Topic: The Better Battery Thread (Read 112535 times)

Pleo Power · « **Reply #50 on:** January 17, 2019, 09:42:44 PM »

I currently have a battery at a battery repair place, they had actually already fixed the battery for another Pleo when I was there and said they've been getting a ton of them in the last 2 months. It should be done some time early next week. I'll make a post or a topic if it works.

Anya · « **Reply #51 on:** January 26, 2019, 01:02:14 PM »

Guys I made a couple of batteries and emerald is testing them, however she's had a bit of a delay so won't be able to test properly for a little while. Would anyone like to try a battery?

The test we were doing was to investigate whether they would charge after being fully run down as I don't know if my charger works. No light shows at all with any of my new batteries.

I have been running Arthur on and off with the same battery for some time and he shows no signs of slowing!

pnhicks · « **Reply #52 on:** January 27, 2019, 10:30:08 AM »

Hi Anya,

I operate two Pleo (one RB and one Ugobe) at a care facility for the aged. I run them in 1.5 hours sessions before charging. My pleo is conking our before the end of the session now running on an RB battery with the bottom key cut off flat with the case.

I would love to test one of yours!

Peter Hicks
Zaragoza Spain 50018

Anya · « **Reply #53 on:** January 27, 2019, 02:29:04 PM »

I've never tried sending them abroad and I'd love to try. I'm very concerned about the US customs rules so that will be the ultimate test, Spain will be a very good first step. I'll pm you with the details.

Talon · « **Reply #54 on:** January 27, 2019, 08:09:54 PM »

Hi, Anya! If you still have any prototype batteries floating around, I'd like to try to help you out. What do you need us to do? Just as a note of caution, I have a Ugobe charging cradle but no Ugobe adaptors. I have been using the egg chargers and batteries sold by RedWoodsMama from 2011.
I have a truly sinking feeling my poor egg batteries are about done in. I charge them for around four hours, then run my Ugobes for twenty to thirty minute stretches over a week's time. I leave the batteries out of the Pleos when they aren't in use.
Lately both of my two batteries are not holding any of a charge after the first thirty minute run. The bots aren't displaying flat-battery behavior at the end of their runtime or anything, but the next day when I insert their batteries, Ugobe will give a snore and curl up and Bleu will make the "Huh?" noise, start to move, freeze and repeat. She has always acted strangely with a mostly-dead battery so that's nothing new, but what's going on here? Are they truly at the end of their life cycles or is this something more serious?
I have a third Ugobe- Terry who also is using either of these batteries as I only have two to my name and he is displaying normal dead battery behavior like Ugobe. Anything I can do to figure out what's going on here?
Talon

Clovoro · « **Reply #55 on:** January 29, 2019, 10:40:44 AM »

I'd love to try one, but I'm in the US and don't have any money right now, and I also don't have an original Ugobe charger, just the egg charger ^^;

Anya · « **Reply #56 on:** February 02, 2019, 12:16:19 PM »

If I'm not mistaken, the egg chargers and batteries used in them were lithium based. (Please correct me if I'm wrong) I've been working with the original ugobe green batteries which are nickel based and designed to charge in the green cradle. I've seen a couple of these knocking around on eBay so you might be in luck if you have a quick search. I have no idea how they'd react in a charger designed for lithium batteries and it might be dangerous to even try.

Regarding shipping to the US, I need to work out whether they are actually going to charge before putting them on main sale. Thankfully emerald and phicks are helping me out with that, doing some full on testing.

If I get good results back from these, I will certainly attempt to send one all the way to you. My main fear is that customs are going to refuse them as although they'd are not loose cells, they do still count as batteries and the new rules are quite strict.

I'll be sending one to Spain very soon so will keep you posted

pnhicks · « **Reply #57 on:** February 04, 2019, 03:29:46 AM »

Yippee!

Peter in Spain!

grumpy · « **Reply #58 on:** February 04, 2019, 03:19:10 PM »

The classic pleo (Ugobe, Merlin, and older Innvo Labs) used NiMH batteries and the green charger base. The egg chargers were developed to enhance these older pleos and use lithium-ion batteries. Pleo RB are also Lithium-ion and use the brown charger base. The main difference between the egg charger batteries and the Pleo RB batteries is the tab that is supposed to prevent you from inserting them into the wrong pleo types.

pnhicks · « **Reply #59 on:** February 06, 2019, 03:43:29 AM »

Please note that I am not a battery expert, but I am an aircraft maintenance technician with 32 years experience so take the following info with that in mind:

Dear All,

I am replying after much deliberation if I wanted to go down this rabbit hole or not. Here goes.

