maestro battery charging time?

Simon Lewis

I've just aquired two Mogix batteries ahead of Maestro arriving - I might have missed it but was the charge rate from Maestro given?   if its running 2.5A I guess 3.5 hours or so operating on a battery but what about recharge time from flat?

Cheers

Simon ZL4PLM

Tim - W4TME

I have been able to get 3.5 to 4 hrs of battery run-time using the Mogix on the 2.5A port.

I am not sure about recharge time.  I just plug in wired power and have never paid any attention to how long it takes to charge.  It is usually ready to go when I want to take Maestro untethered.

Stan VA7NF

Many factors will affect charge time; a USB 2 port has a lesser charge budget than a USB 3 port.  Then that budget may be shared if an external USB hub is used.  Then some external USB hubs (StarTech ST4300USBMS) have external 12V connections that will supply maximum USB3 budget to each connected port.

YMMV could have been my only reply.

My battery did not charge when connected to the StarTech without external power (USB Hard drive took all the budget) but charged (don't know how long) when connected to a front panel USB 2 port.

Corey/ KC0YNS

Tim,   Before I hit the payment key on two of the Mogix Batteries thought it best to ask you if any additional cables are needed? Example USB to Micro ?  Thanks, Corey

Tim - W4TME

For use with the Maestro, the answer is no.  The Mogix comes with a USB charging cable for charging it externally of the Maestro.

Simon Lewis

good to know .. I had to get a friend to manage this they are not available in NZ and amazon won't ship to NZ - can't find anything local in NZ that fitted, had capacity, size or autostart!

Simon Lewis

I am assuming its being charged off Maestro only and that the unit has the capability to do so? I am guessing max 1A charge so would take 10 hours to full recouperate

Gerald-K5SDR

I get very close to 4 hours running on a fully charged Mogix.  I have not timed it precisely though.  Maestro will charge the battery when installed in the case.  I do not know the charging time.

Chris DL5NAM

Simon, you can use any batteries. Your not fixed to a brand. Only on outer dimensions if you like build in! There are many products from 2.000 - 50.000 mAh - Ebay, Amazon ... and if you need much more operating time like a fieldday you can connect a car battery

Simon Lewis

Chris - not strictly true - the internal battery also needs to be able supply 2.5A connection - I wanted the internal battery mentioned by Flex with the autostart too - there are also new restrictions on shipping now for batteries by air since March which means the NZ supplies of Lipoly LiIon batteries are drying up as now it must come by sea

Chris DL5NAM

Simon, most battery pack has 2 USB connectors. USB#2 in most cases can 2.5A.
FRS not recommend any brand (i have not seen)
FRS use standard electric values . If you buy a battery you have to take care these values and the outer dimension. Not more.
73 Chris

Simon Lewis

Yes they suggest this

http://www.mogixaccessories.com/external-battery-charger-bank/

most batteries here are 2.1A not 2.5

some friends sent me 2 of the recommended Mogix ones

Gerald-K5SDR

2.1A will work fine.  You do not have to have 2.5A as we originally said.

Simon Lewis

ohh well .. I could have gotten 2.1A devices here .. never mind I got 2 x Mogix sorted ROFL

ka7gzr

I received the Maestro today- good work guys!!!

I do have a question or two on the battery. I have two Mojix 10400 mAh batteries. I first charged them outside of the Maestro. During testing I only got about 1 hour of battery life.

1) Is there any way of determining  the state of the battery? The battery symbol does not change as its discharged. it. I ran it today for about an hour and started getting flashing LED lights and strange behavior from the Maestro at which time I returned it to the wall wart and it recovered.

2.)I only have one usb connector in the battery bay of the Maestro. I  plug that into the 2.5A output of the battery. Will it charge through that connection? It appears to have a mico B connector that is labeled "In". That is the connector to charge the battery externally.

Thanks for all your help and such a great product!

Jim

ka7gzr

KY6LA_Howard

The battery issue is very complicated - so I will just gloss over some things.

The Mogix battery should last about 4 hours from full charge.  There is a button on the side of the battery which when you push it lights up to 4 LED indicating the state of charge.  Please make sure you fully charge it before you use the battery.

Maestro were shipped without an internal micro-USB charging cable so the one USB A cable that you plug into  is to power the Maestro NOT Charge the battery.  You currently need to use an external USB Charger to Charge the Battery.  Flex will likely issue an official explanation.

The Alpha Team has been experimenting with a number of different batteries.  What we are finding is that there is significant quality/performance variations between the different batteries of the same model from the same manufacturer.  So much so that the same battery model works well for one Maestro but a different battery of the same model fails in the same Maestro.   Our experiments are currently ongoing.

in the Interim until Flex makes an official recommendation, several of us have had more reliable results using the 12,000 mAh Polanfo

http://smile.amazon.com/Polanfo-12000mAh-Portable-External-Power/dp/B01641K972?ie=UTF8&psc=1&... 

