Charge battery OSTC N2

[Arctic Diver]

Hello OSTC Divers,

I would like to know how long it aprox. takes to charge the battery of the OSCT N2 if it is below 50% capacity.
I had 41 hours divetime and now I need to charge the battery so I have plugged it on a computer USB device.

I just see that the battery is complete green when it is connected to the computer but no other signs showing for the charging process like blinking lights / signs / battery symbol. (the OSTC MK2 should have some red lights blinking will charging?)

So how do I know when the battery it's completely charged?

Thanks for help & dive safe

[swissdiving]

Easy, when the OSTC plugged in and the battery is yellow, then its charging.
Once the battery turns green while the usb cable is plugged in then its fully charged.

So you can answer your own question. How long did it take to charge the battery from when it was app. 50% to now when its green.

Btw. RTFM

[quote="OSTC Manual - Section Basic - Charging the battery"]
Charging the Battery
The battery of the OSTC 2N is charged
using the USB connector. The delivery
includes a USB cable.
Your OSTC 2N must be charged in a dry
environment to avoid damages caused
by corrosion or a short circuit.

1. Unscrew and remove the protective
lid from the USB connector.

2. Connect the USB connector to a
computer or a standard USB charger.

3. The OSTC 2N is being charged while
the connected computer or USB
charger is in operation.

4. While the battery is being charged,
the battery symbol is yellow.

When the battery symbol is green,
charging is complete (i.e. the battery is
charged at least 95%).

Once charging is completed, disconnect
the USB cable and screw the lid on the
USB connector to make it watertight.

If you do not use the OSTC 2N for an extended
period of time, you can leave it
connected to the USB charger until next
use. The USB plug of the cable can be
used as ‘screwdriver’ for the cap.

Note The OSTC 2N comes with an integrated
magnetic reset switch. When
charging, do not place the OSTC 2N
near a magnet that might trigger the
magnetic switch.
[/quote]

[scubatinoo]

Green = good
Yellow = charging

And you can check somewhere in the menu the Battery Info, where you can see the date of the last complete charging.

[swissdiving]

Menu > More > Battery Info
AND
CF31 allows you to show the battery voltage instead of the battery symbol.
If you have somewhere around 4.2 V you are pretty much full charged.

I think it would take app. 3 hours to charge the battery from 50%, maybe less.

Oh and btw. the MKII and some earlier versions of the 2N have a orange LED blinking when charging. Apparently newer versions of the hardware don't have that anymore.

[Arctic Diver]

Hello guys, thanks for info's but,

I left the OSTC on the USB divice over night. Before that I checked the device several times in the menue under "battery" but it didn't show me a complete cycle of charging.
Sunday morning when I unplugged the divice I got a complete cycle of "fully charged".

My divice didn't show a yellow battery sign when I plugged it in the USB connection.
The battery was below 50 %, maybe less, but right from the beginning of the charging process the battery was green. The battery sign was complete green.

No yellow battery sign. It was green right from the start of the charging process.

BTW hansjorg: I think, the german owners manual, online version, PDF
( Bedienungsanleitung Seite 13 - Akku laden) is a little bit different to the english version. I didn't find anything telling you about yellow battery sign.
I checked the forum (searchfunction) before posting about the problem and I also RTFM (tu)

And I had some strange temp-values under battery info. After charging they look normal now. Low temp 6.9°C and high temp 22°c. Before charging I had low temp - 69°C and high temp (I dont remenber) was something like 75°C ???
But we had other people wiht the same strange temps here on the forum.

[swissdiving]

Yo Arctic,

What does the voltage show?
Switch CF31 to show the voltage. That should drop with use...
...to make sure I understand you correctly, so you used your OSTC for app. 40 hours without plugging it in at the PC / Notebook to download any dives, to do a FW update or configure CF's?

Addendum:
You are absolutly correct. The german manual is a lot less specific on charging batteries than the english version. Asche auf mein Haupt.

[Arctic Diver]

Hello swissdiving,

yes, something like 40 hours of divetime (Display on half intensity)
Last time when I plugged the device to a computer was last update: 2.50
I don't remember if the device then got fully charged.

Saturday I connected the OSTC N2 to a computer USB connection for charging and then I also had a look on my recorded dives and divetime in Jlog.

When I connected the OSCT to the USB the battery changed from blue color (below half of the battery symbol) to green color (complet green battery sign)

That was all. And so I wondered how I could see that the device was in charging progress and when it was finished (fully charged)

I don't remember the battery voltage when I did the charge. Maybe 3.2 V? I really don't know.

[swissdiving]

As far as I know, the max discarge is 3.2V and the max charge is 4.2V, though Matthias would have to confirm that.

As I said, change the battery display from icon to voltage, there you could see if the voltage drops by with use.

Every time you plug in the OSTC it gets charged, so it may well be that it really was fully charged. As it says in the english manual, when the battery shows green its charged app. 95% (+/-).

[Arctic Diver]

I will change the battery symbol so it will show the actual voltage.

In a couple of dives I will charge again and observe what is going to happen and if I get this yellow battery sign while charging on the USB connection.

Will report then,

thanks & dive safe

BTW: new GUE Calender out for 2013. Lots of great photos. One wreck photo is from my place and was taken by me...

[Arctic Diver]

So,

new try to charge battery.

Today (10.03.2013):
lowest Vbatt at 09.03.2013 - 3,699V

Connected the OSTC to USB 2.0 on a PC

Battery sign turned from half blue color to complete yellow. No blinking or other visual signs for charging. Check foto.

Now waitung for the symbole to turn complete green? Then charged?

[tiefunten]

Yes, yellow now, green when fully charged.

[Dahab Boris]

You can also use a phone type plug USB charger to charge a 2n with the suppplied USB cable.. I find USB from a Laptop takes longer to charge..
Also means you don't need a PC on..
Typically IMHO Output DC 5v - 1000 mA

[kaheksa]

Whats the minimum battery voltage you should go diving with?

[heinrichsweikamp]

kaheksa Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Whats the minimum battery voltage you should go
> diving with?

That depends on your planned dive. I'd recharge between 3,7 and 3,5V at the latest.

Regards,
Matthias

[bouhier.i@gmail.com]

And what about red battery symbol ?
With CF31, I see 4.75V !

Is there a problem or should I keep it connected until I see a green symbol ?

[maier]

Same is mine! When i connect it to USB cable i get the red battery symbol. Last time i charged it it was yellow than green, now it is red all the way and when disconnect it is blue.

Is there a problem with the battery?

[tiefunten]

No, I do not think anything is wrong here. AFAIK the default color changed after updating to 3.0.

[heinrichsweikamp]

maier Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Same is mine! When i connect it to USB cable i get
> the red battery symbol. Last time i charged it it
> was yellow than green, now it is red all the way
> and when disconnect it is blue.
>
> Is there a problem with the battery?


No, the color was changed to a more redish color during the charge. That's all.

regards,
Matthias