I have watched a lot of videos on YT and you are one of the best in the way you make your presentations. Exellent information, great audio, no disturbing background music, outstanding footage, no fancy camera angles, just plain good quality! You got yourself a sub! Thank you for work well done!
Very professionally presented.... not a bunch of distracting music, or loud music in the background... he is ACTUALLY doing a PRESENTATION and not selling how cool he or his music is ! 5 SUPER STARS ...... Valley Drone
Thanks a lot for the post and the support. I have a lot of fun doing these clips and it's good to know that you're enjoying them. Be sure to sub the channel so you don't miss anything. Rick
Thanks for the post and I'm glad you're enjoying the clips. I have a lot more content posting this week so be sure to sub the channel so you get a notice when I update. Thanks, Rick
I did nothing wrong other than putting my batteries away for almost a year. Now getting ready for a vacation, the two DJI manufactured batteries will not charge and my off brand (but 1 year newer) battery is OK. I've been attempting to revive/reset the batteries for a few days now with no luck so far. This whole battery babysitting thing has me discouraged. Takes the fun out of having the drone, for me at least. I'm a casual drone flyer and investing a lot of my time sweet-talking these things isn't going to happen. Thanks for the video.
This is the first truly informative, intelligent and helpful piece I've found about Phanton 4 (or 3) flight battery maintenance routines. And I've done a lot of Googling on this. Thanks for taking the time to put this out there. The only other battery issue that concerns me is how best to manage the controller battery. DJI doesn't seem to have much to say on this.
This is THE BEST and most useful video and information about DJI battery on whole you tube! Subs directly! Thank you very much! I got Phantom 3 charged just 15 times and my battery is already out of balance. I cant return it because it past whole Year and as far I know DJI Phantom battery has just 6 months warranty. Trying Deep discharging right now! Thanks again! Keep good and professional work!
Your clip was very informative. I have had the drone for a few years and not flown it. Decided to fly it today so I charged the battery last night. Now the battery does not turn on at all. Did I do something wrong? Can I recover the battery?
Thanks for the post and I'm glad you enjoyed the clip! I'll have a lot more content posting this week so be sure to stop back and sub the channel so you don't miss anything. Rick
Thanks mate! just bought 3 lipo bags for myn to use when i charge them outside on concrete and also use them for storage i also store them in a metal tool box for added safety. I think these a lot safer then those chose lipos from hobby king.
It's always great to hear that the clips I'm doing are useful so I appreciate the comment and you watching the clip. Be sure to sub tge channel so you don't miss any new posts. Thanks, Rick
rick, thats brilliant, I knew a lot of what you say however there is stuff I didnt know, as you rightly say these are expensive units so we all should know how to look after them properly. Thanks again.
Steven thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed the clip. These batteries are very temperamental and I want to keep them happy and working! Rick
On one of my batteries no lights come on at all when I press the button. Does that mean it has been fully discharged? Should I try putting it on the charge for a few hours and see if it comes back to life? I tried putting it into the aircraft to get a reading on battery life as you described, when I did all the bars are down - 0 life. Background -- I bought my drone used with 3 batteries two hears ago. The other two batteries are still taking charge and doing well. Thank you for doing these videos that help others like me. I became a new subscriber after watching this one.
The jingle? Are you kidding? Folks, this guy's a gem! Can't tell you how much stuff I've bought because of his great advice. I don't care if he starts with Hillary singing Alleluia, he's got CONTENT!
Lol, thanks for the support! It's hard keeping everyone happy but maybe the intro is due for a change. I appreciate you stopping by and for all of your business. Rick
Thank you so much! After watching this I realize that I destroyed two drone batteries. And now I know what I did wrong. They are a little puffy so it sounds like they're a lost cause. Your videos are so informative! Much appreciated. Subscribed.
Rick, Thanks again for another outstanding video! The info you pass along is amazing and has helped me a bunch. Just placed an order for 3 sets of the battery guards. And seeing the code in these post saved me 10%! Awesome! Stephen
I'd like to learn more about the video coloration options in the P4. I know that many "experts" use D-log and then do color grading in post, but that requires additional software and time. What formats are good or best for what types of footage and conditions when you want to be able to use the footage straight out of the drone?
Thanks for the question and I have to admit that it's way beyond my photography skills to answer. I have friends that are wizards at Adobe Premiere and use D-log for their recording and then spend a lot of time with adjusting the footage in post. I record everything I shoot in 4K, MP4 format and tweak it a little as needed. The only other thing I do is adjust the lens with ND filters on a bright sunny day to knock down some of the light so the shot isn't as washed out and the colors pop. This is easy on the P4 because you can use specialized filters that replace the stock one on the quad and they just screw on. Beyond that we're wandering into expert territory and I can't add much. I'm sorry I wasn't more helpful but maybe another subscriber can help with the question. thanks for the post. Rick
Hi Rick! This is a great video on how to maintain the batteries. I have one question, do you suggest putting the batteries in storage mode after every usage? I mean on a daily basis. Thanks in advance.
I normally just store them in their Lipo bags between flights at whatever charge level they're at when I bring them home from a day of flying. I charge them up the morning I'm going to fly to avoid storing them fully charged. In the winter, I'll keep them at between 25% - 50% when stored and I set a reminder on my phone to check them every month to charge them a little if needed. Thanks for the post and I hope that helps. Rick
I just came across your videos. I must tell you, they are some of the best, most informative and easiest to understand, that I have seen. They make a lot of sense. Your explanations are very helpful. Really great stuff. I've been flying my P3P and just received my Mavic last week. So far only one flight but it was a pleasure. BTW, have you come across a decent case for the Mavic yet? Looking forward to more of your videos and again, great job!
Leonard, thanks a lot for the compliments and I'm really glad you're enjoying the content. I love to fly and helping others with these clips makes the hobby more enjoyable. I have a few companies sending me cases to review for the Mavic but the one I normally buy is from a company called MicroRaptor and I think there's will be out in a few weeks. Be sure to sub the channel so you don't miss anything new I post. Thanks, Rick
Hey Rick, Really enjoy your videos, always get some "pearls" from them. I recently retired and took up hobby of flying drones! Lots of fun and meet a lot of interesting folks. Keep up the good work. Jerry
Thanks Rick I'll keep checking back in with your channel to take a look for cases. Also will be interested to see what your opinion is of the distance of the OcuSync for the Mavic vs. the technology for the P3P. Distance, but more importantly overall signal strength. Wondering if someone will be making a passive extender for the Mavic. Thanks again. Leonard
so if i want to do a deep dischaarge i just fly it till 10-15 % land it and wait untill it drops until it wont start again or take off again ? and then charge it fully to baslance the cells hopefully
Scott Davis I use a candy tin with holes drilled in the top to charge any lipo I have and I have many. Not all DJI but I also fly electric airplanes, other drones and helicopters. Great informative video. The battery guard kinda scares me. I'm afraid I would leave it on accidentally when installing the battery in the drone. Good idea though.
Is there a pin-out chart for the battery connections? I'm having a problem with a multi-hub charger, and one of the problems is that I don't know if the pin-out is symmetrical, ie. does it matter which way round I plug the standard charger into the multi-hub? Excellent video by the way. Excellent.
I did a few clips on the DJI batteries and think I had a pin-out for some of the cells in one of those. They are symmetrical and you basically have 2 sets of ground, supply and sensing pins to tell the quad what;s going on with the battery. Let me know if you still need help and I'll try and scare up a diagram. Rick
Drone Valley Thanks for checking this out Rick. If you have a diagram for the P4P battery (or charger) I’d be grateful, but if not I just really need to know if the charger connector can be plugged into the battery either way round. It doesn’t appear to be keyed in any way, but I have reasons for being uncertain. Thanks.
