Naza low voltage settings.

[ladykate]

* Being an old geezer, expressions like the 'woodpile' one, have to be avoided. All to easy to trot out the original

Ah... no, you can modify any saying until it is politically incorrect. Take it for what it says, not what you can make it into. FWIW, I heard the 'snake' saying first. We have a lot of snake quips where I am from. Must be some sort of paranoia. 'Last time I saw eyes like that, they were looking at me from under a rock.' and so on.

 

[ElGuano]

To make things easier, I don't think the accucel 6 lets you specify an overcharge voltage.

Mine will charge some cells up to 4.23 while attempting to balance. It's not my charging target but it's within the operational envelope.

 

[ladykate]

To make things easier, I don't think the accucel 6 lets you specify an overcharge voltage.

Mine will charge some cells up to 4.23 while attempting to balance. It's not my charging target but it's within the operational envelope.

Strange that he is getting puffed batteries. The Nanos are not considered marginal batteries (at least amongst the group I know) and to have the majority of them puffing would say that they are distressed in some way. Any ideas?

 

[ElGuano]

To make things easier, I don't think the accucel 6 lets you specify an overcharge voltage.

Mine will charge some cells up to 4.23 while attempting to balance. It's not my charging target but it's within the operational envelope.

Strange that he is getting puffed batteries. The Nanos are not considered marginal batteries (at least amongst the group I know) and to have the majority of them puffing would say that they are distressed in some way. Any ideas?

Too hard to say without more information. I'm a bit **** in that I log cell voltages, mah, time charged and flight notes for every single pack I fly. I've found that some batteries simply puff more than others. My original DJI batteries have been occasionally abused with main discharge shorts and 90+% discharges, and they don't show any sign of puffing (they are AMAZINGLY straight-edged and flat). They're also my most used batteries of the bunch. A 1500mah Turnigy I use for my FPV station, that sits half-charged all the time, never goes below 30% and is used at an extremely low discharge rate, is puffing like an egg. Same with my flight Zippys, which I hate.

I hear enough mixed reports on the Nanos and Turnigys where I kind of expect them to puff slightly faster than normal. They're not absolute first-rate batteries like Gens Ace, but seem to be "pretty good for the price."

 

[discv]

Now I am COMPLETELY foxed.
To recap- F450, Naza v2 fw. 4.02, bare machine, 8" props, 2200 batteries, low voltage set at 10.7/10.5, DT7 Tx/Rx.

Today in 4 mph winds, 5 mph gusts, both batteries flew OK in a gentle hover for 1:30. Then a few red LED flashes.

Landed immediately and shut the motors. Craft then sat showing continuous flashing red LEDs.

On the bench the batteries showed 12.2v. And I can see nothing untoward in the assistant.

Location:- open field [used many times], no metal work etc. 100m + from any building. Compass dance executed.

HELP!

 

[ladykate]

My guesstimate - which was also said several times earlier on - is the battery.
Get another battery of proper voltage/mah.

 

[discv]

My guesstimate - which was also said several times earlier on - is the battery.
Get another battery of proper voltage/mah.

I have new batteries on order [ and the meter you suggested]. But do you not think that the flashing LEDs- with no motors running are a clue + batteries showing 12.2v after flight.

 

[ladykate]

My guesstimate - which was also said several times earlier on - is the battery.
Get another battery of proper voltage/mah.

I have new batteries on order [ and the meter you suggested]. But do you not think that the flashing LEDs- with no motors running are a clue + batteries showing 12.2v after flight.

Yes. However, when fighting more than one variable, take out the most obvious one and then you can focus better - if the obvious one doesn't fix it. Without a proper battery to start with, all else is suspect. Occam's razor applies.

"among competing hypotheses, the one with the fewest assumptions should be selected. Other, more complicated solutions may ultimately prove correct, but—in the absence of certainty—the fewer assumptions that are made, the better."