Having tested both, I personally would recommend the Polanfo over the Mogix which failed consistently in my Maestro

These experiments took a significant amount of Alpha testing time until we determined that it was the poor quality control of the battery rather than the Maestro which was the problem.

Simon Lewis

Is it just the charge cable missing or a socket to put it in??

KY6LA_Howard

Charging is NOT Enabled

Rob G6EIH

Good information Howard and thanks for posting the alternative battery details, we can obtain them from Amazon.co.uk

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Polanfo-12000mAh-Portable-External-Battery-silver/dp/B01C45AILY/ref=sr_1_2?...

Corey/ KC0YNS

Howard, I'm confused...Guess I'm missing something....Up the post Gerald comments, '' Maestro will charge the battery when installed in the case.  I do not know the charging time."   I also sent in a post asking if any additional cables were needed before I placed my battery order. Tim commented that the Mogix batteries come with the needed cable indicating nothing else was needed.

 The batteries came in with the cable needed to charge the batteries outside of the Maestro. I'm wanting to be able to charge the battery while left in the Maestro case while plugged into 120v using the provided wall wart without opening the battery door to change cables.  Is that not possible?  

Tim - W4TME

 I'm wanting to be able to charge the battery while left in the Maestro case while plugged into 120v using the provided wall wart without opening the battery door to change cables.  Is that not possible?  

I am afraid not.

Let me provide some clarity.  We had fully intended for the battery installed in the battery bay to be recharged by Maestro when the unit was connected to an external DC power source (the coaxial DC power connector).  What we determined after extensive complete product testing, is that the battery charging feature was not working as intended and we decided to remove the feature.  As such, you must charge the battery using a charger or the recommended charging method provided by the battery manufacturer.

This business decision was made only after exhausting all reasonable options, meaning that engineering a solution that would work for most batteries would have significantly delayed the shipment of Maestro for a feature that is not mission critical to the operation of the unit.

As Howard indicated, the issue is very, very complicated. In summary, there isn't an industry standard by which these battery packs are engineered from a charging standpoint.  Worse yet, there is a significant amount of variation regarding how a battery behaves when being charged within the same battery model.  These variations in behavior resulted in adverse and anomalous Maestro operational behaviors, such as it would not boot from the battery when plugged into an Ethernet cable).

Battery management is discussed in the Maestro User Guide.  When the battery runs low, you will need to swap it out with a fully charged battery or connect it to an external power source.

Corey/ KC0YNS

Understand, Although somewhat disappointed at the same time...Thanks for clarify.  

Tim - W4TME

You're welcome.

Chris DL5NAM

It's sad but i can understand. This type of batteries can be dangerous if you charge to long. Ask any aircraft companies where the air plain burn!
And never forget: this power packs a very, very cheap and came from China and ......

Steve (N9SKM)

Well if we have to charger externally that's just another reason for me to make a pack out of 18650 cells with a boost converter on it. Then charge out of the unit, I for 1 would be much happier with some name brand battery cells in there instead of "whatever is cheap"

6 18650 cells should fit in there and Panasonic makes a 3400MAH cell 
something like this
http://www.prodctodc.com/ultra-small-dc-2655v-to-5v-3a-step-up-converter-charger-power-supply-for-ph...

but i think we need 2.1 amps?

Barry N1EU

If the battery now needs to be charged externally, I might simply use an external battery pack.

K0UNX

I'm totally disappointed and demoralized.  We're just finding out about this now that the first Maestros are arriving at their new homes.  

I have an abundance of 18650's, and could build up power modules with them, but am thinking it might be better to have a couple of lead/acid motorcycle batteries (with carrying straps) and just plug into the coaxial 12V connector on back.  Using a PowerPole multi-outlet, I could switch back and forth with BUFFERED power while switching.  I'll have to think this over while waiting.

This is ALMOST a deal-breaker.  I might change my mind a few times before I'm invoiced.

Jim
K0UNX
Littleton, Colorado

Gerald-K5SDR

I ran my Maestro for 7 hours this week on the 12000 mAhr Polfano battery. It takes about 15 seconds to do a hot swap of the battery. Charge two up and run for 14 hours.

Steve (N9SKM)

7 hours is pretty good run time. I may trim up the case on the amazon 1600mah one i have that would get a solid day of operating in.

Steve (N9SKM)

Ill still build up or buy a pack for internal use. Not like its that involved to pull it out to recharge and then you dont have to move other stuff around with it.

Steve (N9SKM)

If you do anything external i would reccomend lipo, lifepo4, or build up a pack with 18650s.

That being said im pretty sure there is room for 6 cells and a boost converter in there which sounds like a pretty solid all day battery pack if a 1200mah pack got 7 hours in.