r/meshtastic • u/Apprehensive-Art6800 • 2d ago
self-promotion My first node
I just built this heltec v3 I accidentally order the wrong battery it was a 3.7 v but the with one of those jst connectors but it was too wide so I cut that of and used the one that the heltec came with and it works except it’s not holding its charge very well
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u/Fun-Ad1753 2d ago
Nice build. Don’t go down the rabbit hole and end up with multiple nodes like I have scattered around my area at people’s houses to expand the network cause there’s hardly any around here.
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u/Apprehensive-Art6800 2d ago
Why is that a bad thing isn’t it better to expand the network
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u/Fun-Ad1753 2d ago
Yes but I still have nodes sitting here at home and I don’t know what to do with them lol
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u/Apprehensive-Art6800 2d ago
Why don’t you put them as reapetors like in tree or light posts just somewhere high up
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u/KBOXLabs 9h ago
Welcome to Meshtastic! And welcome to the woes of ESP32 nodes. The v3 doesn’t usually last a day on a 3000mAh battery (where an NRF52 based node will give you over a week on the same battery).
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u/TheLawnGuppy 2d ago
Nice first build! A few things could be going on.
The Heltec V3 is kind of a power hog. It's ESP32 based, and with the screen and Bluetooth running it pulls somewhere around 100 mA give or take. So a 1000 mAh battery is roughly a long workday, not several days. If you were expecting the battery life people talk about with nRF52 boards like the RAK or T114, the V3 will feel like it's dying fast even when nothing is wrong.
The battery percentage on the V3 also isn't very reliable. It can look like it's draining fast when it's fine. Best check is a multimeter on the battery right after a full charge (a single cell lipo should be close to 4.2 V when full), then again a few hours later.
Since you swapped the connector, double check the solder or crimp is solid too. A flaky joint can let it run but not charge right.
What mAh is the battery? That'll tell you pretty quick if what you're seeing is normal or if its the battery.