Another Dead Battery

[John Locke]

Leaving the batteries plugged into it has no benefit after they are charged, as they are considered disconnected, and will actually start discharging after the specified days selected for them, while still plugged into the hub!

Leaving batteries installed in the DJI hub for days to charge? Why would someone do that? Seems irrelevant to the conversation.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Leaving batteries installed in the DJI hub for days to charge? Why would someone do that? Seems irrelevant to the conversation.

Not when you state, "You say you own a 3 charger hub? You don't need that either, but it sure is convenient, isn't it?" I don't find it any more convenient than the regular charger. I naively assumed that whatever batteries were left plugged into the hub, would be at least kept from going into a discharge state. They clearly are not. It's just an overpriced serial charger.

 

[Helihover]

So,..... what are the advantages of charging both the controller and flight pack at the same time besides being able to take 60+ minutes to eat dinner?

I’m still confused.

 

[GadgetGuy]

So,..... what are the advantages of charging both the controller and flight pack at the same time besides being able to take 60+ minutes to eat dinner?

I’m still confused.

He likes a long uninterrupted dinner.
Best I can ascertain, it is a weight and size issue for travel, and he likes to top off the RC every time he charges a battery before going to dinner. Seems completely unnecessary to me, but each to their own. It's his charger and he can do with it what he wants! I'd be more concerned about not following DJI's recommendation in that situation, if he burned it out inadvertently, where finding a replacement charger would be impossible during travel. But that's just me. I'd just bring two chargers, in case either one fails, and I could charge two batteries at once. Better yet, just bring the lightweight vented $40 aftermarket simultaneous 3 battery and remote charger instead!

 

[John Locke]

He likes a long uninterrupted dinner.

So,..... what are the advantages of charging both the controller and flight pack at the same time besides being able to take 60+ minutes to eat dinner?

You guys are ridiculous, so infatuated with my eating habits. That's pretty funny.
If you must know, I'm referring to my normal business trips. When I travel for business I plan my meetings in the morning, I try to fly in the afternoon (assuming the weather cooperates), and entertain the clients in the evening, with dinner, late....... while my batteries charge in my hotel room.

Look guys, I've presented the facts, my opinion, and logic. I've been selling embedded industrial computers for over 20yrs. I've been in the electronics marketplace since the PC was born. I sell custom computer solutions that often include a power supply that requires CE, UL certification, and other regulatory certs for odd-ball countries. If you knew the regulatory aspects of what DJI has to go through to sell into the EU and US markets, then you'd understand the charger is able to survive how I use it. I've explained that already. I'm confident the DJI engineers know my use case is perfectly OK, that's why it's not forbidden in the manual. DJI's marketing and communications presents a recommendation, no facts, they don't have the facts to say YES or NO, typical for DJI marketing folks. So yes, DJI FAQs on this subject are bogus IMO. I've already explained that, but you guys don't buy it, and that's fine with me. Do what you like, go ahead and take the extra time, I'm OK with that. Have a blast checking your batteries!

 

[Helihover]

In a Homer Simpson voice....... “These dinners you speak of...”

 

[John Locke]

In a Homer Simpson voice....... “These dinners you speak of...”

Would you like me to buy you dinner too?

 

[Helihover]

Would you like me to buy you dinner too?

Well of course!

I’ll be in Portland when you come around

 

[John Locke]

Well of course!

I’ll be in Portland when you come around

OK, I actually expect to be in Portland soon. I need to visit Intel in Hillsboro to train them on our product line in Feb or March. What I'll want in return is your 3 most favorite flight spots near Portland. Deal? I'll be in touch.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Do what you like, go ahead and take the extra time, I'm OK with that. Have a blast checking your batteries!

To be fair, most of us just don't have the need to charge both at the same time, as you may, so there is no extra time required. The RC only needs charging every 10 to 15 flights, which means one can just pick a convenient time to charge it overnight while one sleeps. Whatever works.

 

[John Locke]

To be fair, most of us just don't have the need to charge both at the same time

Yes, some fly more than others when we travel. Some don't travel.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Yes, some fly more than others when we travel. Some don't travel.

So I don't misunderstand, do you, in fact, top off the RC every time you charge the battery, or are you doing so only if the fourth RC LED no longer lights up, as I do?

 

[John Locke]

So I don't misunderstand, do you, in fact, top off the RC every time you charge the battery, or are you doing so only if the fourth RC LED no longer lights up, as I do?

Normally I charge when two lights show on the RC, about 7-9 flights, but I only charge the night before I'll fly again. But if I know I will be flying more than 6 flights the next day, I'll top off when 3 lights show. That's usually the case only on vacation trips, such as Hawaii next week. This is pretty basic stuff, you should be able to figure it out for your own use case. If you're thinking your charge routine is for everybody, that's a bit arrogant IMO, everyone's different. For those that like to charge the RC more frequent, earlier, that's fine too, there's no downside to that, as long as they fly a few flights soon so it's not stored fully charged for a long period of time.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Normally I charge when two lights show on the RC, about 7-9 flights, but I only charge the night before I'll fly again. But if I know I will be flying more than 6 flights the next day, I'll top off when 3 lights show. That's usually the case only on vacation trips, such as Hawaii next week. This is pretty basic stuff, you should be able to figure it out for your own use case. If you're thinking your charge routine is for everybody, that's a bit arrogant IMO, everyone's different. For those that like to charge the RC more frequent, earlier, that's fine too, there's no downside to that, as long as they fly a few flights soon so it's not stored fully charged for a long period of time.

