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[Crewella]

Wow - this is going to get confusing!

This, apparently, is a green Lithium battery that can be used in both the old Classic Pleo and the Pleo RB, though the equally green charger needs different cords and cannot be used for the old NiMH green batteries ............       

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-lithium-battery-pleo-and-pleo-rb-made-2011-/160636433520?pt=Baby_Toys&hash=item2566ad7470

[RedwoodsMama]

this sounds intersting but I dont understand how anyone other than PleoWorld can sell any batteries for RB, as that is why the older green batteries that go with original Pleos won't work in Rb. If you look at the feedback from the person that is selling this, they have only one feedback, and it is for one of these with only the word, "good" as feedback, If you then click on the name of the person who bought this charger, this is where it gets intersting, they are in CHINA themselves, and the only thing they sell is : you guessed it, Pleo Items! That would be one thing, but if you look at their feedback, it is not very good with poor numbers, 4.6, etc, no 4.9 or anything higher, The  feedback is only 94.9  %feedbackhttp://feedback.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=luotuo6112010&ftab=AllFeedback&myworld=true


     I am not saying this is not a good deal as it could be very interesting and be a good deal for those of us who have regular Pleos and the rb, but untill I see feedback from someone who buys one of these who is not a seller themselves in China of also Pleo items, then I am saving my money. Too many variables, Also if this comes from the factory where I get my case montly of the white Li -Polymer batteries, then at some point these would be available for me to sell also, Right now I would like to see if someone buys these and yes, Pleo can go for 3-4 hrs, that is what would be interesting to know from my perspective.  %)Mind you, I am not knocking this seller or the product, but untill I see feedback from somebody who has purchased one and does not live in China and is not selling Pleo products, then I will weight the facts more closely.

                                                                                                                  RWM

[Crewella]

RWM, if I understand it correctly, the original green batteries WILL work in the Pleo RB, although not really for long enough to make it worthwhile.  The egg charger batteries should be the same as the new RB brown batteries, but they lack the third terminal that the green ones have and the RBs won't recognise them.  The brown RB batteries should not, and will not, work in the old, classic, Pleo model. 

I wonder if your supplier knows anything about these .......... ? 

[RedwoodsMama]

Crewella you are right as I did try a old classic green battery when Baby Ruth used PleoPet's suggestion for Probe rb to find out what was going on with her. And you are right the egg ones won't fit into the rb, or lack the terminal. If these are being made at the same factory that produces the egg batteries, then I am sure it is just a matter of time before I can get them, and I would be anxious to do so. I allways buy by the case and just got another case of egg batteries about a week ago.
             I will look into these but what I was mostly saying is that even though these look fantastic, I want to see feedback from someone outside of China and who is not a Pleo seller to get "honest and unbiased" opinions. Does that make any sense to you? Thanks for the input, much appreciated.
                                          RWM

[InmemoryofRomeo]

If they can really get three or four hours runtime in any model Pleo it would sure be impressive. Certainly something to keep an eye on, sadly I don't have $90 to waste on being a guinea pig.

[saratogaspringer]

I would like to try one of these batteries, but for $90, I would need more proof that they are worth the asking price.  Like IMR says, a 90 dollar guinea pig is pretty expensive right now, considering I am happy with my white egg battery and the RB battery from pleoworld.

[RedwoodsMama]

I agree, that is a lot of money and right now I will just stick with using the Egg batteries, (I have plenty of them) and the two RB batteries, Besides, I do not think there are too many of us that have 3-4 hrs at a time to sit and interact with our Pleos, no matter how much they are loved, Of course having that much availabiliity and then turning them off and then back on could be nice, but I am with you, I do not have that kind of money....and I still want to see some  feedback from somewhere besides China.
                                                         RWM

[Crewella]

I'm almost tempted to try them, but I've been a very bad Crewella recently and must stop all this spendiness! 

TBH, the egg batteries ae so good that I don't really see a need for these, though I guess 3 hours or so might be cool some days.  My first thought was just how confusing this will be - I can see people buying them and then muddling them with the original chargers!! 

