Custom Arizer Solo High Performance Battery Packs (Original thread)

[PAZ]

On the topic of letting the battery run dry out of the box, I've worked at a cellphone company for years, and the manufacturers and service providers always told us to recommend to the customers that letting the battery die out and then charging it fully is more beneficial to the battery, as it helps calibrates the battery gauge on the phone as well.

 

[CentiZen]

Is that with lithium cells or NiCads? Because as far as I am aware that strategy really only works with nicads, it can actually be detrumental to lithium ones.

 

[PAZ]

Is that with lithium cells or NiCads? Because as far as I am aware that strategy really only works with nicads, it can actually be detrumental to lithium ones.

Li-ion.

 

[pakalolo]

On the topic of letting the battery run dry out of the box, I've worked at a cellphone company for years, and the manufacturers and service providers always told us to recommend to the customers that letting the battery die out and then charging it fully is more beneficial to the battery, as it helps calibrates the battery gauge on the phone as well.

Is that with lithium cells or NiCads? Because as far as I am aware that strategy really only works with nicads, it can actually be detrumental to lithium ones.

Li-ion.

Something wrong here. Every source I've ever consulted (and there have been quite a few) cautions that Li-ion batteries should not be fully discharged. If a Li-ion battery discharges below 2.0V then it suffers damage and is often ruined. In some cases you can revive it with the right charger, but a Li-ion battery that has dropped below 1.5V for a few days or more can be dangerous if you recharge it. That's why they have circuits to prevent over-discharge.

 

[PAZ]

Something wrong here. Every source I've ever consulted (and there have been quite a few) cautions that Li-ion batteries should not be fully discharged. If a Li-ion battery discharges below 2.0V then it suffers damage and is often ruined. In some cases you can revive it with the right charger, but a Li-ion battery that has dropped below 1.5V for a few days or more can be dangerous if you recharge it. That's why they have circuits to prevent over-discharge.

Can't post from the actual service provider since it was confidential, but on the apples website it says to do a full power cycle once per month.

http://www.apple.com/ca/batteries/iphone.html

For proper maintenance of a lithium-based battery, it’s important to keep the electrons in it moving occasionally. Be sure to go through at least one charge cycle per month (charging the battery to 100% and then completely running it down).

 

[pakalolo]

Can't post from the actual service provider since it was confidential, but on the apples website it says to do a full power cycle once per month.

http://www.apple.com/ca/batteries/iphone.html

Yes, I've seen that advice before. You're supposed to do a full discharge every 30 charging cycles. You, however, phrased it as though that was the normal way it should be used—run flat every time. That's a recipe for a short life usually ending in a tripped protection circuit. The only reason Apple or anyone else offers that advice is to try to reset the power gauge, which otherwise develops a memory issue because of partial discharges.

 

[CentiZen]

Well in the case of phone; the phone is going to force itself to shut off long before the battery gets to the point of damage, so the advice of the company is still valid to give the phone the ability to calibrate it's battery gauge. It's just not something that can be applied to all devices.

 

[PAZ]

Yes, I've seen that advice before. You're supposed to do a full discharge every 30 charging cycles. You, however, phrased it as though that was the normal way it should be used—run flat every time. That's a recipe for a short life usually ending in a tripped protection circuit. The only reason Apple or anyone else offers that advice is to try to reset the power gauge, which otherwise develops a memory issue because of partial discharges.

What was wrong with my phrasing? I never said the normal way should be run flat every time. I said the first time to let it run dry, which is what was recommended to us.

Well in the case of phone; the phone is going to force itself to shut off long before the battery gets to the point of damage, so the advice of the company is still valid to give the phone the ability to calibrate it's battery gauge. It's just not something that can be applied to all devices.

Ok that makes more sense then.

 

[CentiZen]

Alright, I finally got all of the parts that i need to do a limited first run of the packs. Now all that is left to do is get a system in place where I can keep track of everyone who is interested and co-ordinate with them over the next little while. I've been trying to figure out a fair and easy way of doing this, and I think Alan pretty much has the best system in place for his HI vapes.

So what I need you guys to do, is send an email to

centizen AT centizen DOT ca

With the name you want me to refer to you by, your FC username (if you have one, you may be a lurker), the model of Arizer you have and a rough idea of where you are, like a postal code, ZIP or city name. I will request more information from you like your shipping address and full name only once your pack is ready to be shipped out.

For various reasons I can't give an idea of exactly when I will be filling the first orders, because I want to put the new cells through just as rigorous a test as I did the old ones to make sure they work the same way. But rest assured, I want to get the ball rolling as soon as possible and will be devoting much of my spare time to this project over the next little while.

Thanks for all of your support thus far FC, you guys really do rock!

 

[jambandphan03]

glad to see the progress!!

 

[Dreamerr]

You go mister...I hope you are having some fun doing it and not just doing it for people who need it. Accomplishments are great.

 

[smokum]

Awesome !! Email on route from me

Thanks for progressing with this soon to be hot item

 

[Samsquanch]

Email sent !

 

[Frederick McGuire]

E-Mail sent
Can't wait to try it out

 

[2clicker]

great stuff CZ! cant wait to see where all this goes.

any chance there will be a way to charge the cells when they arent installed in the solo?

 

[CentiZen]

Well if you have a charger that outputs the proper charging voltage for 7.4v Li-Ions and leads for it, then you would be able to connect it to the battery and charge it up. But I'm not sure of the practicality of that as a solution. You wouldn't be able to charge the cells individually without rigging something up because they wouldn't fit into a single cell charger without the protection circuit and leads getting in the way.

Thanks for all of your support everyone, things are going better than I ever could have hoped with this project and it's all because of your support.

My trusty and long lasting M102 series Solo finally died on me yesterday while I was trying to charge up one of the new packs for testing. In all honesty I'm surprised the thing lasted this long - I got it three years ago and have treated it like a punching bag. Just a testament to their reliability. I've got a M1A4 on the way so I can keep the ball rolling, Randy shipped it out earlier today (I usually like to support PlanetVape but Puffitup's special was just too sweet to pass up...) and I hope it will get here early this week.

 

[Silver420Surfer]

email sent
I hope I am selected!!

 

[michaelstone]

just finished reading the thread...great idea...cant wait to see finished product...battery life on my solo already annoys me...

 

[smokum]

Any news on how your testing is going (good or bad) ?

 

[CentiZen]

I'm still waiting on my Solo to get here, but things have been going very positive on the test bench up until this point.

 

[wootze]

I'm still waiting on my Solo to get here, but things have been going very positive on the test bench up until this point.

I'm still in 4 sure. No rush.

 

[poonman]

e-mail sent ,

Ontario is a nice province to take a Spring weather Sunday drive ...

no rush , good things are worth waiting for .

ttys

 

[2clicker]

so in

 

[smokum]

I'm still waiting on my Solo to get here, but things have been going very positive on the test bench up until this point.

Good to hear ! If I knew the issue was lack of a Solo I'd have sent you my tiring M102 to experiment with since your so local

 

[CentiZen]

Oh I appreciate that smokum, but I'd rather risk destroying my own hardware

...that and I just wanted a new solo...