I don't have a pinout diagram but you are fine plugging the connector into the cell in either direction. I hope that helps and let me know if you have any other questions. Rick
Great information as always. 1 question what is too cold to fly , I have a p3s. Just to much conflicting information. Some say 32° minimum others say you can fly down to 20°. The reasoning all seems to come back to the battery and how dangerous it is to fly in the cold.
hi, great info. was hoping that you would you be able to tell me how to solve a problem where the LED1(furthest from the red) blinks 5 times and then stops and continues to do that without actually charging the battery while plugged in, ive left it in the drone powered up to drain it completely and then recharge without success. Also "powered on" the battery alone and plugged it in when "on" but didn't charge. any help would be appreciated.
Thank's for the video. I have 3 batteries for my phantom 2 vision plus that when plugged into the charger do nothing. They were in storage (wrongly with a full charge) as i was going to go flying but bad weather kept me from using them. Now when they are plugged in there is no lights, if I try to turn them on or check the levels there is still no lights and they don't get warm either. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Hi, When you say don't use if swollen,how swollen are you saying? Just slight ,a little puffy or what?I have a fireproof bag designed for the batteries and that is where I store them.
I wouldn't suggest charging them unattended. Even though the risk of fire is small, LiPo cells can be volatile when charging and it's always best to keep an eye on them when plugged into the charger. Thanks for the post and I hope you sub the channel. Rick
Good video Rick! Very helpful for those who are LiPo novices. The audio was a bit soft in the first few moments. I have lost 2 batteries for my Parrot Bibop due to uneven cells and was never able to recover them. Fortunately they are not as expensive as the DJI P4 batteries.
I was out last week with the flu and am still recovering my voice but I wanted to get the clip finished. I have a Parrot Bebop 2 that I fly a lot and it seems to eat batteries as well. I am really impressed with the quality and engineering behind the DJI cells. Thanks for watching and commenting. Rick
Yes, the intelligent circuit in the Mavic batteries is very similar to the one in the Phantom series of quads for all the indications. Thanks for the post and be sure to sub the channel. Rick
Mark, thanks for stopping by and commenting. I enjoy doing these so I'm glad you found the clip useful. Be sure to subscribe to the channel so you don't miss any updates. Rick
thanks Rick! I keep getting caught with fully charged batteries. I have 3, I will fly them all out, run back in the house and put them on the Thor charger with every intent to fly again and something always comes up, like the wind or kids, and I end up having to store them for one or two days fully charged. it confuses me how the auto discharge is default set at 10 days, but I always hear not to store them charged. would it be beneficial to change that auto discharge to one or two days? The tip about holding the battery button down for 5 seconds is really cool, I didn't know that.
Greetings from Brazil Rick. I found your channel browsing for information a long time ago. I like the way you approach tech topics and make them easy. This one about batteries is by far one of my favorites. I was checking your store and I found some items that I want to buy. I sent you some questions and I`m waiting for the answers. Lucio
I would like to poss a question concerning battery function while operating in various modes. Sport vs. standard - filming vs. telemetry / photography only. Has anyone had the opportunity to compile any data in this regard? According to the DJI web site the Phantom 4 has approximately 28 minutes of total flight time, but wouldn't that time be affected if your recording in say 4k. Did they account for the camera writing to the memory card etc. I would guess that sport mode would reduce flight time because the drone is being piloted more aggressively.
Great information! Very useful. I would like to ask two questions. First: one of my P2 betteries sometimes, on flight, stops to show the percentage of charge remaining. During the flight, on display informaton, the value of charge locks in 64%, 45% etc and from this moment on, it is impossible to know the remaining charge. Second: other battery works perfect until 40% of the charge. After that, it comes to 10% extremely fast. What is happening on both situations? Is there some solution? I thank you very much in advance. Regards. Alex from Brasil.
hi i use the p3 batt with my osmo the power it uses is not the same as a drone yet do i have to use all the power out of the fully charged batt filming with the osmo or can i use the osmo over a few days depending on the charge IF YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN thanks jeff
Thanks for another handy post. My P4 as you may know will state critical battery and land itself between 10-12%. When you say full discharge do you mean get this to go from 10% to 0% or dead? I've heard no less than 10% so that's where I've always stopped. Anyway always look forward to seeing your next post. Haig from Sydney, Aus
Haig, I know it sounds crazy but you'll need to run the battery "dead" to where the lights blink out. Even though you can't power the cell up at that point, there is still a small reserve of power in the cells to ensure they are not damaged. Once you reach this point, hook them up to your charger and fully charge them. What this does is reset the counters internally for the controller board and will allow you to "groom" the various cells as you fully charge the dead battery. You should try and do this every 20-30 flights to keep them in tip-top shape. Thanks for the post and I hope you've subbed the channel so you don't miss anything. Rick
Verlon, as long as the case looks uniform and there is no obvious bulging you should be OK. That top part is where the charging circuitry is mounted and won't affect the battery's operation. You might want to put a spot of glue where the separation took place just to be sure it doesn't shake loose during flight. Thanks for the question and I hope you sub the channel. Rick
You should get a few hundred charge cycles out of the batteries as long as you treat them well. Like I mentioned in the clip, never charge them when they are hot, never store them at full charge for any length of time and keep them stored at room temperature and dry for longest life. Thanks for the comment and I hope you sub the channel. Rick
Technically you could leave the cell in the quad but I recommend you remove it for a few reasons. The contacts inside of the quad that connect to the battery have a slight spring to them and having the battery connected for a long time will weaken this contact point. Also, if the cell has some type of issue where it overheats, you don't want to lose your quad along with the cell. Thanks for the post and I hope you sub the channel. Rick
Lol....no, but I have taken a lot of grief from drone fans that swear that Lipo cells never catch fire and I've tried to want new pilots. Even though it's a rare occurrence it can be devastating. I was working on this clip for a few weeks and it was just strange timing that I got it finished just when Samsung had all of their heartburn with the Note 7. Thanks for watching and stopping by. Rick
True Rick, just look at the Note 7 problems. The airlines have banned a number of consumer products, personal cooling fans come immediately to mind, due to lithium battery fires. If they want something that is truly awe inspiring have them search for battery thermal runaway videos on RUclips. The Boeing 787 aircraft was delayed almost a year due to its batteries. It is basically an "electric airplane" with almost all system being electrically driven. It uses lithium batteries and had a series of battery fires during its testing and certification. Boring had to do a major redesign of the battery systems and battery storage compartments before the FAA would certify it as airworthy. In short, lithium batteries due burn and once a fire starts it is very hard to extinguish.
Rick, Another Lipo Question for the P3 Standard. When you do a firm update on one battery are you supposed to change out the battery and do one with every battery you own? I just saw that on a vid and I didn't remember you stating that in this vid. Thanks Rick
8 лет назад+1
Very well done Rick! Many thanks for all the useful info. 👍 ✌ Question: All of us occasionally use our Phantoms on our desktop for upgrading, playing around with the intelligent flight modes or for other purposes other than flying. Every time we do this we shorten the lifetime of our batterries. Is there a proper AC/DC power supply to connect to our quads to use them on our desktop? Thank you in advance. Greetings. ✌
That's a great question and I haven't seen any on the market. I'll do a little digging and see what I can find. I worry about the same thing and how I handle it is that I have my oldest cell marked with a label. Whenever I need to update the quad or do something other than flying I use this cell. My thought is that because of it's age it won't give me the longer flights the newer cells provide but it's fine for desktop stuff. I still use for flying, but it's always the last cell I reach for at the end of the day. Hope that helps and thanks for the post. Rick
Steve, I'm not familiar with that error code. Where are you seeing that? I would try using a different cell with the quad to see if it powers up and if not, try the deep-discharge trick I mentioned in the clip to see if that helps. Let me know how you make out and be sure to sub the channel. Rick
The best way to deplete them is to fly the quad down to about 15% or so and then land it and keep it powered up until they drain. If you want to reset them, let them blink out. If its for storage, anywhere between 15% and 30% is a good level. I hope that helps and thanks for the post. Be sure to sub the channel so you don't miss anything. Rick
I don't fly as often as I would like so when I do I fly to storage level (40-50 percent) When I fly next time is it better to fully charge of fly it down before charging again?