 

[discv]

Yes, I guess you are right. It's just the waiting- and knowing that it is not a battery problem.
But as you say- it has to be eliminated without doubt. Thanks LK.

 

[ladykate]

Yes, I guess you are right. It's just the waiting- and knowing that it is not a battery problem.

I don't think you can say that with certainty. That is why the battery should be replaced. You said you have several puffed batteries. For each one, that indicates a stressed battery and probably means it isn't providing the right power. If your NAZA is set correctly, then make sure your current source is valid before making other assumptions. (OR)

 

[ElGuano]

Agreed with LK on this. A worn/damaged battery can behave the way you describe - normal voltage at rest but unable to discharge at usable rates, causing extreme voltage sag readings. It could be high internal resistance, or a bad individual cell.

You can also buy a $7 cell voltage reader that you add to the balance leads during flight. That will either corroborate or disprove the theory that the battery is failing.

 

[Gizmo3000]

Bare machine, 2200 3s, 8" props. Default settings give 3 mins 30 secs till first red LEDs. Battery takes 692 to full recharge.

Can anyone suggest a starting point for improvement of default values.

Sounds like you're getting the hang of it, and the the replies have been solid.
(I would keep 2nd level loaded at no less than 10.55, and try to avoid dipping into that zone if you can avoid doing so).

I've been flying for over a year and a half now, and I've experienced a few puffy batteries that exhibit significantly shorter flight times/"less Mah back-in" as well (lesson learned, always try to store batteries in "storage" levels, not fully charged.)

if you're flying FPV, I cannot more highly recommend getting the iOSD or similar, because once you go FPV, you cannot easily monitor the flashing lights anyhow, and being able to view the battery level in-flight is incredibly beneficial.

*one other thing to take note, if you're running 3s, you should perhaps consider 9 or 10" props, they'll give you longer flying times, especially if you're flying a light weight craft.

 

[ladykate]

You can also buy a $7 cell voltage reader that you add to the balance leads during flight. That will either corroborate or disprove the theory that the battery is failing.

eBay has the alarm version 5 for <$11 with free shipping. It measures voltage the same as the others but also has a low voltage alarm. I set mine on 3.4 volts per cell. You can hear the alarm from a couple hundred feet on a multirotor. On the RC planes it is a boon since battery drain can vary a lot depending on wind and flying. I have a delta trainer that I didn't bother to put it on because the darn thing flies 30 minutes anyway - I always get bored and land it before the battery is even close to low. It could do some serious FPV and I might convert it to that.

They are excellent for checking battery integrity and for catching you napping. I won't say I've done it, but it is possible (not saying I did it) to put a battery on the quad that had not been charged. Not saying, you know... just saying. The voltage checker catches it immediately instead of after you've set up FPV and started the thing up. I know someone who actually got his quad about 100 feet up before he looked at the OSD and realized he was at low level.

 

[discv]

Alarms arrived today. No instructions! How do you set these things?

 

[ladykate]

Alarms arrived today. No instructions! How do you set these things?

Hook it to the battery. It will light up (if you hooked it up right) and start cycling through the cells and showing the voltages.Press the button on the front (it's under the heat shrink a little and between the two buzzers on the edge - it is fairly small but it is easy to get to once you see it). If you just press it, it will show the current setting. If you hold it, it will increase by one step until it reaches max and then it starts over. When you have it at the voltage per cell that you want, just release it. It will save the setting automagically. Takes just a second. The only irritating part is that the buzzer sounds when you press it and I'm never expecting it.

 

[discv]

Ok thanks- and yes it makes you jump!

Here's the plan:

I'm going to run the quad on the bench- secured, props on.
Advanced Receiver Protection off.
RTH off.
Manual mode [or perhaps ATTI]
First level voltage at 10.7 [3s]
Then try and simulate a low level gentle hover.
Wait for first red LEDs- and see what the monitor alarm reports.

Good plan?

NURSE- he's out of bed again!