Different battery chemistries require specific charging algorithms, i.e., charge voltage, rate of charge (amperage/hour), end of charge detection, etc. While the battery might not explode or catch fire (possible like in some cell phones), it certainly will ruin the length of service and performance of your battery.

The brown and green chargers have different power supply voltages (that should be a hint?).
The fact that you can use a green power supply with egg charger must indicated that here is some voltage regulation (down) in the internal circuit. I don't have one to be able to confirm this, but suspect that it is true.

The RB has two polarity keyways in its battery compartment that allows it to use all three batteries types by design. By "manipulating" the "polarity key" on the battery case, you can use either brown, green or white batteries in the UGOBE Pleo. The Pleo will not care if the battery chemistry is Li-poly , Li-ion , NiMH, or NiCad or whatever.

This requires extreme care when placing the battery in the Pleo in correct polarity (match the pads on the battery to the springs in the base of the battery compartment).

Both the brown and green charging cradles have battery "detecting switches" in their polarity key slot. If you have used "cut the key off" technique to use a different battery than intended in your Pleo, its own charger base will not detect it now and will not charge !

What to do? Using a suitable material that will securely hold the tiny little detection switch "fully compressed" , i.e., not sticking out into the keyway hole.

Use the above information at your own risk and I didn't tell you to do it!

Peter

Clovoro · « **Reply #60 on:** February 11, 2019, 11:36:15 AM »

I don't think I got notifications for these replies, for some reason.

I do try to check on ebay, but I haven't had much luck lately. I saw a green charger on its own a while ago but I guess someone bought it, because it disappeared. I see cords/cables for the charger often, for some reason. I hope customs would let you send to the US, Anya ^^ Though I think I might still have to find a charger. Both of my babes are Ugobe, but I don't have a green charger.

Hm.... so... Classic: NiMH and green charger or Lithium-ion and egg. RB: Lithium-ion, brown charger. A tab prevents you from using the RB battery and egg battery in the wrong Pleos?

Things can be done to make all three battery types work in a Ugobe, but it would have to be done carefully, if it were done....? In the end I'm not sure I could do it. I do have a dead Ugobe battery I could technically try, though?? I just don't want my only charger to be damaged. Hm... Maybe if I got an RB battery and messed with that?? I am confused~

pnhicks · « **Reply #61 on:** February 12, 2019, 04:58:21 AM »

Hi Clovoro,

Just about right, remember the key on battery is to ensure: 1) proper polarity on installation in Pleo and in charger.

2) To ensure that the battery is charged on the correct charger brown on brown, green on green.

The Ugobe Pleo was made before there was a brown and therefore has no provision for its key in its battery bay. That doesn't mean the brown battery will damage it (as long as it is installed with the correct polarity).

The RB Pleo was made with two keyways in the battery bay of the pleo, so it can accept all three batteries without problem. Its brown charger on the other hand only accepts the original lipo battery configuration.

The White battery (egg charger) has the Ugobe key configuration and can be used in both versions without mod , but the egg charger can only charge lipo batteries (I don't know if it has one key way or two) If it has two keyways it could charge the brown RB batteries as well.

Buying a used charger is not a particularly good idea (IMHO) as they were crap (technical term) chargers in 2009 and will not have improved in someone's garage in 10 years (unlike say wine).

Your battery is constructed of 6 1.2V NiMH batteries spot welded together in a 6S (6 cells in series) configuration. There is also a fuse current limiter and the famous temperature sensor. Connecting any good battery charger that charges NiMH battery packs in this configuration is a much better and safer option.

Some people recommend deep freezing the battery for 48 hour before the charging process to help restore the battery.

Cheers!

Peter

Pleo Power · « **Reply #62 on:** February 18, 2019, 06:52:49 PM »

The battery I took to a battery repair place has been re-celled and works perfectly fine. Should I make a topic about this?

Also I tested it in all three of my Pleos and they all work again. I'm not sure what happened years ago, but it seems to have been the battery.