My suggestion would be to fly normally and whatever level the batteries are at when you land, put them away at that level at the end of the day. Before you fly the next time, charge them fully before using them. Unlike typical NiCad cells, Lipo's don't have a "memory" and like to be fully charged when used. I hope this helps and thanks for stopping by. Be sure to sub the channel so you don't miss anything. Rick
I've been dealing with a customer service nightmare and been without my phantom 4 now for almost 50 days. I had my four batteries sitting in a lipo bag all at a low charge when I sent my drone for a communication error. Do you think I should partially charge them instead of letting them sit this whole time?
Yes, I would suggest that you keep a small charge on the cells while you wait for your quad to return from service. Even though they will trickle down slowly, you never want to leave them "dead". Even though DJI maintains a small reserve of power in the cells when you deep-discharge them, letting them sit past this point for days may harm them. Don't fully charge them but put two bars of charge in each of them and you should be fine for a while. Good luck with the repair, it must be frustrating not being able to fly. Hope you get the quad back soon. Rick
Drone Valley I'm a patient guy but what I've been going through with customer support at DJI really has driven me insane. It's hard to continue to praise DJI on the incredible technology that they create when their support service is the worst I have ever dealt with. Thank you for the advice, I'll get them charged now. Never expected to be without a drone for this long.
I thought the relationship with Apple would help improve this but it's the one things that gives DJI a black eye. I know that drones are a very complicated craft but any mature company designs a testing scheme for their product that streamlines the repair process they know they'll have to deal with. I'm sure this will get better over time but it doesn't help a guy like you waiting for his quad. You might consider picking up a cheaper quad as a spare so you can fly in the meantime. Autel makes a few models for under $100 that are full-sized and very responsive. That would help ease the pain a little and keep your stick skills sharp.
Drone Valley I did get mine from Apple, lol. Mine fail to communicate with the controller after an update. They ended up sending me a different p4. It didn't have the gimble marks (like mine had) and had a divot on the landing pad. The funny part is that when I sent that one back, without ever flying it, I got an invoice for repair. It's free of course since I've only owned my drone since June. I'll be without my drone for half the life I've owned it.
Hi again Rick, great informative video again, thanks. Question - I eventually found out that one can find each battery serial number (and his many times charged) in the DJI-GO app under battery, advanced section - bottom RHS of screen. My question however is , is there a way to actually see / find a record of what firmware a battery is at? Thanks regards Lawrie.
Lawrie, that's a great question and I honestly don't have an answer handy but will do a little digging to see if I can find one. I'm sure that information is buried in the logs that are maintained by the controller so let me see if there is an easy way to extract that. I do know that when you doa firmware update to the quad, the battery is updated with some of these as well so you could check which version of the firmware you're on and see if the release notes for that version mentions the battery. Thanks for the question and I'll reply again if I find an easier way. Rick
Thanks a lot. Taking care of the cells will ensure you're safe and get the most use out of them. Most people don't realize that just charging them while hot can cut 20% of their life. I appreciate the post and hope you stop back soon. Rick
Rick, question for you. Recently, Thursday 1 Dec I received my new DJI P4 and the accessories I ordered from Drone Valley, in addition to the drone I ordered a second battery form DJI. This morning I unbowed the drone and am doing the set up as required in the instructions. The batt that came installed in the drone will not power up, and when plugged into the DJI charger does not show any indication of life. The second batt is charging on the charger I ordered for DV. Question..., what is your suggestion for proceeding with DJI? I'm glad I got the second battery. The controller is charging on the DJI charger. Hope this is isolated to the batt and the drone is not suspect. Thanks...
Mark, I would let the battery sit for a while inside to make sure it's at a reasonably warm temperature and then try both chargers to see if you have any lights come on when connected. If not the last thing you can try is to hold down the button on the battery while connecting it to the charger to see if this makes a difference. I haven't verified that this works but had a flaky battery a while back that I did this procedure to get it charging again. If none of this works, contact DJI and I'm sure they will be happy to replace it for you. If you bought it from a retail store or Amazon they might be happy to exchange the entire kit. Let me know how things work out for you and thanks again for your watching and your business. Rick
Thank you Rick, much appreciated. Battery sat boxed in the house while I was on travel, so warm batt. Tried both chargers no joy. Tried as suggested with both chargers holding power button down, no joy. Am sending DJI E-mail via the DJI support page. I will update once DJI is available to reply. More to follow...
The P4 battery failed after a few flights. Led's will not turn on or off and will not charge. DJI asks for a ton of documentation to send in for repair. Ultimately, it was being sent to recycle, not worth the hassle of time and money.
Thanks for the post and I'm sorry to hear about your issues with the battery. If it's that new of a cell, DJI should be able to replace it under warranty. All you normally need is the receipt for the purchase to prove when it was purchased. I hope you get it sorted out, Rick
Hope the circuit board in the Pro is a second version with enhanced reliability. If you ask DJI for help they just sent you a long generic form you have to filled out that implies they are aware of the situation. The P4 battery was shipped with craft. The short warranty has expired and documentation lost. DJI should recall the bad batch.
Hi, i`m a newb from Noeway that got me an used Phantom 2..0ne battery says it has much life left when i hold that button on battery for 6-7 second, but on one green light when turn on, and it will not take charge...not with syock charger and not with other lipo charger. I know it has not been used much and is several yoars old..can it be totally broken some how, or is it some way it can be charged.The person i bought from says the battery take care of every thing, so storage, discharge safty bag..not needed and i do not agree..Do you know if i can charge on "normal" charger witout ruin the battery? I run rc cars so this type of battery new to me, and youtube only way to find help...hope you understand my english
Thanks for the video. what about the first time you take your drone out of the box. is it better to let the batteries drain out and then charge them fully or is it better to charge the right way? also, is it bad to use your batteries before they are fully charged? Ps. still waiting for my Mavic pro. haha
You're welcome and the Lipo cells are different than most other rechargeable cells because they don't have a "memory" issue. You can charge them half-way and use them and don't have to deep-discharge them again before charging. I typically charge them the morning I'm heading out to fly and then just leave them drained until I fly again. I hope that helps and please be sure to sub the channel so you don't miss any updates. Rick
Thanks for the post and I'm glad you enjoyed the clip. I have a lot more content posting this week so be sure to stop back soon and sub the channel so you don't miss anything. Rick
Rick, When I bought my Phantom 4, I never used one of my three battery. I stored it for a long period (10 month or so). All green lights are dead! I can't recharge it! it's seems that the battery has gone into deep discharged mode and the cells have lost storage capacity and can not be recharged using the stock method. Again, the battery never been use! What can I do to revive the cells and bring it back to adequate storage level so it can be recharged as per normal? Thanks!