[kat]

Before anyone takes the plunge I think it would be wise to mention the www.pleoworld.com.cn is not an official pleoworld site.  For many months there was a warning in the news headlines section on the real pleoworld site that stated this site was not an official site and was not associated with Innvo.  I have tried to look back on the pleoword site to see if I could find this article but it seems to have fallen off the radar but maybe someone else out there would be able to find it.  This is also the same people that sell ugobe pleos in a big bundle with a bed and some clothes and an egg battery for a very expensive price.  More than the cost of a pleo rb.  Also I noticed on this new battery that it clearly says Ugobe pleo.  Should this be on there if it was made for use in a rb?

Just some stuff to think about.....

[barrettgazzy]

Any1 here have regular conversation with Derek Dotson ? would be nice to hear from him about these Merlin edition pleo's and also these batteries would it not ?

[Crewella]

Indeed it would, but I think the 'powers that be' are away on holiday for a couple of weeks.  Hopefully soon, though! 

[kat]

I hope it is legitimate and does do everything they say it does.  If we can confirm it as a safe buy and the real deal then I would be willing to be a guinea pig for us all and get one to try.   I do want confirmation first though maybe form someone in Innvo that these guys are for real. 

[Crewella]

I was thinking along the same lines, Kat - at some point I want to buy an Innvo Pleo (classic), but I can't get them to answer any of my questions!! 

[PleoPet]

Some comments and speculation:
Who knows what is going on with the Chinese manufacturers these days. As noted it is marked as a "UGOBE" product. Chinese only packaging.

The battery looks like it is the same as the internals of the Brown RB battery (and possibly the same charger), but inside a green battery case. It will have a thermistor (3rd terminal) like the original green and brown RB batteries (but unlike the white egg battery).

The only obvious difference between it and a brown RB battery is the orientation of the plastic tab on the bottom. This prevents you using the brown RB battery in an old Pleo (or placing the brown LiPoly battery into the old green NiMHd charger).
BTW: if you clip off the plastic tab on a brown battery, it will work in an old Pleo (but not recommended)

The performance of the battery should be the same as the brown RB battery (in an RB) or a white egg battery (in an old Pleo).
Much better than an original green NiMHd battery. In an old Pleo it gives you better run times because the LiPoly battery is higher capacity (and slightly higher voltage), lighter, and likely newer (batteries do degrade with use).

If you do get one of these, be careful not to place it in your original green charger (if that is possible).
Other than that, it may be a good product, but a little pricey IMHO.

[RedwoodsMama]

As for Derek Dotson conversations, I have only talked to him twice and I am the one who alerted him to the whole Merlin issue quite awhile ago, and he emailed me back personaly saying that he was skeptical of the Merlin Pleo claims and was as Crewella will remember," calling the police and haveing them look into it" as fraud. Whether there is fraud or not, the Merlin Seller for being a seller of 100 Plus of these Pleos that he told me " I would be  happy to show you pictures of our actual warehouses where Pleos are stored", when inquiring about wanting to see actual photos or Pleos being sold, not stock photos which I detest as too many sellers use them, and my complaint among others is that this seller never has any feedback after selling Buy it now, Limited Special Ediition Pleos or the Merlin Edition. The prices constantly change, the shipping changes from Free, to charges and the batteries they sell change from costing $30.00 each to $50.00 each. NOthing about this seller is consistant, In My opinion it is as if they do not know what they are doing, they have not done this before and are trying whatever comes to mind. They have sold at least 3 of these according to Ebay records, but no feedback, not even negative, that is just one red flag for me.
                  The batteries may be great, but PleoPet was good at explaining the differences, I can't afford that kind of money on a battery and even 3-4 hrs is not enought to make me spend that kind of money, when I know the egg batteries will work and I have no problem using or getting them, If and when these become available to me, I will definitly try them after I hear from my suppllier, but only after I hear first hand all the pros and cons. Kat, if you want to try them and can afford them, we would all be glad to hear what you think.
                     As for Derek Dotson commenting on these batteries, since they are a Ugobe Product and not Innvo labs, he may not be able to comment much more than anything we have heard here, but if he does have any comment, we will have to wait and see what he has to say. All I can say is the batteries are expensive but may be a good product if you can affored it, and the Merlin Pleo Seller has yet ( in my opinon and any Ebay feedback) proven that these Pleos even are anything that they are claimed to be and nobody leaves feedback, why is that....I am still suspicious of this Seller regardless of what he calls the Pleo, as the title is allways changing. Buyer Bewared again.
                                                                         RWM