Your routine now sounds perfectly reasonable. I believe the missing piece must be that you are also using the serial charging battery hub with the charger, so everything, including the RC, that needs charging can charge autonomously. Without the hub, you would still have to manually switch out batteries. It all makes sense now. Thanks for the clarification!

 

[John Locke]

Your routine now sounds perfectly reasonable. I believe the missing piece must be that you are also using the serial charging battery hub with the charger, so everything, including the RC, that needs charging can charge autonomously. Without the hub, you would still have to manually switch out batteries. It all makes sense now. Thanks for the clarification!

This is true, I use the hub sometimes, but that's mostly vacations and weekend trips. However...... if when don't take the hub it's convenient to realize a flight battery and RC can charge simultaneously. The RC takes a lot longer to charge because it only charges at a 2 amp rate. The flight batteries charge at a 5.7 amp (max) rate, almost 3X the rate! So if you need to charge the RC, and you thought you couldn't do it simultaneously, you'd be waiting a while before you could charge a flight battery. You might find yourself staying up to midnight, just to change the battery to charge. Simultaneous charging allows an extra battery to charge together with the RC battery, while you sleep, eat, movie, or whatever. In my case I have 6 batteries, so the business trips I take that offer an afternoon or two to fly, I may not need the hub. In that case I may need to charge the RC and one flight battery simultaneously while at dinner with clients, or maybe I'll go to a movie if no entertainment is scheduled for clients. Letting both charge together offers a convenience that's helpful, which was the whole reason I point this out. It's possible to charge simultaneous, and safe, IMO.

 

[GadgetGuy]

This is true, I use the hub sometimes, but that's mostly vacations and weekend trips. However...... if when don't take the hub it's convenient to realize a flight battery and RC can charge simultaneously. The RC takes a lot longer to charge because it only charges at a 2 amp rate. The flight batteries charge at a 5.7 amp (max) rate, almost 3X the rate! So if you need to charge the RC, and you thought you couldn't do it simultaneously, you'd be waiting a while before you could charge a flight battery. You might find yourself staying up to midnight, just to change the battery to charge. Simultaneous charging allows an extra battery to charge together with the RC battery, while you sleep, eat, movie, or whatever. In my case I have 6 batteries, so the business trips I take that offer an afternoon or two to fly, I may not need the hub. In that case I may need to charge the RC and one flight battery simultaneously while at dinner with clients, or maybe I'll go to a movie if no entertainment is scheduled for clients. Letting both charge together offers a convenience that's helpful, which was the whole reason I point this out. It's possible to charge simultaneous, and safe, IMO.

Makes sense! Convenience is a driving force in most decisions. Even though the hub doesn't speed up the charging process, per se, it does remove the hassle of monitoring and swapping batteries, and effectively allows the process to complete faster and autonomously. Same with connecting a battery and the RC simultaneously, since it apparently works. The only potential risk I see is to the charger from overheating, which has no cooling fan or ventilation, unlike the $40 aftermarket simultaneous charger, which charges 3 batteries simultaneously and the RC, and is very lightweight, and takes up less room than the charger and hub together. The RC does take forever to charge!

 

[kodiakjack]

When I first got my phantom 4 pro I was unaware of a nearly invisible switch on the DJI charger that changed the charger from an active charger to a maintain only setting. Keeps the batteries around halfway or below. Could not figure out why they would not charge, turned out to be the tiny little switch.

 

[GadgetGuy]

When I first got my phantom 4 pro I was unaware of a nearly invisible switch on the DJI charger that changed the charger from an active charger to a maintain only setting. Keeps the batteries around halfway or below. Could not figure out why they would not charge, turned out to be the tiny little switch.

For clarity's sake, that's not on the charger. That's only on the hub. The charger, used by itself, has no such switch, and fully charges each battery.

 

[kodiakjack]

Thanks for the correction GG. Also, I have had zero problems charging batteries and the controller at the same time on my PS4Pro+, Mavic or Spark. All batteries, and I have a bunch, work exactly as they should. From my perspective, DJI lately builds some really decent, reliable gear in the Spark, Mavic, and PS4Pro+.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Thanks for the correction GG. Also, I have had zero problems charging batteries and the controller at the same time on my PS4Pro+, Mavic or Spark. All batteries, and I have a bunch, work exactly as they should. From my perspective, DJI lately builds some really decent, reliable gear in the Spark, Mavic, and PS4Pro+.

The reservations about charging the controller and batteries simultaneously only relate to the potential of overheating the charger, which is sealed and has no cooling fan, unlike simultaneous aftermarket battery chargers. It should still do no harm to the batteries. DJI does build great gear at reasonable prices, and is still the industry innovator.