when is it time to replace a SAFT battery?

[rjack321]

Specifically in a predator? I can see the voltage just not sure what the "replace when convenient" mV and "replace now!" mV might be.

Thanks

 

[a878bob]

The way I remember it is yellow battery replace soon, red battery replace b4 getting in the water, I think the red comes on when the voltage is 3.2.

I dive my petrel controller and Perdix backup much more than my predator these days, but I’m pretty sure that’s how it rolls.

 

[davehicks]

The Predator is notorious for warning of low battery early and often. I usually waited until it consistently warned for two or three dives. Very often it will go quite again and give you numerous additional hours.

 

[Shearwater]

Hi, rjack. For the Petrel 2 controller I dive with, I use 3.3 V as my minimum. I'll ask the engineers about the Predator on Monday. Is it for a KISS monitor?

Cheers

 

[rjack321]

Hi, rjack. For the Petrel 2 controller I dive with, I use 3.3 V as my minimum. I'll ask the engineers about the Predator on Monday. Is it for a KISS monitor?

Cheers

Mine is a predator ext

The Predator is notorious for warning of low battery early and often. I usually waited until it consistently warned for two or three dives. Very often it will go quite again and give you numerous additional hours.

Well its the primary ppO2 monitor on a CCR so I'm happy to replace it early

 

[happy-diver]

Saft if it is not a knockoff and if it works at all, is just not worth it nor are rechargables
Photo lithiums easily accessible so change them when you like or change them often.

 

[davehicks]

Mine is a predator ext



Well its the primary ppO2 monitor on a CCR so I'm happy to replace it early

The problem is that it will sometimes warn on a brand new cell. It is the biggest design flaw of the Predator. The Petel is so much better in this regard. I've had two Predator EXTs and now two Petrel2s in the family

 

[Dsix36]

The problem is that it will sometimes warn on a brand new cell. It is the biggest design flaw of the Predator. The Petel is so much better in this regard. I've had two Predator EXTs and now two Petrel2s in the family

I have experienced this false warning too. It used to be a common issue back when the Predator first came out and people were spending a fortune on Saft batteries. That issue has basically been resolved with the help of Shearwater. It seems that those batteries sometimes need a bit to "wake up" if stored very long and also some of them were not very good from the beginning (yes brand new batteries that obviously were not very fresh). Many of us have built small load testers that we test each Saft prior to installation. this seems to have sorted my issues entirely. I just built one for my girlfriend a few weeks back when she began to have the same issue.

As posted above, 3.3v is the recommended minimum voltage to begin a dive. 3.0v is the minimum when load testing.

 

[JonG1]

My predator battery died yesterday with around 30 mins of stops left, every day's a school day, now know to change at around 3.4/3.3v

 

[tbone1004]

I'd replace it now with a rechargeable 14500 and not have to worry about expensive batteries prone to knockoffs. Perks are they charge in the same chargers as 18650's
That's what is in mine. Have to replace them more frequently obviously, but I have a pair of them and just pop one in before each trip