Eric, I'm afraid I have some bad news on the cell. Lipo cells will die if not charged for some time and it may be impossible to get them started again. The DJI cells are better than most because when they shutoff, there is still about 10% of the battery charge still left in them. The only thing you might be able to do is to try a few things to "jumpstart" the chemistry. First, hold the power button down on the battery for 30 seconds and see if you get any response from the cell. If not, try holding the power button down while connecting the cell to your charger and then let it go. If neither of these work, you might try placing the cell in your fridge for 10 minutes and then wiping it down and charging it cold. I have had luck with this last method and if none of these help, you have to discard the cell. If you do get it working, be very careful watching it the first few times you fly. You want to make sure it's taking and delivering a normal charging cycle to the quad. Thanks for the post, Rick
Thanks for watching and commenting. I'll have a lot more content posting this weekend so be sure to subscribe if you haven't already so you don't miss anything. Rick
Is the battery firmware stored in the drone? I just did an Inspire pro firmware upgrade. The message on the controller to start with said I need a controller firmware, Drone firmware, camera firmware and battery firmware update. I did the update and it seemed like the drone went through two cycles of updating. So then when I restarted everything there were no software updates needed messages. My main question is. Are all three of my batteries firmwares updated? Is the firmware in the battery, Do I have to plug in each battery and get some firmware update? Thank You
Yes, there is firmware in the battery that is often (not always) updated when you update the quad. If you have more than one battery, the ones that still need updating will be done when you next slide those cells into the quad to fly. Once I know a particular version of firmware is updating the batteries, I typically cycle though all of the cells right then to make sure they are ready. I hope that helps and thanks for the post. Rick
I have to wonder if putting tape over the contacts is actually a good idea or not. Every time I put tape on something, regardless of type, some of the adhesive residue is left behind when I remove it. This residue could affect conductivity, could initiate corrosion and likely attract and hold dirt and debris (micro scale) to the contacts or at least the port. Also, just a point of clarification, DJI specs give a range of 32*F to 104*F. Looking at the sample chart with the LED blink codes, how do we know which LED is Number 1, 2, 3, etc. ? I enjoy your videos and find them very helpful but frankly, based on your experience, I found it hard to believe that you don't read the manufacturer's recommendations :-)
Yoly, thanks for the post and it's good to see you stopping by. You're right that some cheaper tape will leave a sticky residue behind and I use Scotch 33 electrical tape that is designed to avoid this. Even if a lesser quality tape was used, it never comes in contact with the "contacts" and can easily be cleaned off with an alcohol wipe, something I suggest folks do every so often anyway with the cells. As strange as this sounds the LED's start at number 4 nearest the power button and then count down from there. You can line them up with the chart to determine their status. As for the temperature variance, I did go a little conservative with that to keep you out of trouble. The manual actually shows the operating temps for the cells from 14 degrees to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. My experience with flying in really hot areas (Arizona in summer) and really cold (Canada in Winter) shows that the closer you get to the extreme ends of that spectrum, the less reliable the charge on the cell is. That is especially true with the colder end of things. The quad itself is even more restrictive with limits on the lower temps to just above freezing. To be fair, the first thing I said in the clip was for the viewer to read the manuals (which I did attach) to the clip and that I would probably miss a few things. I did the clip because most fliers have very little idea that these batteries provided so much information and though the clip would help. Thanks, Rick
Drone Valley I'm one of those people who read every manual cover to cover. When we get a new car, I don't turn over the second set of keys to Yoly until she's read the manual and I quiz her. I want her to know how to do critical things like defrost windows properly and know how to change a tire and where the gear is located (you never know) :-) I've watched every DJI instructional video and read that manual cover to cover. I always learn something I didn't know. I've flown in 32* weather coming directly from inside the house and even then the P3 wouldn't take off for quite sometime because the battery hadn't warmed up enough. I follow Ben Brown's Vlog and was amazed at how much drone footage he got while touring the Arctic for 18 days. Still waiting for my P4P+ coming the middle of January supposedly :-)
one thing is missing from all great infos is that the phantom 4 and above are intelligent batteries because they drain itself after 10 days without use...
Thanks for the post and I did mention this safety feature a few times in the clip. The "smarts" that DJI add to the battery really protect you in a few ways by charging/discharging the cell safely, discharging it if it's left for too long, and eliminating the possibility of a short. They are easily the safest cells on the market today. Thanks for the post and I hope you'll sub the channel so you don't miss anything! Rick
Congratulations! You are going to love flying that quad and once you get it up to about 200', fly over the woods or a lake and see the footage - You'll be hooked! I appreciate you stopping by to watch the clips and be sure to sub the channel so you don't miss any new posts. Rick
Hey, Rick. Still hoping I get my Mavic before my cruise in December. I've ordered the Fly More package, so I'll have 3 batteries. Do you have any advice when taking them on a plane? I know they can't be checked because of the pressure, but that is where my knowledge ends.
I actually did a clip on traveling with your drone (ruclips.net/video/kWxhE-GcmqE/видео.html) that gives you a few good tips and tricks. Basically you have to take the cells on the plane with you - don't check them with your luggage. You also have to tape over the connectors to prevent shorts and have them partially discharged to less than 50%. I would also suggest you put each of them in their own ziplock bag as well. I know this seems like overkill but its the safest way to travel with the quad. I hope you get your drone very soon and get to fly it on the cruise. Rick
Joe, I've never used that particular charger but have one I do use listed on our website for the Phantom 4. The one you mentioned looks similar and will probably do a great job. What makes it different than a charging "hub" is that it can charge the 3 cells and controller in tandem instead of sequentially making for shorter charging times. You can use the link below to Amazon if you're going to make the purchase, it' looks like a decent piece of kit. Thanks a lot for watching the clip and supporting the channel. Rick 4 Port Charger - amzn.to/2iytGFD
Yes, the charger does get warm when charging the cells, especially if you rotate a few of them through the charger one after another. If you have to charge multiple batteries you should either give the charger a break (10 min) between cells or look into a multi-cell charger that can charge 3 at a time. Thanks for the post and be sure to sub the channel. Rick
I have watched a lot of videos on YT and you are one of the best in the way you make your presentations. Exellent information, great audio, no disturbing background music, outstanding footage, no fancy camera angles, just plain good quality! You got yourself a sub! Thank you for work well done!
Very professionally presented.... not a bunch of distracting music, or loud music in the background... he is ACTUALLY doing a PRESENTATION and not selling how cool he or his music is ! 5 SUPER STARS ...... Valley Drone
Thanks a lot for the post and the support. I have a lot of fun doing these clips and it's good to know that you're enjoying them. Be sure to sub the channel so you don't miss anything. Rick
One of the best jobs of keeping lots of info simple, concise and easy to grasp! Other RUclipsrs please take note.
Hi Rick got a dji 4 battery with all red lights is it shot thanks
just purchased a phantom 4 and i really appreciate the information that yous guys provide
Thanks for the post and I'm glad you're enjoying the clips. I have a lot more content posting this week so be sure to sub the channel so you get a notice when I update. Thanks, Rick
TMI for one session. Definitely this is a video that needs to be viewed at least 3 times initially and at least once a year. YMMV.
I did nothing wrong other than putting my batteries away for almost a year. Now getting ready for a vacation, the two DJI manufactured batteries will not charge and my off brand (but 1 year newer) battery is OK. I've been attempting to revive/reset the batteries for a few days now with no luck so far. This whole battery babysitting thing has me discouraged. Takes the fun out of having the drone, for me at least. I'm a casual drone flyer and investing a lot of my time sweet-talking these things isn't going to happen. Thanks for the video.
This is the first truly informative, intelligent and helpful piece I've found about Phanton 4 (or 3) flight battery maintenance routines. And I've done a lot of Googling on this. Thanks for taking the time to put this out there. The only other battery issue that concerns me is how best to manage the controller battery. DJI doesn't seem to have much to say on this.
This is THE BEST and most useful video and information about DJI battery on whole you tube! Subs directly! Thank you very much! I got Phantom 3 charged just 15 times and my battery is already out of balance. I cant return it because it past whole Year and as far I know DJI Phantom battery has just 6 months warranty. Trying Deep discharging right now! Thanks again! Keep good and professional work!
Your clip was very informative. I have had the drone for a few years and not flown it. Decided to fly it today so I charged the battery last night. Now the battery does not turn on at all. Did I do something wrong? Can I recover the battery?
