Argus Batteries Dying Quick

[kalaniwavo 0]

I bought a brand new Argus AAD a couple months ago and have put about 25 or 30 jumps on it. I got the message BATT LOW and the following day BATT REPLACE. Just wondering if anyones else has had an issue of batteries dying this quick.

Maybe just bad batteries from the factory or an issue where I need to send the unit back to the factory for inspection.

[ficus 0]

Who installed the Argus in your rig?

I have heard of a case of this happening when two mismatched batteries were put in the unit.

[chutingstar 1]

Quote

I bought a brand new Argus AAD a couple months ago and have put about 25 or 30 jumps on it. I got the message BATT LOW and the following day BATT REPLACE. Just wondering if anyones else has had an issue of batteries dying this quick.

Maybe just bad batteries from the factory or an issue where I need to send the unit back to the factory for inspection.

Yes, depending on how long the Argus unit was on the shelf or when the batteries were originally put in, we have seen the first set of batteries go low within a few months occasionally.

I have been installing a new set of fresh batteries with new Argus units installed here in the loft to make sure the batteries from the factory hadn't been sitting on the shelf too long.

As a side note, in dropzone rental/student/tandem rigs that are used every week/weekend, we have found that the batteries are lasting about 9 months. So with this new U.S. repack schedule, we will be replacing Argus batteries every 6 months to avoid issues with batteries going low/dead during the middle of a repack cycle.

Mike

ChutingStar.com

[popsjumper 2]

I hope you read Chutingstar's post. You can't go wrong with Mike at Chutingstar. He's Argus authorized, too.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[riggerpaul 1]

I don't think it is really about the mismatch, per se.

The word I got from Aviacom is that their Argus-branded "black" batteries are simply no good.

Aviacom mentioned that these batteries don't even fit quite right in the cases.

While nobody actually said it, I have to presume that these batteries just don't meet the specifications of the Lithium CR123 battery.

I specifically asked if I should be replacing the batteries in any new Argus so that they are fresh when the units are put into active service. They said, "no, only replace the batteries if one or both is one of these bad (black) batteries."

The only unit that I have seen where the batteries died early had a black battery in it. The other battery was a name-brand battery, though I don't recall which brand it was.

Mike, did the units that didn't last a full year all have at least one Argus-branded battery? Or are you saying that you have seen units with brand-name batteries fail early?

Though my sample is admittedly small, I am seeing units with name-brand batteries go for the full year, even when their DOM is some months back, and they presumably sat on a shelf with batteries installed. I cannot really guess how long they might actually be able to last, because I replace them per Aviacom's schedule.

But I can say that the only unit I have seen with premature battery failure had one of these "bad" batteries.

If the black batteries are just plain bad, then having one would certainly affect the other battery, no matter what the brand.

[ficus 0]

If this has only happened once, maybe Mike G's idea that they are just old batteries is all that's going on here. Occam's razor strikes again.

Seems like a good idea for Aviacom to put out a SB or at least some kind of notice about the bad batteries.

[erdnarob 1]

Just for comparison purpose the batteries life for a Cypres II is 4 years and more than 7 years (1000 jumps+) for the Vigil II. At the cost of lithium batteries (it takes two for an Argus) and their limited life to 7-12 months, I still see that the Vigil II (with no compulsory maintenance and batteries costing 85$) is a very competitive product.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[chutingstar 1]

Quote

Mike, did the units that didn't last a full year all have at least one Argus-branded battery? Or are you saying that you have seen units with brand-name batteries fail early?

The black "Argus" batteries definitely don't last a full year. The brand-name batteries are lasting a year for your average fun-jumper making a few hundred jumps a year. But for your working skydiver, drop zone rig or active jumper, I'm seeing more around 9 months on the typical set of batteries.

Mike

ChutingStar.com

[riggerpaul 1]

Thanks Mike. That's helpful information.

Mostly I rig for the your "average" jumper, but occasionally I'll do some work for a "pro".

Armed with the information you supplied, I'll know better what to expect in either situation.

Yes, I know that the black Argus batteries don't even last more than 2 or 3 months. But I haven't yet seen "proper" batteries that failed so early.

Around here, a pair at the Walmart are about $10. So even if they don't last the full year it isn't like they're going to break anybody's bank.

Again, thanks for the information.

[LloydDobbler 2]

Quote

I bought a brand new Argus AAD a couple months ago and have put about 25 or 30 jumps on it. I got the message BATT LOW and the following day BATT REPLACE. Just wondering if anyones else has had an issue of batteries dying this quick.

Maybe just bad batteries from the factory or an issue where I need to send the unit back to the factory for inspection.

As others are saying, best to replace the batteries and try it again. If it continues to drain the new ones really fast, then drop Aviacom a line, and they'll take good care of you.

(At least, they did when it happened to me).

Signatures are the new black.

[divegoddess 0]

I also replace the batteries before I install a new unit into someone's rig......... they still die quick.