Anya · « **Reply #63 on:** March 24, 2019, 02:34:38 AM »

I could try shipping to the US but I've got a couple of things that have been highlighted by testing to work out first. The recelling thing does seem to be simpler (and to be honest probably cheaper, my batteries are £25)

pnhicks · « **Reply #64 on:** March 24, 2019, 02:41:36 AM »

Hi Anya,

I had no complaints with performance of your batteries! There are a few kinks to work out in the case design, but nothing overwhelming and I think that the price point is more than fair!

Don't throw in the towel after all your hard work!

Cheers!

Peter

Clovoro · « **Reply #65 on:** March 24, 2019, 08:41:18 AM »

Oooooh I can't wait until I can get my hands on one >w< My birthday is coming up and I'd love to have both of my Pleos walkin' a round at once~

Anya · « **Reply #66 on:** March 30, 2019, 02:45:34 AM »

Sorry guys, I do still fully intend to make some more of these, but you know what life is like! My snake just got mites (AGAIN) and if you'd like to see the enormous faff invoved, feel free to Google! My time is simply being eaten by these things!
I will try very hard to make a couple more, I owe one to emerald and I'll have a go at sending you one clovoro.

pnhicks · « **Reply #67 on:** March 30, 2019, 06:19:46 AM »

Hi Anya,

Sorry about the mites sounds, ugh, unpleasant, rather like keeping a reptile in your house, oh, oops...sorry

Before you pop off another set of batteries, just a few observations,

the yellow insulation tape loses its adhesiveness when exposed to the heat of battery use/charging, then the little copper hourglass shaped busbars started floating around (oh help), speaking of the hourglass shaped busbars (clever design if they had stayed put), their little corners had nice sharp corners, usually bent up or down, perfect for punching through the before mentioned yellow tape (not a fan) and shorting to, say, a nearby battery post.

Sorry that a sound so whiny but I was a quality inspector and a product improvement manager for many years (some people say anal retentive since birth).

Cheers

Peter

Anya · « **Reply #68 on:** March 31, 2019, 10:20:01 AM »

No worries Peter, all this is really helpful. I actually have a much stronger tape that I used for another battery and then lost! I'll see if I can dig it out. I'll see what I can do about your other feedback as well. Thanks a lot

Jett · « **Reply #69 on:** April 08, 2019, 05:45:16 PM »

Pleoworld in the Netherlands has batteries:

https://pleoworld.eu/pleo-rb-reserve-accu-662911?fbclid=IwAR39uTpFlLxuX2UrEatgqh2GC3yF0simM77ro2aD54VPMnXx8HR31wm04JU

Clovoro · « **Reply #70 on:** April 18, 2019, 08:22:07 AM »

Quote from: Anya on March 30, 2019, 02:45:34 AM

Sorry guys, I do still fully intend to make some more of these, but you know what life is like! My snake just got mites (AGAIN) and if you'd like to see the enormous faff invoved, feel free to Google! My time is simply being eaten by these things!
I will try very hard to make a couple more, I owe one to emerald and I'll have a go at sending you one clovoro.

Yay~ nwn The semester is ending and I'll have to pack everything up for the summer and go home soon. I don't know how long shipping it would take, but I may have to just wait until I'm back home to receive it. Take your time. Is your snake doing better?

Pennys mum · « **Reply #71 on:** May 09, 2019, 05:02:12 AM »

Just to let you know guys - we have started selling battery packs for Ugobe Pleos again. We’re shipping worldwide now using the eBay global shipping programme.

Link here https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Replacement-battery-pack-for-Ugobe-Pleo-Dinosaur-SHIPS-WORLDWIDE/323802089971

Anya · « **Reply #72 on:** May 09, 2019, 01:44:39 PM »

I'm glad someone else is doing these, sorry I fell off the face of the earth guys. I'll be back to it at some point and then there'll be a few more on the market.

barrettgazzy · « **Reply #73 on:** August 18, 2019, 01:52:02 PM »

You no longer selling them on eBay ?

breinholt · « **Reply #74 on:** February 01, 2020, 03:10:56 AM »

Are you still selling the batteries? What is the price? Where can they be purchased? Please reply or email me at
breinholt999@gmail.com . Thank you.

Bob the Pleo Forums

Author Topic: The Better Battery Thread (Read 112535 times)

pnhicks

pnhicks

pnhicks

pnhicks

pnhicks

pnhicks