Was looking for this kinda info abt used battery. Really good info! Thanks!!
Thanks for the post and I'm glad you enjoyed the clip! I'll have a lot more content posting this week so be sure to stop back and sub the channel so you don't miss anything. Rick
Thank you for this video! I have been googeling questions about my P4 batteries left and right and ALL the answers are here! THANKS!!!
By doing this clip. Did in fact help me. Thanks for taking the time to make this video. New subscriber here. Thanks again
Thanks mate! just bought 3 lipo bags for myn to use when i charge them outside on concrete and also use them for storage i also store them in a metal tool box for added safety. I think these a lot safer then those chose lipos from hobby king.
Can you make a video of how to care for the dji spark battery?
This video is just what I have been looking for! Awesome job!
It's always great to hear that the clips I'm doing are useful so I appreciate the comment and you watching the clip. Be sure to sub tge channel so you don't miss any new posts. Thanks, Rick
rick, thats brilliant, I knew a lot of what you say however there is stuff I didnt know, as you rightly say these are expensive units so we all should know how to look after them properly. Thanks again.
Steven thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed the clip. These batteries are very temperamental and I want to keep them happy and working! Rick
Great video Rick! I've been enjoying all your videos but this one should be required viewing for anyone using these batteries.
Thanks for saying that and I agree. They are safe if treated correctly but getting them to last takes a lot of good care and feeding. Rick
On one of my batteries no lights come on at all when I press the button. Does that mean it has been fully discharged? Should I try putting it on the charge for a few hours and see if it comes back to life? I tried putting it into the aircraft to get a reading on battery life as you described, when I did all the bars are down - 0 life. Background -- I bought my drone used with 3 batteries two hears ago. The other two batteries are still taking charge and doing well. Thank you for doing these videos that help others like me. I became a new subscriber after watching this one.
The jingle? Are you kidding? Folks, this guy's a gem! Can't tell you how much stuff I've bought because of his great advice. I don't care if he starts with Hillary singing Alleluia, he's got CONTENT!
Lol, thanks for the support! It's hard keeping everyone happy but maybe the intro is due for a change. I appreciate you stopping by and for all of your business. Rick
Thank you so much! After watching this I realize that I destroyed two drone batteries. And now I know what I did wrong. They are a little puffy so it sounds like they're a lost cause. Your videos are so informative! Much appreciated. Subscribed.
Rick,
Thanks again for another outstanding video! The info you pass along is amazing and has helped me a bunch.
Just placed an order for 3 sets of the battery guards. And seeing the code in these post saved me 10%!
Awesome!
Stephen
one question rick, flown roughly 30 times batt doesnt charge pushed red button 5 sec 3 green lites when i charge it 1green lite blinking. ?
Wow that was a perfect explanation. You are the best I have been following you for a while and can't thank you enough.
4th time watching... It's like going back to school. Thanks for doing these Rick, they are like money in the bank.
I'd like to learn more about the video coloration options in the P4. I know that many "experts" use D-log and then do color grading in post, but that requires additional software and time. What formats are good or best for what types of footage and conditions when you want to be able to use the footage straight out of the drone?
Thanks for the question and I have to admit that it's way beyond my photography skills to answer. I have friends that are wizards at Adobe Premiere and use D-log for their recording and then spend a lot of time with adjusting the footage in post. I record everything I shoot in 4K, MP4 format and tweak it a little as needed. The only other thing I do is adjust the lens with ND filters on a bright sunny day to knock down some of the light so the shot isn't as washed out and the colors pop. This is easy on the P4 because you can use specialized filters that replace the stock one on the quad and they just screw on. Beyond that we're wandering into expert territory and I can't add much. I'm sorry I wasn't more helpful but maybe another subscriber can help with the question. thanks for the post. Rick
Hi Rick! This is a great video on how to maintain the batteries. I have one question, do you suggest putting the batteries in storage mode after every usage? I mean on a daily basis. Thanks in advance.
I normally just store them in their Lipo bags between flights at whatever charge level they're at when I bring them home from a day of flying. I charge them up the morning I'm going to fly to avoid storing them fully charged. In the winter, I'll keep them at between 25% - 50% when stored and I set a reminder on my phone to check them every month to charge them a little if needed. Thanks for the post and I hope that helps. Rick
I just came across your videos. I must tell you, they are some of the best, most informative and easiest to understand, that I have seen. They make a lot of sense. Your explanations are very helpful. Really great stuff. I've been flying my P3P and just received my Mavic last week. So far only one flight but it was a pleasure. BTW, have you come across a decent case for the Mavic yet? Looking forward to more of your videos and again, great job!
Leonard, thanks a lot for the compliments and I'm really glad you're enjoying the content. I love to fly and helping others with these clips makes the hobby more enjoyable. I have a few companies sending me cases to review for the Mavic but the one I normally buy is from a company called MicroRaptor and I think there's will be out in a few weeks. Be sure to sub the channel so you don't miss anything new I post. Thanks, Rick
I have tried to charge it but it appears that it is not getting any charge. Only the first bar turns on
Hey Rick,
Really enjoy your videos, always get some "pearls" from them. I recently retired and took up hobby of flying drones! Lots of fun and meet a lot of interesting folks. Keep up the good work.
Jerry
Thanks Rick
I'll keep checking back in with your channel to take a look for cases. Also will be interested to see what your opinion is of the distance of the OcuSync for the Mavic vs. the technology for the P3P. Distance, but more importantly overall signal strength. Wondering if someone will be making a passive extender for the Mavic. Thanks again. Leonard
Rick, sounds like a ham radio guy. When we get instructions we consider instructions as packing material.
so if i want to do a deep dischaarge i just fly it till 10-15 % land it and wait untill it drops until it wont start again or take off again ?
and then charge it fully to baslance the cells hopefully
Scott Davis
I use a candy tin with holes drilled in the top to charge any lipo I have and I have many. Not all DJI but I also fly electric airplanes, other drones and helicopters. Great informative video.
The battery guard kinda scares me. I'm afraid I would leave it on accidentally when installing the battery in the drone. Good idea though.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I ❤️it.
Can you wear the mic 2 buttons higher
Is there a pin-out chart for the battery connections? I'm having a problem with a multi-hub charger, and one of the problems is that I don't know if the pin-out is symmetrical, ie. does it matter which way round I plug the standard charger into the multi-hub? Excellent video by the way. Excellent.
I did a few clips on the DJI batteries and think I had a pin-out for some of the cells in one of those. They are symmetrical and you basically have 2 sets of ground, supply and sensing pins to tell the quad what;s going on with the battery. Let me know if you still need help and I'll try and scare up a diagram. Rick
Drone Valley Thanks for checking this out Rick. If you have a diagram for the P4P battery (or charger) I’d be grateful, but if not I just really need to know if the charger connector can be plugged into the battery either way round. It doesn’t appear to be keyed in any way, but I have reasons for being uncertain. Thanks.
I don't have a pinout diagram but you are fine plugging the connector into the cell in either direction. I hope that helps and let me know if you have any other questions. Rick
Drone Valley Perfect. Thanks Rick, that’s all I needed to know.
The information from the 4 LED about the Battery Failures, when do they blink, or how can i check it? ty for the information.
Thanks Rick. I just caught up with this one. Excellent work. Cheers
Thanks Rick, I found this helpful, keep them coming!
Thanks for the comment and I'm glad you found something useful in the clip. I'll have a few more posted this weekend so be sure to stop back. Rick
Again , love the videos , really informative and very straight up. Thanks so much !!
Great information as always. 1 question what is too cold to fly , I have a p3s. Just to much conflicting information. Some say 32° minimum others say you can fly down to 20°. The reasoning all seems to come back to the battery and how dangerous it is to fly in the cold.
Would like an explanation on what different blinking lights mean on batteries. Thanks, Great videos. You are my go to guys. Dan
hi, great info. was hoping that you would you be able to tell me how to solve a problem where the LED1(furthest from the red) blinks 5 times and then stops and continues to do that without actually charging the battery while plugged in, ive left it in the drone powered up to drain it completely and then recharge without success. Also "powered on" the battery alone and plugged it in when "on" but didn't charge. any help would be appreciated.
same problem I have.
Thank's for the video. I have 3 batteries for my phantom 2 vision plus that when plugged into the charger do nothing. They were in storage (wrongly with a full charge) as i was going to go flying but bad weather kept me from using them. Now when they are plugged in there is no lights, if I try to turn them on or check the levels there is still no lights and they don't get warm either. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Well why cant the battery just stay inside the drone?
How do I know that the battery of a phantom 4 is no good?
Hi, When you say don't use if swollen,how swollen are you saying? Just slight ,a little puffy or what?I have a fireproof bag designed for the batteries and that is where I store them.
Can I let the batteries charging over night with the batteries hub is that OK?
I wouldn't suggest charging them unattended. Even though the risk of fire is small, LiPo cells can be volatile when charging and it's always best to keep an eye on them when plugged into the charger. Thanks for the post and I hope you sub the channel. Rick
Good video Rick! Very helpful for those who are LiPo novices. The audio was a bit soft in the first few moments. I have lost 2 batteries for my Parrot Bibop due to uneven cells and was never able to recover them. Fortunately they are not as expensive as the DJI P4 batteries.
I was out last week with the flu and am still recovering my voice but I wanted to get the clip finished. I have a Parrot Bebop 2 that I fly a lot and it seems to eat batteries as well. I am really impressed with the quality and engineering behind the DJI cells. Thanks for watching and commenting. Rick
just verifying.. this would also apply to the Mavic.. right?
Yes, the intelligent circuit in the Mavic batteries is very similar to the one in the Phantom series of quads for all the indications. Thanks for the post and be sure to sub the channel. Rick
I don't get why there is no color or blinking pattern when there is a dead cell in the battery
Very helpful, informative, and interesting. Appreciate your time and effort.
Mark, thanks for stopping by and commenting. I enjoy doing these so I'm glad you found the clip useful. Be sure to subscribe to the channel so you don't miss any updates. Rick
Excellent presentation.. Thank you for sharing.
thanks your video really helped me .happy new years.
thanks Rick! I keep getting caught with fully charged batteries. I have 3, I will fly them all out, run back in the house and put them on the Thor charger with every intent to fly again and something always comes up, like the wind or kids, and I end up having to store them for one or two days fully charged. it confuses me how the auto discharge is default set at 10 days, but I always hear not to store them charged. would it be beneficial to change that auto discharge to one or two days? The tip about holding the battery button down for 5 seconds is really cool, I didn't know that.
Greetings from Brazil Rick. I found your channel browsing for information a long time ago. I like the way you approach tech topics and make them easy. This one about batteries is by far one of my favorites. I was checking your store and I found some items that I want to buy. I sent you some questions and I`m waiting for the answers. Lucio
Thanks Rick very helpful and informative, keep up the videos.
Kevin, thanks for the support and I'm glad you liked the clip. I have a bunch more of them in progress so be sure to stop back soon. Rick
I really appreciate your information, and knowledge, thanks
Jamie, thanks for the post and I'm glad you enjoyed the clip. Stay tuned as I have a lot more content posting. Rick
I would like to poss a question concerning battery function while operating in various modes. Sport vs. standard - filming vs. telemetry / photography only. Has anyone had the opportunity to compile any data in this regard? According to the DJI web site the Phantom 4 has approximately 28 minutes of total flight time, but wouldn't that time be affected if your recording in say 4k. Did they account for the camera writing to the memory card etc. I would guess that sport mode would reduce flight time because the drone is being piloted more aggressively.
Great information! Very useful.
I would like to ask two questions.
First: one of my P2 betteries sometimes, on flight, stops to show the percentage of charge remaining. During the flight, on display informaton, the value of charge locks in 64%, 45% etc and from this moment on, it is impossible to know the remaining charge.
Second: other battery works perfect until 40% of the charge. After that, it comes to 10% extremely fast.
What is happening on both situations? Is there some solution?
I thank you very much in advance.
Regards.
Alex from Brasil.
hi i use the p3 batt with my osmo the power it uses is not the same as a drone yet do i have to use all the power out of the fully charged batt filming with the osmo or can i use the osmo over a few days depending on the charge IF YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN thanks jeff
Thanks for another handy post. My P4 as you may know will state critical battery and land itself between 10-12%. When you say full discharge do you mean get this to go from 10% to 0% or dead? I've heard no less than 10% so that's where I've always stopped. Anyway always look forward to seeing your next post. Haig from Sydney, Aus
Haig, I know it sounds crazy but you'll need to run the battery "dead" to where the lights blink out. Even though you can't power the cell up at that point, there is still a small reserve of power in the cells to ensure they are not damaged. Once you reach this point, hook them up to your charger and fully charge them. What this does is reset the counters internally for the controller board and will allow you to "groom" the various cells as you fully charge the dead battery. You should try and do this every 20-30 flights to keep them in tip-top shape. Thanks for the post and I hope you've subbed the channel so you don't miss anything. Rick
I have a Phantom 4 battery and the top where you squeeze the two buttons cover came slightly off if I press it back together will it be ok
Verlon, as long as the case looks uniform and there is no obvious bulging you should be OK. That top part is where the charging circuitry is mounted and won't affect the battery's operation. You might want to put a spot of glue where the separation took place just to be sure it doesn't shake loose during flight. Thanks for the question and I hope you sub the channel. Rick
i subscribed thank for the advice
Your videos are
great. Definitely subscribed.
How many times can these batteries be recharged? Thanks
You should get a few hundred charge cycles out of the batteries as long as you treat them well. Like I mentioned in the clip, never charge them when they are hot, never store them at full charge for any length of time and keep them stored at room temperature and dry for longest life. Thanks for the comment and I hope you sub the channel. Rick
Hi If I do not use
my P3 for several weeks I discharge the battery has 50% but can I leave
it inside the drone or it is better to leave it outside?
Technically you could leave the cell in the quad but I recommend you remove it for a few reasons. The contacts inside of the quad that connect to the battery have a slight spring to them and having the battery connected for a long time will weaken this contact point. Also, if the cell has some type of issue where it overheats, you don't want to lose your quad along with the cell. Thanks for the post and I hope you sub the channel. Rick
really good one! did you have a call from Samsung?
Lol....no, but I have taken a lot of grief from drone fans that swear that Lipo cells never catch fire and I've tried to want new pilots. Even though it's a rare occurrence it can be devastating. I was working on this clip for a few weeks and it was just strange timing that I got it finished just when Samsung had all of their heartburn with the Note 7. Thanks for watching and stopping by. Rick
True Rick, just look at the Note 7 problems. The airlines have banned a number of consumer products, personal cooling fans come immediately to mind, due to lithium battery fires. If they want something that is truly awe inspiring have them search for battery thermal runaway videos on RUclips. The Boeing 787 aircraft was delayed almost a year due to its batteries. It is basically an "electric airplane" with almost all system being electrically driven. It uses lithium batteries and had a series of battery fires during its testing and certification. Boring had to do a major redesign of the battery systems and battery storage compartments before the FAA would certify it as airworthy. In short, lithium batteries due burn and once a fire starts it is very hard to extinguish.