[Crewella]

"BTW: if you clip off the plastic tab on a brown battery, it will work in an old Pleo (but not recommended)"

Thank you for that - it's one of the things that was beginning to puzzle me - if the brown RB and white Egg charger batteries are so similar I was wondering if it would be so bad to run a Ugobe Pleo on the brown batteries.  I eventually came to the conclusion that the reason for the tabs underneath was not so much to stop the wrong battery going in the Pleo, but, more importantly, to stop the wrong battery going into the chargers? 

[wolfbob]

Don't go experimenting changing what battery is used in what or charged by what. Be aware that the LiPo batteries are dangerous if not used properly in both charging and discharging, These batteries have electronics that insure that they are not discharged too far or charged too much. The NiMH batteries of  the Ugobes (green) do not have or need electronic support

These electronics can be in one (or more) of three places. They can be built into the cells. There are two LiPo cells in each battery. or they can be built into the battery or they can be in the charger for charging and Pleo for discharging. It is this last case that can make things dangerous if you use a battery that needs its electronics and they are in the rb but not in the Ugobe. Also the LiPo batteries use a constant current charge to some voltage and then a constant voltage until fully charged and the current and voltages are different for the NiMH and the LiPo batteries so a lithium charger will not properly charge a NiMH battery and vice versa.

It appears to me that the white batteries have the electronics in either the cells or inside the battery, the brown is probably the same but they may be in the Pleorb and charger. I don't see how it is possible to get a safe and practical charge on a LiPo battery using the Ugobe NiMH charger.

[kat]

This is why I would want confirmation from Innvo before I bought one.  I would want to be sure it was safe to use for both RB and Ugobe pleos as claimed by the seller.  I wouldn't want to damage any of my guys.  I am happy to try out this new battery to see if it gives the 3 to 4 hours claimed by the seller but I want to know it is safe first.  I did notice that they seem to have bundled it with what looks like the old green charger that is used for the NiMH battries and I was wondering if this would maybe be bad.   If someone is able to confirm with Innvo that this is safe and legit then I will buy one and try it out.  Until then we will have to wait and see.

[barrettgazzy]

How long will a RB battery run straight ?

[InmemoryofRomeo]

Around 2 hours, a little more if they aren't very active.

[Crewella]

Don't go experimenting changing what battery is used in what or charged by what. Be aware that the LiPo batteries are dangerous if not used properly in both charging and discharging, These batteries have electronics that insure that they are not discharged too far or charged too much. The NiMH batteries of  the Ugobes (green) do not have or need electronic support

These electronics can be in one (or more) of three places. They can be built into the cells. There are two LiPo cells in each battery. or they can be built into the battery or they can be in the charger for charging and Pleo for discharging. It is this last case that can make things dangerous if you use a battery that needs its electronics and they are in the rb but not in the Ugobe. Also the LiPo batteries use a constant current charge to some voltage and then a constant voltage until fully charged and the current and voltages are different for the NiMH and the LiPo batteries so a lithium charger will not properly charge a NiMH battery and vice versa.

It appears to me that the white batteries have the electronics in either the cells or inside the battery, the brown is probably the same but they may be in the Pleorb and charger. I don't see how it is possible to get a safe and practical charge on a LiPo battery using the Ugobe NiMH charger.

Thanks Wolfbob, that was really enlightening.  Logic told me it must be something like that, but it's hugely helpful to be able to understand why. 

[barrettgazzy]

Ok so supposedly these new batteries last 3-4 hrs ? If so why did Innvo not go with these new batteries in first place if they last longer ? 

[Crewella]

Originally, my guess is that it was due to the price.   

[InmemoryofRomeo]

They only claim four hours, it may be blatant false advertising for all we know

[degers]

Ok so supposedly these new batteries last 3-4 hrs ? If so why did Innvo not go with these new batteries in first place if they last longer ? 

Too expensive.  If you want, you could have a pleo that could run for 6 hours, but you'll double the price of the whole unit just by getting a better battery in there!  Why do you think they went with NiMH in the first place!