When is it time to retire a battery?

[basily]

This battery has been showing problems for a while, every now and then, and then it'll work fine for a while and again.

Besides the drone acting erratically when I last tried the battery, here's the airdata log from a previous flight (which went 100% well):

 

[Spark 317]

If I'm reading the log correctly, the Spark had a seven minute flight.

Not good.

 

[basily]

If I'm reading the log correctly, the Spark had a seven minute flight.

Not good.

I'm not sure where you read that. It was 09m 55s (if I'm reading it right). Anyway, it's the battery data I'm concerned about under Power/Battery Cells.

Also, why would a 7 minute flight be bad? Could be due to flying fast or high winds, no? Or just a short flight plan.

 

[Spark 317]

You're right.

I didn't scroll far enough.

Thanks for the correction.

 

[Speed750]

Waiting on the answer myself.......

 

[DameEdnaBrown]

According to the log cell 3 is degraded so stop using it

 

[hiflyer]

I'm not an expert or even close..your notifications show a really rapid battery loss.
Like Madame Brown says. the #3 cell has excessive difference the entire flight..however..I have checked the cells while flying with mine and had them all in the green and when I check that flight on Airdata it shows one completely red like yours.
you can tap on the battery while flying for that information.
I really don't know which one to believe but I can scroll through every flight with that battery on Airdata. When I do that it doesn't show a trend, It show's that battery with that indication intermittently nearly the entire life of the battery. Have I been lucky? probably.
You don't want a critically low battery warning during a flight. The drone will land and all you can do is steer it and slow the decent. That can happen with a too large difference between the cells even with a large percentage of battery remaining.
I would stop using the battery.

 

[Roland]

I'm not an expert or even close..your notifications show a really rapid battery loss.
Like Madame Brown says. the #3 cell has excessive difference the entire flight..however..I have checked the cells while flying with mine and had them all in the green and when I check that flight on Airdata it shows one completely red like yours.
you can tap on the battery while flying for that information.
I really don't know which one to believe but I can scroll through every flight with that battery on Airdata. When I do that it doesn't show a trend, It show's that battery with that indication intermittently nearly the entire life of the battery. Have I been lucky? probably.
You don't want a critically low battery warning during a flight. The drone will land and all you can do is steer it and slow the decent. That can happen with a too large difference between the cells even with a large percentage of battery remaining.
I would stop using the battery.

You have taken her up to allmost 500 meters. 500 up and 500 down and some hoovering. Normally it should do 12 of 14 minutese. But there are warnings on cell 2 and 3

 

[Roland]

Sorry it is only one cell.

 

[MannyCAM2001]

In my years of living on this planet, a hunch is pretty much a given in most cases. If something doesn't feel quite right, it normally isn't. Pay attention to your gut feelings. A power supply isn't anything to mess with. I would continue using it but for short low to the ground flights, such as selfies, gestures etc. But that's me.

 

[Speed750]

I have my function button set to show battery condition on the fly. One push and you see all 3 cells voltage, temp etc.

 

[basily]

Thanks for all the tips and suggestions. I have ordered two new (reconditioned) batteries (i have another battery that broke open in a crash, no damage, but also occasionally showing emerging issues in one cell), and will continue to use these ones on conservative flights. The thing is when I give it maintenance as recommended on airdata, then it's fine again... For a while.

Anyway, batteries ordered. A tough choice because they're about twice the price to get here in Mexico ??‍ Even reconditioned.

 

[netfolks2000]

You have taken her up to allmost 500 meters. 500 up and 500 down and some hoovering. Normally it should do 12 of 14 minutese. But there are warnings on cell 2 and 3

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