Help! When do I change my battery?

[CrazyFastFlying]

Hi,

I have a Syma X8C Drone that I've had for one and a half years and I am still using the stock battery which is 7.4v 2000mah. I am wondering when I should change it? I am still getting 7-9 minute flight times but it is getting a little puffy.

Thanks for the any help!


Here are some pictures if it helps any:

 

[DamoRC]

Keep flying it!

A little puffy isn't going to hurt (and that battery looks pretty good).

DamoRC.

 

[CrazyFastFlying]

Keep flying it!

A little puffy isn't going to hurt (and that battery looks pretty good).

DamoRC.

Great, Thanks!

 

[Merv]

I am still getting 7-9 minute flight times but it is getting a little puffy.

That battery looks good to me. I'd suggest adding a few more new ones. More flight time, less time waiting for a battery to charge. I like to get rotate my batteries, I'll get a few new ones each year. That way they don't all go bad at one time.

Make sure to date your batteries, so you'll know how old they are getting.

 

[rockyboy]

Nah mate - this is a puffy lipo

I'd keep flying the one in your picture.

 

[CrazyFastFlying]

Thanks for the help guys!

 

[CrazyFastFlying]

Nah mate - this is a puffy lipo

I'd keep flying the one in your picture.

Wow, that's puffy!!

How do you get rid of them once they are puffy like that?

 

[sprzout]

I've got 3 batteries that I'm replacing this year. One is a 3S that I was using for all sorts of planes. Battery's not puffy at all, BUT - and this is the reason I'm getting rid of it - one of the 3 cells won't hold a charge when I balance charge it. I might possibly be able to check wiring and see if it's something like that, but the fact that this battery was in a crash, and one corner of the cell was damaged, leads me to believe it's worse. At least it hasn't started smoking or burning, but I'm putting it out to pasture to be safe. I've already drained the battery, bathed it in a salt water bath to short it out, and I'll be taking it, along with 2 other puffy 4S batteries, over to my local Home Depot and depositing them in their Lipo Battery disposal.

 

[sprzout]

Wow, that's puffy!!

How do you get rid of them once they are puffy like that?

Discharge them as much as possible, submit them to a saltwater bath for 24-48 hours to neutralize any last bit of charge, and then take them to the local Home Depot/Lowe's/Best Buy, where they offer battery recycling, and deposit it in their bins. Or, if you have electronics recycling in the area, they'll take them there, too.

 

[CrazyFastFlying]

Oh, I have one more question about my X8C, What oil should I use to oil the motors and gears?

I took it apart and tested each motor and each one makes a grinding sound when I turn it on.

Thanks

 

[Merv]

What oil should I use to oil the motors and gears?

A light grease might work better than oil.

 

[CrazyFastFlying]

A light grease might work better than oil.

Like lithium grease? What kind should I use?

 

[Merv]

Like lithium grease? What kind should I use?

A lithium grease would be great. Anything that will not eat the gears would work. A little dab will do you.

 

[CrazyFastFlying]

Ok, great! Thanks!

 

[PsyBorg]

Saltwater baths are unnecessary and pretty useless for effective discharging.

Most of us already have and use smoke stoppers so use that to draw them down.

 

[rockyboy]

And if you don't have a smoke stopper, make one - especially if you're going to do anything with multi-rotor building.

 

[CrazyFastFlying]

And if you don't have a smoke stopper, make one - especially if you're going to do anything with multi-rotor building.

I don't know what a smoke stopper is. How do I make one?

 

[rockyboy]

It's an automotive 12 volt turn signal wired in series between the battery and the esc - the bulb will allow a small amount of current to pass through it - enough to power on test things and bind a receiver. If there is a short it will try to draw a whole lot of power through the bulb causing it to get really really bright - you should unplug it right away if that happens to figure out where the short is in the system.

https://forum.flitetest.com/index.p...s-5-first-power-up-of-quad-power-train.38821/

 

[CrazyFastFlying]

Cool! Thanks!