Battery Capacity Remaining

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OpenTX Lua Telemetry Script

Contents

Description

  • Reads an OpenTX global variable to determine battery capacity in mAh
  • Reads a battery consumption sensor and/or a voltage sensor to estimate mAh and % battery capacity remaining
    • The sensors used are configurable
    • A consumption sensor is a calculated sensor based on a current
      sensor and the time elapsed. (More) (Buy)
  • Displays remaining battery mAh and percent based on mAh used
  • Displays battery voltage and remaining percent based on volts
  • Displays details such as minumum voltage, maximum current, mAh used, # of cells
    • Minimum voltage is useful in determining comparative battery internal resistance. At full throttle a battery with lower internal resistance will have a lower voltage drop and hence the minimum voltage will be higher when compared with a battery with  higher internal resistance. Vmin = Vout – Vdrop, Vdrop = Internal Resistance x Current
    • Maximum current is useful in determining if your ESC and propeller are sized correctly. Larger propellers and higher blade pitch take more power to turn and hence more current.
  • Switch between simple and detailed display using a switch
    • Switch is optional and configurable, Switch F down by default
  • Writes remaining battery mAh to a Tx global variable
  • Writes remaining battery percent to a Tx global variable
  • Writes are optional, off by default
    • Writing to a Tx global variable is useful when you want to use your own logic switches and special functions related to remaining battery energy.
  • Announces percentage remaining every 10% change
    • Announcements are optional, on by default
  • Reserve percentage set for safety, 20% by default
    • The reserve is configurable
    • All values are calculated with reference to this reserve.
      % Remaining = Calculated % Remaining – Reserve %
      mAh Remaining = Calculated mAh Remaining – (Size mAh x Reserve %)
    • Here is an example of what is dislayed at start up
      When the reserve is set at 20%
      800mAh remaining is displayed for a 1000mAh battery
      80% remaining
         

Notes & Suggestions

  • The OpenTX global variables (GV) have a 1024 limit.
  • mAh values are stored in them as mAh/100
    2800 mAh will be 28
    800 mAh will be 8
      
  • The GVs are global to that model, not between models.
  • Standardize accross your models which GV will be used for battery
    capacity. For each model you can set different battery capacities.

    • E.g. If you use GV7 for battery capacity/size then
      Cargo Plane GV7 = 27
      Quad 250 has GV7 = 13
  • Use Special Functions and Switches to choose between different battery capacities for the same model.
  • To play your own announcements replace the sound files provided or turn off sounds
    Use Logical Switches (L) and Special Functions (SF) to play your own sound tracks
    mAh-LS
    mAh-SF

Sensors

Download

File Locations

  • Place the script file on Tx SD Card
    • /SCRIPTS/TELEMETRY/
  • Place the accompanying sound files in
    • /SCRIPTS/TELEMETRY/mahRe2/

Configuration

  • If you have no experience using Telemetry scripts please read Getting Started.
  • Open the .lua file in a plain text editor to review and change the default settings.

Credits

  • Dean Church

Comments, Questions & Help