Battery charge issue??

[jas415]

I got a replacement CTX LI battery about 3 months ago and I noticed that it charges fully, lights go solid green on the charger, in about 2 hours. And it lasts about 5 to 7 hours. I will actually time it next time out. Two days ago I got the 'low battery' indicator on the screen, changed batteries to the rechargeable ones and when I got home I put the LI on the charger. Put it on at 2:22 pm and it was solid green on the charger at about 4:20 pm.

Voltage readings on the battery are (looking at the female slots with the slots closest to my, reading from right to left) between the first pin/slot and the second is 7.90, next is 7.86, then 7.28, then 7.28. When I do a voltage reading between the pins other than the far right one, all are 0.00. On an amperage test, between the far most right pin and then going to each other pin, all are starting about 13.7 ma, and dropping to about .2ma in about 15 seconds. Nothing between the other pins. The far most right pin is probably neutral.

So is there an issue? I sure thought the original battery lasted for 10-11 hours of use and it took 5-7 hours to charge. The eneloop 2000 ma batts last about 5 hours. The 2500 ones seem to last a bit less.

 

[MINELABBOB]

HI JAS
i have seen about 8-10 hrs per charge the more things you use the less you get if your not running GPS and not noise cancleing
3 or more times you should get 10+ hrs but not to much more. and 4 charging times 2.5 hrs around i never did a volt. test or ma.
but next time i charge i will let you know

minelabbob

 

[trojdor]

jas415,

The battery should take 'up to' 4 hours to charge...not 5-7.
But, you're right about use time...10 'ish' hours of use...and 5 seems too low.

A few items to consider:
One thing to keep in mind is that the batteries will drain down over time...even if not in use.
(Some are worse than others.)

In other words, if you charge it today, and don't use use it for a few weeks, don't expect to get the full 10-14 hrs of use.
Or if you use it 'off-and-on' for a month, the total run time probably won't be the full 10-14 hrs.

Another thing to note about lithium ion batteries, is that they don't reach full capacity until they been fully cycled a few times.
Yours might still be a little 'green'.

My advice would be to use the battery for at least 3 or 4 full cycles to determine a 'broken-in' capacity.
(If it helps any, both mine seemed a little short on capacity until I cycled them a few time.)

After a few full cycles, if you've still got a 5 hrs use time, then I'd call Minelab and get it replaced.

Side note:
Pulling the battery out of the detector, and measuring current between battery pins is meaningless, and potentially damaging to the battery and your meter.
Lithium Ion batteries have an extremely high short-circuit current...thus the PC and smart phone fires we occasionally hear about.
(Your voltages do look a little unbalanced, though...see if that doesn't improve with a few cycles.)

Good luck, and HH,
mike

 

[amberjack]

have a read of this might help a bit ?


http://www.findmall.com/read.php?86,2172718

AJ

 

[MINELABBOB]

I JUST CHARGED BATTERY
but did not check any volt. but took only 2hrs and i get for the most part useing gps and other settings maybe 10+ hrs run time
still holding strong. i think not useing the wireless uses up the volts quicker and noise cancle 3+ times a day adds to it. but 10hrs is it.
if you dont use any thing including target trace you may get a little better but not much more. so if your not getting 10hrs and if its taken
5hrs to charge you have a bad battery/charger.


bob

 

[jas415]

No Bob, my problem, if there is one, is that it takes only about 2 hours to charge it at the house and it seems it lasts only about 6-7 hours. As I said above I will actually time the duration starting tomorrow. This is my second CTX. The first one would take almost overnight to charge and it lasted for what seemed like 10-12 hours. I dont use anything except the small coil, man sense at about 26-28, seawater on, trace, etc., and always a wireless with ear buds.

 

[MINELABBOB]

it sounds ok on charging time but it only last6-7 hrs fall short of life. if its under warranty have them check it out. but yes i think
you have a problem with the battery. maybe they will send you a new but they also may want charger to. dont get all piss-off
give them a call and see what they want to do.AND I ALSO on no#2 CTX but this 1 is A-OK put some doubleAs in and see
if you get 8hrs. on them i think i red DUB.As are good 4 8hrs and see what happens but my bet is your battery is N.G.!!!!



bob

 

[amberjack]

they are cheap lithium cells in those packs if they put good ones in like I have now get 25 to 30 hrs. out of them depending on mah , its minelab remember they after all charge 45 $ for a coil bolt. just so you know who your dealing with.

AJ

 

[KinTN]

I'm waiting for the day that my stock battery dies so I can do the amberjack conversion, Thanks again aj for that great thread.

 

[MINELABBOB]

LET ME KNOW
how that goes its only a matter of time.


bob

 

[amberjack]

no problem glad I could help and its a good and pretty easy fix get some good batts as in brand name ones with high mah will get heaps of detect time good for water guys who don't want to be cleaning o rings after ever hunt too.

AJ