RudiGreyling
Well Known Member
Reconditioning Skyview Backup Battery
Ok my 2 Skyviews are 5 years old +/- 200 hours of operation and the backup SV-BAT-320 packs did not pass its annual 45min run check.
Horror to my surprise they cost $180 each I need x 2 = $360 and I am situated on the other side of the globe South Africa, so add another $75 for HAZMAT shipping and this is getting a bit expensive...So I needed to make another plan.
So for the sake of Experimental and cost (my Skyview is out of its 3 year warranty in any case) I embarked to recondition them and share here what I have learned....
The SV-BAT-320 pack is simple to open with 4 screws.
IMG_5840
Inside is a simple 6 cell Lithium-Ion 18650 cell (3.7V) battery pack in (3S2P - 3 Series x 2 Parallel) configuration. These look like No-Name brand and the capacity is not listed, but an internet search revealed they are 2200 mah if you can trust the internet.
IMG_5842
On the one side, closed by some covering is a small PCB board, a BMS (Battery Management System) to manage the pack.
IMG_5841
So I had 2 new packs made up with quality branded SANYO cells of 3400mah capacity (50% more capacity). It cost me $50 locally and no special HAZMAT shipping required since it was local in South Africa.
I soldered the BMS board exactly like the orginal but I added an additional touch. I soldered balance lead, standard used in radio control LIPO batteries, to each pole of the BMS and battery pack. Now I can monitor the condition of each cell in the pack, by simply plugging in a Radio Control battery measurement device.
IMG_5845
I balance charged the Battery Pack on my Radio Control Balance Charger on the bench, then I taped the BMS closed and fitted everything back into the Dynon SV-BAT-320 housing.
The battery packs went back into the airplane and each of them passed the annual 45-minute duration test successfully.
I also have the added benefit to check the health of each pack during the annual inspection, by the way of the balance leads on each battery pole. If the cell voltages are different I have the means to balance them back into alignment with the means of simple a Radio Control LIPO balancer, to extend the battery pack life.
So in Summary:
This is a simple standard 3S2P pack than any good Battery Repacking Company can repack for you with higher capacity branded cells, with a cost saving...and if required can easily add a balance monitoring lead for you to inspect the health and balance the cells occasionally to extend its life.
I hope this helps some of you..
Kind Regards
Rudi
Ok my 2 Skyviews are 5 years old +/- 200 hours of operation and the backup SV-BAT-320 packs did not pass its annual 45min run check.
Horror to my surprise they cost $180 each I need x 2 = $360 and I am situated on the other side of the globe South Africa, so add another $75 for HAZMAT shipping and this is getting a bit expensive...So I needed to make another plan.
So for the sake of Experimental and cost (my Skyview is out of its 3 year warranty in any case) I embarked to recondition them and share here what I have learned....
The SV-BAT-320 pack is simple to open with 4 screws.
IMG_5840
Inside is a simple 6 cell Lithium-Ion 18650 cell (3.7V) battery pack in (3S2P - 3 Series x 2 Parallel) configuration. These look like No-Name brand and the capacity is not listed, but an internet search revealed they are 2200 mah if you can trust the internet.
IMG_5842
On the one side, closed by some covering is a small PCB board, a BMS (Battery Management System) to manage the pack.
IMG_5841
So I had 2 new packs made up with quality branded SANYO cells of 3400mah capacity (50% more capacity). It cost me $50 locally and no special HAZMAT shipping required since it was local in South Africa.
I soldered the BMS board exactly like the orginal but I added an additional touch. I soldered balance lead, standard used in radio control LIPO batteries, to each pole of the BMS and battery pack. Now I can monitor the condition of each cell in the pack, by simply plugging in a Radio Control battery measurement device.
IMG_5845
I balance charged the Battery Pack on my Radio Control Balance Charger on the bench, then I taped the BMS closed and fitted everything back into the Dynon SV-BAT-320 housing.
The battery packs went back into the airplane and each of them passed the annual 45-minute duration test successfully.
I also have the added benefit to check the health of each pack during the annual inspection, by the way of the balance leads on each battery pole. If the cell voltages are different I have the means to balance them back into alignment with the means of simple a Radio Control LIPO balancer, to extend the battery pack life.
So in Summary:
This is a simple standard 3S2P pack than any good Battery Repacking Company can repack for you with higher capacity branded cells, with a cost saving...and if required can easily add a balance monitoring lead for you to inspect the health and balance the cells occasionally to extend its life.
I hope this helps some of you..
Kind Regards
Rudi
Last edited: