Inside the LS430W incl battery capacity and a rattle fix

[morph]

very interested in this

Update on the LiPo battery: I have just replaced the stock battery with a: Turnigy nano-tech 260mAh 1S 35-70C Lipo Pack
Th pack measures 7.2mm x 20mm x 32mm
To my surprise it fit very well in the case, without any two sided tape (I used silicone adhesive)

as I have bought the LS430W

 

[morph]

have taken the GPS unit off,how did you get the camera apart without breaking it?. I want to strip it down and make it as stealthy as possible,so need to paint the silver vents black. Will remove all the Tampo print from the front using thishttp://www.phoenix-paints.co.uk/precision-paints/solvents-thinners/pq18-superstrip-2.html
its great stuff and doesn't damage the plastic in any way,even though they call it a paint stripper/thinners

 

[bn880]

have taken the GPS unit off,how did you get the camera apart without breaking it?. I want to strip it down and make it as stealthy as possible,so need to paint the silver vents black. Will remove all the Tampo print from the front using thishttp://www.phoenix-paints.co.uk/precision-paints/solvents-thinners/pq18-superstrip-2.html
its great stuff and doesn't damage the plastic in any way,even though they call it a paint stripper/thinners

have taken the GPS unit off,how did you get the camera apart without breaking it?. I want to strip it down and make it as stealthy as possible,so need to paint the silver vents black. Will remove all the Tampo print from the front using thishttp://www.phoenix-paints.co.uk/precision-paints/solvents-thinners/pq18-superstrip-2.html
its great stuff and doesn't damage the plastic in any way,even though they call it a paint stripper/thinners

I did the same with the silver vents, well actually I just popped them off, not necessary. Opening it is not easy at all, I started by prying the case from the top where the GPS is using a plastic cellphone tool like this
You then have to go around the case to pop each clip (especially corner ones are tough) basically the same way, with the plastic tool or two. In general though even if you break one clip, it won't make a difference and the camera will close up nicely. The direction that you insert the tool does matter (front or back) as you are lifting one side while pushing the other, so look at the pics to figure that one out (I can't recall exactly)

 

[morph]

Thanks for that,have no got it apart and,as yourself,ditched the unnecessary vent grills.
How are you getting on with that new battery,should the DOD owners be investing in that upgrade?

 

[bn880]

How are you getting on with that new battery,should the DOD owners be investing in that upgrade?

Well its only been a day but no issues so far. I'll report if something comes up.

I personally think most owners should do this for the convenience of having some more time to take photos/video after a crash, to replay stuff on the scene, to have more time to play around with the menus, and for the safety of always having that 10 seconds in reserve even at the worst situations when they shut off the engine. But to each his own.

I'll see, maybe I'll make a little video showing the battery swap even.

 

[xiqueuba]

Update on the LiPo battery: I have just replaced the stock battery with a: Turnigy nano-tech 260mAh 1S 35-70C Lipo Pack
Th pack measures 7.2mm x 20mm x 32mm
To my surprise it fit very well in the case, without any two sided tape (I used silicone adhesive)

These days with the old battery the camera would struggle to stay on for more than a few minutes (5-6), in the cold on short rides it would sometimes not even manage to stay up 10 seconds on the battery when the engine was shut off. (thus corrupting videos)

Now the runtime is: 39 minutes not recording
30 Minutes when recording HD

I attribute this to the higher quality of the Turnigy cell which is 35-70C (internal resistance). Which means that the 600mA drain when recording is not overpowering the battery and thus allows most of the 260mAh to be utilized!

I will get pictures when I update the next webcam, I was in a hurry.

I see the feature of this LiPo .it seem to be 7.4V instead of 3.7V of original one.

 

[bn880]

I see the feature of this LiPo .it seem to be 7.4V instead of 3.7V of original one.

Definitely not 7.4V, it's 1S, that means 3.7V. (you probably looked at a similar one from the same maker that is 2S and hence 7.4V)

 

[xiqueuba]

You right, sorry for a mistake. Surprised for how many time hold ( 30 min rec HD )

My camera is LS300W and I have space enough to put a : Turnigy nano-tech 750mah 1S 35-70C Lipo Pack.

Did you think is a good solution,or better a 260mAh, like original one?

 

[REyewitness]

;D Several reasons not to have DoD Canada repair it:

1. I can get this turned around in a few hours (less if just a fix)
2. Figure out what the battery size/capacity is and what I can upgrade it to.
3. Provide some pics/specs for people on this forum, as I've checked out many from other users, very useful stuff for purchasing decisions, repairs, mods etc.
4. Well yeah, I wouldn't want to burn any money that I could invest in quality lipo batteries instead.

