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Help with battery charging and digital testing tool

Discussion in 'MōVI M10' started by Brett Harrison, Sep 17, 2013.

  1. Brett Harrison

    Brett Harrison Active Member

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    Just got a friend's M10 in and charging the batteries - seems to be taking a long time for the first charge before it goes green, and I can't find in the manual how to use the digital alarm to test the condition of the batteries.

    Please help a LiPo newbie.
     
  2. Wolfgang Armin

    Wolfgang Armin Active Member

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    Hi Brett,
    I don´t have my MoVI yet, so I don´t even know exactly what´s in the box. But did you have a look at the tutorial videos?
    is for the batteries
     
  3. Jonathan Stevenson

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    Brett, when I get to the office in an hour I'll send you a photo of how it works. It took me forever to figure it out. There's nothing in the manual about how to use it so I just had to fiddle with it haha.

    I had the same problem with the battery charger though. Seemed like it was taking too long to turn solid green from solid red. Finally I got the battery checker to work at the battery was at 4.18 per cell, so either it was just about to turn green, or I narrowly escaped overcharging it... These lipos make me nervous haha.
     
  4. Gary Haynes

    Gary Haynes Administrator
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  5. Jonathan Stevenson

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    Thanks Gary! Didn't realize you had already posted that.
     
  6. Wolfgang Armin

    Wolfgang Armin Active Member

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    Guys, if you feel uncomfortable with LiPos, there are LiPo savers available. Some beep very loud which is probably not what you want on set, but other just blink or shut the power off. They are not the most beautiful products, but cheap.
     
  7. Jonathan Stevenson

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    That sounds awesome, can you share a link? Maybe it's just because I'm new to Lipos, but they make me so nervous haha. All the documentation make them sound like they're filled with nitro glycerin.
     
  8. Gary Haynes

    Gary Haynes Administrator
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    You can take the supplied LiPo checker and leave it plugged in all the time. But really you can simply go by the indicator lights on the MōVI control box. When it changes to a single light there is still a lot of juice left but go ahead and change it. I'm sure that someplace there is a chart of voltage vs percentage charge left but LiPo's aren't like other batteries. Fully discharged is about 13.2 volts, 3.3 volts per cell. Go below that and generally you can throw the battery away as you will have damaged the cell. Keep it at or above 14.4 volts/3.6 volts per cell and you won't go wrong. 14.4 is about 20-25% remaining. Don't go below that number.

    But your best bet is simply to watch the indicator lights. Nothing to lose, no additional weight, no LiPo alarm indicator accidentally going off, and they are really really loud. And frankly unnecessary unless you are hooking them up to flight batteries on a copter for that 'get out of the sky NOW' type of warning.

    You can get a LiPo saver here http://www.quadrocopter.com/MikroKopter-Lipo-Saver_p_937.html from Quadrocopter.
     
  9. Wolfgang Armin

    Wolfgang Armin Active Member

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    Jonathan, I couldn´t find all links in english, but perhaps this helps:
    Austrian Site - LED-only (approx. 6 US$): http://www.conrad.at/ce/de/product/230328/Modelcraft-LiPo-Saver
    Swiss site - including power-off: http://www.flighttech.ch/Single-vie...t_products[backPID]=45&tt_products[product]=1
    and Amazon.com (but with buzzer): http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Micro...F8&qid=1379433770&sr=1-17&keywords=lipo+alarm

    There are many different types available. Some may require a little soldering because you might need to solder the right connector to the device. Others are just plug and play, but might not have the power-off function.
     
  10. Brett Harrison

    Brett Harrison Active Member

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    Thanks guys, this is basic stuff and I appreciate the help. We are up and running now with your help. That beeping alarm tool will be ultra helpful for us and the customers using it.
     
  11. bevan goldswain

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    I did not receive a Lipo checker with my order. Did everyone else get one? is it standard or an optional extra?
     
  12. Gary Haynes

    Gary Haynes Administrator
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    Be an there is a post from Denise at Freefly that they are no longer included.
     
  13. bevan goldswain

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    That's a bit random, so some people get them and some don't?
     
  14. Adolfo Cantu-Villarreal

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    Bevan,

    This is what Denise (from Movi Support) posted on a separate thread:

     

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