Low Battery voice

User avatar
F1RMB
Posts: 2518
Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2019 5:42 am
Location: Grenoble, France

Re: Low Battery voice

Post by F1RMB » Sun Jul 18, 2021 12:28 pm

Okay,

I will remove the offset to the thresholds.
About the false low battery triggering, I've already have something, but I'll finish this evening.


Cheers
---
Daniel

User avatar
Fecskebeka
Posts: 105
Joined: Thu Jun 03, 2021 7:36 pm
Location: Hungary

Re: Low Battery voice

Post by Fecskebeka » Sun Jul 18, 2021 10:25 pm

These batteries have internal protection for ultimate use. ~2.7V min / cell, ~4.2V max / cell. Overcurrent, over voltage, low voltage and short circuit protection. Especially that on the back there is the open connector. Which is not direct!
Of course, you can not trust him always.
And it is advisable not to take advantage of both the minimum and the maximum for a greater life cycle. Used between 50% -80% long life.
But sometimes full capacity may still be needed. It's more harmful if you can't radio. It's good to get a warning. If discharged, however, recharge as soon as possible!
The shutdown option is very good. Or have a lower value!
~3V / cell. The voltage drops quickly at this time when the current is loaded.

You may want to check the voltage correction value
even with low battery voltage!

"I want my radio to turn off when the battery is really at 6.2V so I use the calibrate feature to make sure the displayed voltage is correct."
Colin

One more little thing, the phones and other devices that convert the battery’s dry and millivolt values to an easier-to-understand percentage all work on a single bar, namely 4.2V to 100% to 3V to zero%. It divides the charge between these two values, which is why battery calibration applications (how would you calibrate the battery itself ...?) And other efforts to do so are also meaningless.

Greeting!

User avatar
F1RMB
Posts: 2518
Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2019 5:42 am
Location: Grenoble, France

Re: Low Battery voice

Post by F1RMB » Mon Jul 19, 2021 2:16 am

About the protection IC, it's an unknown IC (as written there http://members.optuszoo.com.au/jason.re ... 77mods.htm), and I don't think anyone has tested it neither..

Also, the firmware can't turn off any of the supported radios, as the main power control is done using a mechanical switch. It does stop few things, but user action is required to turn it really off (and as already reported, the 77*/1801* still drain the battery even in this state).

Hence, a safety margin must be left (I guess no one would be happy to throw away a battery pack because the battery drain went too far, and the unknown IC has (maybe) done his job preventing the recharge.).



Anyway, code has been changed, low battery notification starts at < 6.8V, critical voltage is < 6.2V (after a steady value for 30 secs, for both).



73
---
Daniel

User avatar
Fecskebeka
Posts: 105
Joined: Thu Jun 03, 2021 7:36 pm
Location: Hungary

Re: Low Battery voice

Post by Fecskebeka » Mon Jul 19, 2021 8:11 am

I understand the concern.
Mass production and non-professional product.
But luckily, the battery isn’t expensive either if you need a new one.
One or two battery electronics protection shutdowns will not kill the battery.
But it should be avoided and recharged as soon as possible.
But what can still be critical is extreme temperatures!
I didn't find any relevant idea about this in the OpenGD77 description.
I meant from previous posts that firmware 6.2V turns off the radio physically. Or at least can't be used? Or can't you just send a TX transmission? I haven't had another case like this, I don't know.

A good solution will emerge! :)

Thanks!

User avatar
F1RMB
Posts: 2518
Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2019 5:42 am
Location: Grenoble, France

Re: Low Battery voice

Post by F1RMB » Mon Jul 19, 2021 9:19 am

If you don't mind killing your battery, that's your right, but I bet majority of users won't agree to do so.

Below 6.2V, the firmware refuse to work, "Low Battery" message is displayed, no backlight, etc (have you noticed that I wrote the GD and DM HTs drain battery current even when they are turned OFF ?).

And it will remain like this, unless Roger wants to change that and (unlikely) removes the safety measures.


Thanks.

User avatar
Fecskebeka
Posts: 105
Joined: Thu Jun 03, 2021 7:36 pm
Location: Hungary

Re: Low Battery voice

Post by Fecskebeka » Mon Jul 19, 2021 10:36 am

Of course, I would regret it if the battery went bad.
But that's why I try to treat it in such a way that there is little chance of being ruined.
I just took out a factory-packaged radio. The battery is on it like the others. It may have been packed for several months. I removed the battery. Its voltage is 7.3V (DM-1801). (Packing is usually 3.8V / cell recommended) I don't know how long it took for others to discharge the battery on the radio off. ??
These are probably not the best batteries. They are discharged on their own.

I did not suggest that the security feature be removed.
"no backlight" unpleasant evening. max 1% ? auto mode
Although it doesn't really matter if it's disabled

Zs.

Nat
Posts: 21
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2020 11:09 pm
Location: Italy

Re: Low Battery voice

Post by Nat » Tue Jul 20, 2021 9:16 am

Hi,
Daniel.

I fully agree with you about controlling the low battery state and this function shoulden't be removed.

But, let say one day you are lost in the middle of no where and for any reason you find yourself in real danger of life.
Then you take your radio to make a help request call discovering that it has just stop working due to the low battery function.

You save your battery pack but probabily not your life.

Of course this is not an everyday scenario.

But if this should happen even just once in one's life, that justify the possibility to bypass the low battery function and let you call for help.

So, what do you think about introducing a function, available only when the radio is in Low Battery mode, and let the user decide to squize till last drop of energy out of its battery pack?

This function could be, for example, activated by a code entered through the keyboard, or by a couple of buttons, or whatever is pratical for you.

Let me know.

Nat

Locked