Where is a reliable source for replacement batteries?

 

[bn880]

Where is a reliable source for replacement batteries?

Any of the major hobby shops online that offer brand name batteries. In this specific case hobbyking.com carries the Turnigy battery I mentioned (which fits and is high quality) at something like $3 + $4 shipping. The only drawback is waiting for the package for ~3 weeks.

Edit: darn, hobbyking is backordered on the battery now.

 

[REyewitness]

Any of the major hobby shops online that offer brand name batteries. In this specific case hobbyking.com carries the Turnigy battery I mentioned (which fits and is high quality) at something like $3 + $4 shipping. The only drawback is waiting for the package for ~3 weeks.

Edit: darn, hobbyking is backordered on the battery now.

Thanks.. Will check it out

 

[bn880]

An update on the battery upgrades: After 2 months of use the cam's are working great (much better than before for standby power/time etc). No noticeable loss of capacity, and much more reliable if the dashcam sits without use for a week or so. So, as long as you are careful not to break the camera during opening / modding, seems like a good deal.

 

[technocar2]

An update on the battery upgrades: After 2 months of use the cam's are working great (much better than before for standby power/time etc). No noticeable loss of capacity, and much more reliable if the dashcam sits without use for a week or so. So, as long as you are careful not to break the camera during opening / modding, seems like a good deal.

Cool. I'm just waiting for my exams to finish before I do the mod. I already got the battery from Hobby king. Shipping was slow as expected. Ordered it March 13th and it got delivered on April 7th so it took more than 3 weeks.

 

[bn880]

Nice. Yeah, shipping is a bit slow, but it's a good deal and reliable so that's ok. Just be patient opening the cam, its difficult and if you aren't careful of course you can slip and break something. (goes without saying I guess, but more here than most small devices I find)

 

[technocar2]

I have done the mod on both my LS430W and LS330W. I have to say the LS330W has more space inside so one put a bigger battery. I didn't do any measurements since I already got the 2 turnigy nano-tech batteries but if someone else wants to do this mod on a LS330W just keep in mind that there is space in there for a larger battery than the turnigy nano-tech so make sure you open the unit and take measurements before you select the battery. As for LS430W it was a perfect fit without the double sided tape.

It lasts 27 mins recording 1080p HD with screen on. After a full charge I drained the battery halfway and then I did a cold start test at -13 degrees Celsius. It lasted for about 50 seconds before turning off (the battery wasn't dead at this point, once warmed up it lasted the normal amount of time without requiring a charge. This is perfect because it gives it more than 10 seconds of life in the cold. I had the same problem as bn880 in the cold.

 

[pewe]

Well its only been a day but no issues so far. I'll report if something comes up.

I personally think most owners should do this for the convenience of having some more time to take photos/video after a crash, to replay stuff on the scene, to have more time to play around with the menus, and for the safety of always having that 10 seconds in reserve even at the worst situations when they shut off the engine. But to each his own.

I'll see, maybe I'll make a little video showing the battery swap even.

Did you ever do the battery replacement video

 

[bn880]

Did you ever do the battery replacement video

Hey, I tried but the recording didn't turn out well, I also destroyed my opening tool in the process and had to fix it... lol. And now I'm not doing any more conversions sorry.

 

[TickTock]

bn880, thanks so much for the pics! I got an ls460W which was badly out of focus. Very disappointing. Your pics made it easy to open without ruining the case. Note for others, you need to remove the 4 screws on the GPS to gain access to 4 more screws requiring removal for disassembly. To free the lens, I ended up dremeling 3 vertical slots in the outer plastic holder, wicking some goof-off on the varnish, and then using a knife to pry each of the sections slightly away to break the glue bond. Amazing what 1/8th turn does. The camera now works phenomenally - I can read the road signs and licenses plates easily. Hey DoD, If you are not going to properly focus the lens, DON'T GLUE IT IN PLACE!

 

[Zuntax]

Any one with LS400W?
I'm looking to install new battery or super capacitor?
From my understanding I can fit lager battery any thoughts?

Just FYI
Same battery (Turnigy nano-tech 3.7v 260mAh 1S 35-70C Lipo Pack) can be order and shipped with in USA.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/...lipo_pack_qr_ladybird_genius_cp_mini_cp_.html

 

[Zuntax]

Anyone?