Rick, Another Lipo Question for the P3 Standard. When you do a firm update on one battery are you supposed to change out the battery and do one with every battery you own? I just saw that on a vid and I didn't remember you stating that in this vid. Thanks Rick
Very well done Rick! Many thanks for all the useful info. 👍 ✌
Question: All of us occasionally use our Phantoms on our desktop for upgrading, playing around with the intelligent flight modes or for other purposes other than flying. Every time we do this we shorten the lifetime of our batterries. Is there a proper AC/DC power supply to connect to our quads to use them on our desktop? Thank you in advance.
Greetings. ✌
That's a great question and I haven't seen any on the market. I'll do a little digging and see what I can find. I worry about the same thing and how I handle it is that I have my oldest cell marked with a label. Whenever I need to update the quad or do something other than flying I use this cell. My thought is that because of it's age it won't give me the longer flights the newer cells provide but it's fine for desktop stuff. I still use for flying, but it's always the last cell I reach for at the end of the day. Hope that helps and thanks for the post. Rick
Many thanks Rick.
I crashed the other day and got an error -1003 afterward and the drone would not respond even to start up. Any ideas Rick .......Steve
Steve, I'm not familiar with that error code. Where are you seeing that? I would try using a different cell with the quad to see if it powers up and if not, try the deep-discharge trick I mentioned in the clip to see if that helps. Let me know how you make out and be sure to sub the channel. Rick
hi m8 i have a hub 3 batteries how long does it take to run them down on storage all day only did 1 bar than turned off ty
The best way to deplete them is to fly the quad down to about 15% or so and then land it and keep it powered up until they drain. If you want to reset them, let them blink out. If its for storage, anywhere between 15% and 30% is a good level. I hope that helps and thanks for the post. Be sure to sub the channel so you don't miss anything. Rick
One of my batteries (p3) says "broken cell" ???
I don't fly as often as I would like so when I do I fly to storage level (40-50 percent) When I fly next time is it better to fully charge of fly it down before charging again?
My suggestion would be to fly normally and whatever level the batteries are at when you land, put them away at that level at the end of the day. Before you fly the next time, charge them fully before using them. Unlike typical NiCad cells, Lipo's don't have a "memory" and like to be fully charged when used. I hope this helps and thanks for stopping by. Be sure to sub the channel so you don't miss anything. Rick
Very comprehensive - great video, and got a sub from me so thank you!
Robert, thanks a lot for the sub, it means a lot. I'll have more content posting this week. Rick
I've been dealing with a customer service nightmare and been without my phantom 4 now for almost 50 days. I had my four batteries sitting in a lipo bag all at a low charge when I sent my drone for a communication error. Do you think I should partially charge them instead of letting them sit this whole time?
Yes, I would suggest that you keep a small charge on the cells while you wait for your quad to return from service. Even though they will trickle down slowly, you never want to leave them "dead". Even though DJI maintains a small reserve of power in the cells when you deep-discharge them, letting them sit past this point for days may harm them. Don't fully charge them but put two bars of charge in each of them and you should be fine for a while. Good luck with the repair, it must be frustrating not being able to fly. Hope you get the quad back soon. Rick
Drone Valley I'm a patient guy but what I've been going through with customer support at DJI really has driven me insane. It's hard to continue to praise DJI on the incredible technology that they create when their support service is the worst I have ever dealt with. Thank you for the advice, I'll get them charged now. Never expected to be without a drone for this long.
I thought the relationship with Apple would help improve this but it's the one things that gives DJI a black eye. I know that drones are a very complicated craft but any mature company designs a testing scheme for their product that streamlines the repair process they know they'll have to deal with. I'm sure this will get better over time but it doesn't help a guy like you waiting for his quad. You might consider picking up a cheaper quad as a spare so you can fly in the meantime. Autel makes a few models for under $100 that are full-sized and very responsive. That would help ease the pain a little and keep your stick skills sharp.
Drone Valley I did get mine from Apple, lol. Mine fail to communicate with the controller after an update. They ended up sending me a different p4. It didn't have the gimble marks (like mine had) and had a divot on the landing pad. The funny part is that when I sent that one back, without ever flying it, I got an invoice for repair. It's free of course since I've only owned my drone since June. I'll be without my drone for half the life I've owned it.
Hi again Rick, great informative video again, thanks. Question - I eventually found out that one can find each battery serial number (and his many times charged) in the DJI-GO app under battery, advanced section - bottom RHS of screen. My question however is , is there a way to actually see / find a record of
what firmware a battery is at?
Thanks regards Lawrie.
Lawrie, that's a great question and I honestly don't have an answer handy but will do a little digging to see if I can find one. I'm sure that information is buried in the logs that are maintained by the controller so let me see if there is an easy way to extract that. I do know that when you doa firmware update to the quad, the battery is updated with some of these as well so you could check which version of the firmware you're on and see if the release notes for that version mentions the battery. Thanks for the question and I'll reply again if I find an easier way. Rick
Great video Rick helpful
Thanks a lot. Taking care of the cells will ensure you're safe and get the most use out of them. Most people don't realize that just charging them while hot can cut 20% of their life. I appreciate the post and hope you stop back soon. Rick
Thanks a lot. Very informative.
Rick, question for you. Recently, Thursday 1 Dec I received my new DJI P4 and the accessories I ordered from Drone Valley, in addition to the drone I ordered a second battery form DJI. This morning I unbowed the drone and am doing the set up as required in the instructions. The batt that came installed in the drone will not power up, and when plugged into the DJI charger does not show any indication of life. The second batt is charging on the charger I ordered for DV. Question..., what is your suggestion for proceeding with DJI? I'm glad I got the second battery. The controller is charging on the DJI charger. Hope this is isolated to the batt and the drone is not suspect. Thanks...
Mark, I would let the battery sit for a while inside to make sure it's at a reasonably warm temperature and then try both chargers to see if you have any lights come on when connected. If not the last thing you can try is to hold down the button on the battery while connecting it to the charger to see if this makes a difference. I haven't verified that this works but had a flaky battery a while back that I did this procedure to get it charging again. If none of this works, contact DJI and I'm sure they will be happy to replace it for you. If you bought it from a retail store or Amazon they might be happy to exchange the entire kit. Let me know how things work out for you and thanks again for your watching and your business. Rick
Thank you Rick, much appreciated. Battery sat boxed in the house while I was on travel, so warm batt. Tried both chargers no joy. Tried as suggested with both chargers holding power button down, no joy. Am sending DJI E-mail via the DJI support page. I will update once DJI is available to reply. More to follow...
Thanks for the very interesting information 👌
The P4 battery failed after a few flights. Led's will not turn on or off and will not charge. DJI asks for a ton of documentation to send in for repair. Ultimately, it was being sent to recycle, not worth the hassle of time and money.
Thanks for the post and I'm sorry to hear about your issues with the battery. If it's that new of a cell, DJI should be able to replace it under warranty. All you normally need is the receipt for the purchase to prove when it was purchased. I hope you get it sorted out, Rick
Hope the circuit board in the Pro is a second version with enhanced reliability. If you ask DJI for help they just sent you a long generic form you have to filled out that implies they are aware of the situation. The P4 battery was shipped with craft. The short warranty has expired and documentation lost. DJI should recall the bad batch.
Hi, i`m a newb from Noeway that got me an used Phantom 2..0ne battery says it has much life left when i hold that button on battery for 6-7 second, but on one green light when turn on, and it will not take charge...not with syock charger and not with other lipo charger. I know it has not been used much and is several yoars old..can it be totally broken some how, or is it some way it can be charged.The person i bought from says the battery take care of every thing, so storage, discharge safty bag..not needed and i do not agree..Do you know if i can charge on "normal" charger witout ruin the battery? I run rc cars so this type of battery new to me, and youtube only way to find help...hope you understand my english
Thanks for the great info.👍👍
Thanks for the video.
what about the first time you take your drone out of the box. is it better to let the batteries drain out and then charge them fully or is it better to charge the right way?
also, is it bad to use your batteries before they are fully charged?
