With every part turning into battery-powered lately and as lots of them being produced as they’re now, it’s inevitable that some will present up useless on arrival. It’s one thing Tyler Edwards has skilled along with his REDVOLT BP batteries for his RED Komodo digicam. You set them onto the digicam, plug it in to cost and nothing. However Tyler believes he’s discovered an answer to repair his DOA batteries.
On this video, he walks us by way of his course of, which principally entails disconnecting and reconnecting the batteries from the ability supply about 20-30 occasions till it simply all of the sudden springs again into life and begins charging usually. It looks like a little bit of an odd resolution, but it surely seems to work. I feel I’ve an concept why.
DOA batteries are one thing I’ve seen a number of occasions over the previous couple of years with merchandise I’ve obtained myself. And it’s additionally an issue I’ve skilled with merchandise which have built-in non-replaceable batteries – I’m taking a look at you, gimbal producers!
Lithium-ion cells, that are what reside inside most batteries and units immediately, have a “secure” vary of voltages. Whereas they’re sometimes rated for a nominal 3.7v, they often provide 4.2v when totally charged. As they’re used, their voltage drops down. Often, you don’t need them to drop beneath about 3.2v. At this voltage, round 95% of the battery’s capability is used. Some cells can deal with decrease voltages, however 3.2v is an effective rule of thumb.
The issue is, when such batteries and units aren’t used, they simply naturally discharge. This may take a number of weeks or months, however it’s going to occur finally. What number of occasions have you ever charged up a battery for one thing, not wanted it for a number of weeks after which come to seek out that it’s useless whenever you really need to make use of it? It’s an issue many flash customers have skilled over the pandemic as they’ve not been utilizing their gear and batteries have been sitting on the shelf unused (and never getting repeatedly maintained and charged) for a 12 months or two.
Most batteries and units comprise charging circuitry to forestall batteries from going over their most 4.2v voltage however many may also not cost a battery if its voltage falls beneath what it deems to be its “secure” vary. It’s the identical circuitry that lights up the little LEDs to inform you how a lot cost is left within the battery – based mostly on the voltage of the cells. I feel what’s occurring with the batteries in Tyler’s video (and possibly all the different DOA batteries and units) is that they’ve been sitting round on a warehouse shelf so lengthy ready for use since they have been manufactured that the voltage has simply dropped so low that the circuit refuses to cost them.
My guess is that the quick little burst when he initially plugs the ability in is getting by way of to the battery very briefly earlier than the undervoltage safety kicks in and stops the cost. After doing this the 20-30 occasions he mentions, sufficient of a cost has been put into the battery throughout these little bursts to convey it as much as the minimal required voltage by the battery safety circuitry after which it permits it to cost.
I hadn’t thought-about that many quick bursts could be sufficient to convey it as much as a excessive sufficient voltage for the common charging process to take impact. Often, I dismantle them and simply hook the cells on to my RC Lipo charger, however I do have a few units right here I haven’t dismantled but. Should see if this course of works with them!