Once a Workplan is finished, the bot returns to the dock and successfully charges to 100%, but then doesn’t maintain the charge. It’s starts discharging while still sitting on the dock and showing Charging. This is NOT a battery temperature issue. It’s at 27 C. A restart does not correct it. Anyone seen this or have thoughts on cause or correction steps?
I think it’s normal and as “desired”. Batteries don’t really like to be at 100% for long periods of time. Just my thoughts.
Will it discharge down to 0% or will it eventually charge (around 90%)? This does seem abnormal. If you hit the charge button on the battery icon, does it start charging successfully?
The lowest I let it go was 79% just to confirm it wasn’t going to hold at 80%. The app would still show Charging. Stop/Start from the app changed what the app displayed, but didnt actually change the charging status - the dock stayed blue and charge continued to drop.
In any case, I powered down the core last night to pull and clean the mower. I powered everything back up and went to bed. This morning it’s holding at 100%. Looks like a software glitch of some kind. I hope it doesn’t return.
I fully agree that sitting at high or low SOC is not good for the battery. I wish there was Max Charge setting that I could set at 80% and ramp up 100% on cutting days. If there’s a schedule, it should also automatically increase the SOC to 100% a couple hours before a start time.
Yes, great points on the SOC. These batteries aren’t cheap and proper SOC especially for known scheduled tasks can increase longevity. Anyone else unable to end the charge early?
I tried ending my charge manually around the 80% mark as I was done for the day, it was still muggy hot, and I prefer a pre mission top off charge while the grass dries in the morning. I used the app to end the charge, it showed a change in status to yellow(idle) but within minutes it was recharging again.
I tried several more times to end the charge but it was only temporary. I just unplugged the base charger overnight. Anyone else have this behavior?
I am still on the old firmware, maybe its already resolved, but documenting the behavior.
Yes if idle for 10 mins it will auto start charging just sitting in the dock. Usually around 90% and below. Totally normal.
Yarbo has said the battery management system maintains the appropriate battery SOC and health. I can only take their word for it. They have a 2 year warranty on the battery too so I’m sure they feel good enough about it to support it. I also know some of the early prototype testers from 2022 are still using those same batteries with no issues.
Good to know about the longevity of the 2022 testers. Taking their word is all we can do if this is the desired behavior. Not my practice to keep batteries topped off and they seem to agree for long periods. I am more worried about the electronics in my salty coastal environment. It eats electronics. I would prefer to park the core in my conditioned garage but am waiting to do so again until after the firmware update in the event it requires good GPS.
It only requires internet for the update. You can absolutely park it in the garage while waiting.
Yeah it has great Halo, but loses GPS. It has even better Wifi (outdoor AP in attic space above ) but that is not connected per suggestions. I am just avoiding anything that might prevent it from being happy enough to update.
It’s definitely losing GPS because your CNRs are low and probably dip below 37 periodically.
To clarify core loses GPS in the garage. It does good on the property except for some really thick coverage under 100 year old trees between two houses. Only two small areas that i have to drive it back manually out of with consistency. Mornings seem to do better than evenings.
I’m considering relocation of my base to the garage as well. GPS is a little sketchy there but worth trying as opposed letting it bake in the sun - Waiting for the firmware update as well.
Speaking of firmware updates. Having never experienced Yarbo updating, what is the process?
How do I know when its starting it’s update process and how do I know when its finished?
You’ll know when it randomly goes “ready to work”. It won’t update when it’s in an auto plan, but when idle and above a certain battery percentage, it will auto update. It will download the update and wait in an auto plan. If you happen to catch it during the update process, you can check the active status at the bottom of the diagnostic screen when it’s applying the update. Otherwise, it will just say 100% if it’s not pending any updates.
I usually have Yarbo muted since the docking station is just off the master bath. My wife doesn’t like the voice in the night saying “Ready to Charge”.
I keep mine muted too. But, just like when you reboot it, it will ignore the mute setting for the “ready to work” and I’ve even seen for the first 10 seconds or so it continue to do audible alerts like “App controller connected”.
I’ve never noticed that. I’m not doubting what you are saying, just haven’t noticed it. I MAY have booted Yarbo 2 or 3 times in the month or so I’ve owned him.
May 8 was the first mow. So 1 month 20 days ish. I had to look.
Battery: Ayup. A day or two ago my rover returned to the Docking Station after a mow, was charging and went to 100%, and when I checked it later, the big battery button was yellow. I’d not seen that before. I clicked the battery button, and it’s been green/charging ever since. Nope, not a Battery Temperature issue - it was in the 30s - unless it went to >50C while charging, which it shouldn’t have (it wasn’t that hot out, not even close), but I suppose that’s always a possibility.
Maybe some of us are hitting a one-off? A bug in the rover/BMS/App/firmware? A “change” somewhere (like at the Mothership / “the servers”)? I don’t know.
Keep an eye on it, kids. Hopefully it starts to charge at 90% or 80% and “fixes itself” in that regard.