im seeing some interesting power draw on my most recent test, using L-series with AAs inside, where previously i believe i tested the L-series without AAs inside
doing a runtime test on a previously untested (#3) 3000 mAh Newmowa NPF-550 clone, i ran with the display on low (as opposed to off) to see how battery drain was affected
watching displayed voltage over the course of the test, it was dropping voltage faster and i assumed it was due to display power draw, and based on early voltage numbers, I was expecting it to shave just over an hour off of the previously measured >4 hr run time (6ch phantom). but when it got to lower voltage the curve stretched out and stayed flatter... for a long time
which makes me think that one (or more?) of four things are happening:
1. it is beginning to pull *some* power from the internals in conjunction with the L-series to eek more power out of the L-series, and allow lower voltage draw on the L-series
2. it is pulling *all* power from AAs and the firmware has a bug that indicates power mistakenly being pulled from L-series
3. my previous voltage measurements were inaccurate as display was off and voltage would bounce when i turned it on to check voltage (less likely)
4. perhaps allowing the battery to sit idle overnight, the battery dissipated any surface charge and operated at a lower voltage, and more stable at lower voltage
in previous tests it dropped fast below 7.2V, and crashed hard at 6.9V, to the point where 6.9V was really just an end data point for graphing purposes, as 6.9V would be displayed for a minute or less. IIRC, in the earlier tests, the last datapoint on the x-axis was obtained from looking at the total file time recorded after it shut itself off
in this case it stretched way out at lower voltages, with stable operation down to 6.6V (for at least 5 minutes or so, 6.6V is the last voltage displayed before it swaps to internal AA power)
i should be able to determine whether scenario 1 or 2 is occurring by measuring resting end voltages on the batteries after the test. If it truly does pull from both series that would extend the use of both batteries as reduced current draw keeps both above their cutoff voltages
I think ill also experiment with my benchtop CC/CV power supply to see if i can determine power draw through L-series terminals at various voltages and use cases.
Whatever i did, im going to figure it out as i got darn near 5 hrs from that 3000 mAh battery. it definitely drained it more than my other tests, resting voltage was a shade below 7.0V after testing