to replace it. If a FF battery cell dies i just replace the bat. It's an expendable.. and not that expensive.

    Cheers Wolf
     
  8. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Hi Wolf:
    Glad to hear you're aware of the risks!
    As you say, replacing the battery might be the safest way to go.

    Thanks
    Andy


    Forensic Software & sUAV / Drone Analyst : Photographer : Videographer : Pilot (Portland, Oregon, USA): Trees=2, Ground=1, Props=11. :(
    The Ground Is The Limit™
    ---------- Forensic Drone Analyst : Forensic sUAV Analyst : Forensic Unmanned Aircraft Analyst : Forensic Drone Expert
     

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