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I just posted a sneak peak at our upcoming Chute Release over in the Electronics forum.
You can jump to it here.
You can jump to it here.
Dear Santa,
I've been a good boy in 2015.
Can I pleases get a Jolly Logic Chute Release for Christmas?
Your friend,
Bunny
Here's some questions... For the high altitude balloon crowd (I might want to attempt one of these someday).
How long is the battery life/charge life of the unit. Helium balloons can take some time getting up there.
How well will it handle temperature extremes? Again, it may be up in some thin air for some time.
Unrelated question... How long does it take to recharge the unit?
Thanks!
I haven't done run-down power testing yet, so I only have the spec-sheet-based battery life figures to go by. That means that I have calculated how long it is *supposed* to be able to run between charges, but not what it *actually* does. The difference being a number of parasitic current drains that are caused by the circuit that I designed. Right now the calculations say that it can sit running for 20 days. So I would think (even after this number changes in testing) that it would be long enough for a balloon flight.
In terms of temperature, the performance of the battery is rated for -20°C-60°C (-4°F-140°F). If you have access to a freezer or weather colder than this, you can test. The atmosphere is coldest at at about 40K feet (it's colder there than at 100K, and you'd expect -70°F. If it were me, I'd wrap it in insulation, or maybe even rig up a chemical or electrical "hand warmer" around it.
It takes about an hour to recharge it.
Helium weather balloon flights are very simple and typically last less than 3 hours. The balloons reach apogee sometime around 90 minutes and the balloon bursts and release their payload which is suspended from the balloon by their parachute. No electronics is required for deployment.Here's some questions... For the high altitude balloon crowd (I might want to attempt one of these someday).
How long is the battery life/charge life of the unit. Helium balloons can take some time getting up there.
How well will it handle temperature extremes? Again, it may be up in some thin air for some time.
Unrelated question... How long does it take to recharge the unit?
Thanks!
Helium weather balloon flights are very simple and typically last less than 3 hours. The balloons reach apogee sometime around 90 minutes and the balloon bursts and release their payload which is suspended from the balloon by their parachute. No electronics is required for deployment.
Bob
About high altitude use of hand warmers in balloon payloads, some characteristics you might not anticipate:
If it were me, I'd wrap it in insulation, or maybe even rig up a chemical or electrical "hand warmer" around it.
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