Range extender not charging

[happydays]

Anyone else had an issue with charging the range extender?

I had mine on charge a few days ago and thought it was full. Was flying tonight and the range extender showed 50% from the outset. So I got out my morphie juicer and plugged it in, but the extender wasn't 'fooled' into showing 100%.

Flew two batteries to 15% each, the range extender dropped tp 20% and then 10%. Got home, plugged it into the mains using the DJI lead, but it won't accept a charge.

I have a P2V and the light on the extender turns red when it's getting juice, but the V+ extender's won't. Just right solid green and left flashing green.

Warranty job?

 

[Dirty Bird]

Do you normally keep your extender battery fully charged, even connecting it to external power when its in use? May just be the battery is bad. Since you have a Vision, you could try swapping extender batteries as a test. If the battery is bad, we just need to find a comparable replacement. Let me know the results of the battery swap please.

 

[cahutch]

It's turned off right?
I only ask because you wrote "Just right solid green and left flashing green" which indicates it's turned on. Is there a problem with the power switch?
It should be off when charging.

 

[flyNfrank]

Do you normally keep your extender battery fully charged, even connecting it to external power when its in use?

I do that. What's your experience with doing it?

 

[happydays]

Do you normally keep your extender battery fully charged, even connecting it to external power when its in use? May just be the battery is bad. Since you have a Vision, you could try swapping extender batteries as a test. If the battery is bad, we just need to find a comparable replacement. Let me know the results of the battery swap please.

No, I charge it hen it drops down to about 20%.

Not sure about opening the unit - voiding warranty?

 

[happydays]

It's turned off right?
I only ask because you wrote "Just right solid green and left flashing green" which indicates it's turned on. Is there a problem with the power switch?
It should be off when charging.

Yeah, when it's off, nothing lights up when connected to the mains.

 

[cahutch]

Hmm. Should be yellow light while charging, changing to green when fully charged.
If it was a bad battery, I'd expect it to stay yellow and never turn green.

 

[Dirty Bird]

I do that. What's your experience with doing it?

I charge my extender fully and run off the internal battery when flying. Even after four battery loads it has like 70% charge remaining. I'm wondering if keeping it fully charged may be affecting the battery?

 

[Dirty Bird]

No, I charge it hen it drops down to about 20%.

Not sure about opening the unit - voiding warranty?

OK so you are using and cycling your battery. Just curious. It is either the battery has failed, or the charging circuitry has failed. To determine which, we need to test with a good battery, like the one in your Vision extender. If you are careful, no one will know you opened it. Once you remove the four screws there are two plastic catches in the middle of the long edges. Use a plastic pry tool to separate the two halves.

 

[Dirty Bird]

No, I charge it hen it drops down to about 20%.

How many flights were you getting before your extender drops from 100% down to 20%?

 

[BlackTracer]

No, I charge it hen it drops down to about 20%.

Not sure about opening the unit - voiding warranty?

OK so you are using and cycling your battery. Just curious. It is either the battery has failed, or the charging circuitry has failed. To determine which, we need to test with a good battery, like the one in your Vision extender. If you are careful, no one will know you opened it. Once you remove the four screws there are two plastic catches in the middle of the long edges. Use a plastic pry tool to separate the two halves.

If you don't have a plastic pry tool you can use a credit card. Remove the four screws and then run work the credit card in along the edges and it will come right apart.

 

[happydays]

No, I charge it hen it drops down to about 20%.

How many flights were you getting before your extender drops from 100% down to 20%?

Six or so batteries? Don't remember counting properly. I always have my 'insurance policy' juicer out with me. I've used that quite a bit, sometimes for the phone, sometimes for the range extender.

 

[cahutch]

For what it's worth, I noticed a strange issue with my range extender reported battery level yesterday.

I had charged it a few days ago and had not flown it yet after charging.
I took it out last night for a quick test flight and the app reported the range extender battery at 15%. I thought that was odd but I was only planning a short flight and didn't care if I lost wifi since I was flying visually anyway.
The battery level quickly dropped to 10%, then 5% and then strangely jumped up to 70%

I haven't noticed this before and don't know if it's related to the updated app or updated firmware but in any case, I don't trust that reported battery level anymore.
I intend to completely drain the battery until it won't turn on anymore before I charge it again.

Is it possible your battery has enough charge to run the extender regardless of the battery level that's reported?

 

[happydays]

Don't think so. The orange light isn't coming on when it's plugged in. The orange light on my P2V's extender comes on when it is plugged in. The V+ extender is currently showing 10% but I haven't flown it since the other day.

 

[happydays]

Update; Just off the phone to Quadcopters.co.uk. I sent them the unit for inspection under warranty and apparently there's a new unit on its way in their next shipment. Woo hoo!

 

[Loaderbull]

I had a dodgy RE700, the charge connector was faulty, plugging it in it would not make a connection, but bending the charge lead up/down made a connection. I did take it apart and the actual PCB tracking was fractured at the solder joint for the USB connector. This was replaced by www.fast-lad.co.uk.