Ps. still waiting for my Mavic pro. haha
You're welcome and the Lipo cells are different than most other rechargeable cells because they don't have a "memory" issue. You can charge them half-way and use them and don't have to deep-discharge them again before charging. I typically charge them the morning I'm heading out to fly and then just leave them drained until I fly again. I hope that helps and please be sure to sub the channel so you don't miss any updates. Rick
Thanks. I did subscribe.
Do you know if the ronin batteries are also LiPo?
Great advice, thank you Rick.
You're welcome and thanks for stopping by.
Thank you!! Great information!
Thanks for the post and I'm glad you enjoyed the clip. I have a lot more content posting this week so be sure to stop back soon and sub the channel so you don't miss anything. Rick
Rick,
When I bought my Phantom 4, I never used one of my three battery. I stored it for a long period (10 month or so). All green lights are dead! I can't recharge it! it's seems that the battery has gone into deep discharged mode and the cells have lost storage capacity and can not be recharged using the stock method.
Again, the battery never been use!
What can I do to revive the cells and bring it back to adequate storage level so it can be recharged as per normal?
Thanks!
Eric, I'm afraid I have some bad news on the cell. Lipo cells will die if not charged for some time and it may be impossible to get them started again. The DJI cells are better than most because when they shutoff, there is still about 10% of the battery charge still left in them. The only thing you might be able to do is to try a few things to "jumpstart" the chemistry. First, hold the power button down on the battery for 30 seconds and see if you get any response from the cell. If not, try holding the power button down while connecting the cell to your charger and then let it go. If neither of these work, you might try placing the cell in your fridge for 10 minutes and then wiping it down and charging it cold. I have had luck with this last method and if none of these help, you have to discard the cell. If you do get it working, be very careful watching it the first few times you fly. You want to make sure it's taking and delivering a normal charging cycle to the quad. Thanks for the post, Rick
Unfortunately nothing worked. Thank you for the info anyway! I will recycle the cell...
Very interesting video by the way.
Best regard!
Great video.
Thanks for watching and commenting. I'll have a lot more content posting this weekend so be sure to subscribe if you haven't already so you don't miss anything. Rick
Is the battery firmware stored in the drone? I just did an Inspire pro firmware upgrade. The message on the controller to start with said I need a controller firmware, Drone firmware, camera firmware and battery firmware update. I did the update and it seemed like the drone went through two cycles of updating. So then when I restarted everything there were no software updates needed messages. My main question is. Are all three of my batteries firmwares updated? Is the firmware in the battery, Do I have to plug in each battery and get some firmware update? Thank You
Yes, there is firmware in the battery that is often (not always) updated when you update the quad. If you have more than one battery, the ones that still need updating will be done when you next slide those cells into the quad to fly. Once I know a particular version of firmware is updating the batteries, I typically cycle though all of the cells right then to make sure they are ready. I hope that helps and thanks for the post. Rick
I have to wonder if putting tape over the contacts is actually a good idea or not. Every time I put tape on something, regardless of type, some of the adhesive residue is left behind when I remove it. This residue could affect conductivity, could initiate corrosion and likely attract and hold dirt and debris (micro scale) to the contacts or at least the port. Also, just a point of clarification, DJI specs give a range of 32*F to 104*F. Looking at the sample chart with the LED blink codes, how do we know which LED is Number 1, 2, 3, etc. ? I enjoy your videos and find them very helpful but frankly, based on your experience, I found it hard to believe that you don't read the manufacturer's recommendations :-)
Yoly, thanks for the post and it's good to see you stopping by. You're right that some cheaper tape will leave a sticky residue behind and I use Scotch 33 electrical tape that is designed to avoid this. Even if a lesser quality tape was used, it never comes in contact with the "contacts" and can easily be cleaned off with an alcohol wipe, something I suggest folks do every so often anyway with the cells.
As strange as this sounds the LED's start at number 4 nearest the power button and then count down from there. You can line them up with the chart to determine their status.
As for the temperature variance, I did go a little conservative with that to keep you out of trouble. The manual actually shows the operating temps for the cells from 14 degrees to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. My experience with flying in really hot areas (Arizona in summer) and really cold (Canada in Winter) shows that the closer you get to the extreme ends of that spectrum, the less reliable the charge on the cell is. That is especially true with the colder end of things. The quad itself is even more restrictive with limits on the lower temps to just above freezing. To be fair, the first thing I said in the clip was for the viewer to read the manuals (which I did attach) to the clip and that I would probably miss a few things. I did the clip because most fliers have very little idea that these batteries provided so much information and though the clip would help. Thanks, Rick
Drone Valley I'm one of those people who read every manual cover to cover. When we get a new car, I don't turn over the second set of keys to Yoly until she's read the manual and I quiz her. I want her to know how to do critical things like defrost windows properly and know how to change a tire and where the gear is located (you never know) :-) I've watched every DJI instructional video and read that manual cover to cover. I always learn something I didn't know. I've flown in 32* weather coming directly from inside the house and even then the P3 wouldn't take off for quite sometime because the battery hadn't warmed up enough. I follow Ben Brown's Vlog and was amazed at how much drone footage he got while touring the Arctic for 18 days. Still waiting for my P4P+ coming the middle of January supposedly :-)
one thing is missing from all great infos is that the phantom 4 and above are intelligent batteries because they drain itself after 10 days without use...
Thanks for the post and I did mention this safety feature a few times in the clip. The "smarts" that DJI add to the battery really protect you in a few ways by charging/discharging the cell safely, discharging it if it's left for too long, and eliminating the possibility of a short. They are easily the safest cells on the market today. Thanks for the post and I hope you'll sub the channel so you don't miss anything! Rick
thank you
awesome infos
Very informative. thanks
great stuff mate.
Thank you for that info just got p3
Congratulations! You are going to love flying that quad and once you get it up to about 200', fly over the woods or a lake and see the footage - You'll be hooked! I appreciate you stopping by to watch the clips and be sure to sub the channel so you don't miss any new posts. Rick
Hey, Rick. Still hoping I get my Mavic before my cruise in December. I've ordered the Fly More package, so I'll have 3 batteries. Do you have any advice when taking them on a plane? I know they can't be checked because of the pressure, but that is where my knowledge ends.
I actually did a clip on traveling with your drone (ruclips.net/video/kWxhE-GcmqE/видео.html) that gives you a few good tips and tricks. Basically you have to take the cells on the plane with you - don't check them with your luggage. You also have to tape over the connectors to prevent shorts and have them partially discharged to less than 50%. I would also suggest you put each of them in their own ziplock bag as well. I know this seems like overkill but its the safest way to travel with the quad. I hope you get your drone very soon and get to fly it on the cruise. Rick
Drone Valley Awesome!! I'll have to check it out!! Thanks!!
Rick,
Thoughts on the Skyreat 4x charger?
Joe, I've never used that particular charger but have one I do use listed on our website for the Phantom 4. The one you mentioned looks similar and will probably do a great job. What makes it different than a charging "hub" is that it can charge the 3 cells and controller in tandem instead of sequentially making for shorter charging times. You can use the link below to Amazon if you're going to make the purchase, it' looks like a decent piece of kit. Thanks a lot for watching the clip and supporting the channel. Rick
4 Port Charger - amzn.to/2iytGFD
Is it normal that my dji charger gets extremely hot while charging?
Yes, the charger does get warm when charging the cells, especially if you rotate a few of them through the charger one after another. If you have to charge multiple batteries you should either give the charger a break (10 min) between cells or look into a multi-cell charger that can charge 3 at a time. Thanks for the post and be sure to sub the channel. Rick