My P2 is about 3 years old along with 3 batteries all bought at the same time. THe drone has seen light use but has had a mishap or two - nothing major. The batteries charge to 100% but none of them give me more than 3 minutes of flying time before they're down to 1.5 LED's and the drone returns home. If one died I'd think it was natural but all three dying at exactly the same time in the same way seems too coincidental. Any ideas? I've taken a screenshot of a fully charged battery in the drone.
Batteries at 100% but only flying for 3 minutes
- Thread starter GregJames
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With all 3 dying at around the same time, what can you tell us about your battery maintenance schedule during the past 3 years?
That could be part of the problem. You may want to check your charger to see if the output is up to spec and the charger isn't dying.
Check out this video. It shows how to test you batteries. After three years they may be worn out.
N017RW
Premium Pilot
It has nothing to do with the charger. They’re shot.
You would have had to make sure they were stored at a maintained 40-50% level of charge to have any hope of usefulness at their age.
You would have had to make sure they were stored at a maintained 40-50% level of charge to have any hope of usefulness at their age.
All 3 batteries tested and have between around 98% life left. All four LED lights are solid. So, if it's the charger I don't know how to check that.
N017RW
Premium Pilot
Those lights don’t have much significance.
They monitor the number of charge cycles. This is also observable in the Assistant.
They cannot tell you anything about cell health.
Your batteries have developed high internal resistance from age and cannot develop capacity to hold and deliver current.
They monitor the number of charge cycles. This is also observable in the Assistant.
They cannot tell you anything about cell health.
Your batteries have developed high internal resistance from age and cannot develop capacity to hold and deliver current.
Did you ever find an answer? I have the same issue on brand new batteries as well as some older ones.
the smart batteries isn't all that smart or helpful to the consumer.
I know this is older post but if anyone stumble upon this maybe it'll help
you have to understand how the smart battery remembers the capacity from last known charge/usage it monitors flight time the batt used
so if you train it to re-remember the full capacity I think cycle charging few times reset the smart count?
N017RW
Premium Pilot
In the context of P2s, the smart batteries prevent the errors made by folks not familiar with the care and useage of LiPos.
It was recommended to deep discharge the P2 batts about every 20 cycles to help recal the battery monitor systems.
This will not prevent the battery from fully charging though.
Improper storage will accelerate the battery’s degradation and loss of capacity via the chemistry which cannot be rehabilitated.
"In the context of P2s, the smart batteries prevent the errors made by folks not familiar with the care and useage of LiPos."
agreed dji cell balancing is impeccable.
"It was recommended to deep discharge the P2 batts about every 20 cycles to help recal the battery monitor systems."
DJI asks you to discharge the battery all the way down and then charge fully. In the process the battery counts how many mah are put back into the battery and recalibrates its calculations.
"This will not prevent the battery from fully charging though."
The other method is to discharge as much as possible and then measure how many amps can be put back into the cell. That’s exactly why DJI requires a full discharge and re-charge of its intelligent batteries every 20 cycles or so – so that it can re-calibrate its calculations.
"Improper storage will accelerate the battery’s degradation and loss of capacity via the chemistry which cannot be rehabilitated."
DJI intelligent batteries, when left alone for a few months, will self-discharge to a very low voltage as the circuitry continues drawing some current when the battery is in storage. This can damage the battery and it can even cause the circuit to become bricked (i.e. unresponsive).
If one died I'd think it was natural but all three dying at exactly the same time in the same way seems too coincidental.
agreed dji cell balancing is impeccable.
"It was recommended to deep discharge the P2 batts about every 20 cycles to help recal the battery monitor systems."
DJI asks you to discharge the battery all the way down and then charge fully. In the process the battery counts how many mah are put back into the battery and recalibrates its calculations.
"This will not prevent the battery from fully charging though."
The other method is to discharge as much as possible and then measure how many amps can be put back into the cell. That’s exactly why DJI requires a full discharge and re-charge of its intelligent batteries every 20 cycles or so – so that it can re-calibrate its calculations.
"Improper storage will accelerate the battery’s degradation and loss of capacity via the chemistry which cannot be rehabilitated."
DJI intelligent batteries, when left alone for a few months, will self-discharge to a very low voltage as the circuitry continues drawing some current when the battery is in storage. This can damage the battery and it can even cause the circuit to become bricked (i.e. unresponsive).
If one died I'd think it was natural but all three dying at exactly the same time in the same way seems too coincidental.
N017RW
Premium Pilot
how do you perform storage charge preparation on dji battery?
I am new to all this dji business and im sure these poor soul that "wouldn't or didn't read the manual" would surly appreciate
doesn't the intelligent battery automatically self discharge every few set days via dji go ap?
beside flying the batt all the way down and having to sit in front of the batt while charging to no more than 50% to disconnect the charger is there a better easier way to safely put smart batt in storage charge.
sorry I have sooo many questions when it comes to dji stuff, I have a p1 and a p3a sitting in a corner for almost a year now, 15 year in RC hobby and 30 years computer and electronics repair never has there been a more pita unfixable forbidden knowledge as with THE DJI products I have over 20 different RC vehicles on all scales land sea and air and no matter what break I fix them but the most expensive the most safe dji are flown twice wrecked once and are untouchable if this was a Walmart $30 toy ok no serviceable parts may be a little upset but we move on get over it maybe even buy a new one but dam dji?..
Yes, the DJI battery will commence (proactive rather than just natural) self discharge after the number of days specified in the App (which simply programs battery). If one ‘checks’ the battery by pressing battery button, the count down to discharge timer is reset. (Eg if set to 2 days, the 2 days starts again). There is no ‘specific’ storage charge, nor any user requirement, other than to fully charge battery, then allow it to self discharge (as above). Battery, on it’s own, will reduce to ~ 50% of full charge then stop self discharging. Many suggest check battery level (by press battery button) every 3-4 months - you don’t want it naturally to go much lower than ~ 40% ideally. (These batteries ideally are stored at ~50% charge). If battery charge gets very low, they will go into a hibernate / storage mode to try prevent damage. Hope that helps.
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When I bought my P2 back in March 2014 the batteries did not self-discharge as DJI claimed. Then DJI came out with new firmware that included battery update and I set up all my batteries to self-discharge after X number of days. Dji after only days pulled that battery update after complaints from those using aftermarket batteries being bricked. The new PH2 batteries are self-discharging after X number of days. The problem I found with the battery update that DJI pulled was that it wouldn't just stop discharging once it reached 50% and if it reached 0% buy a new battery because it wouldn't take a charge.
Now if one wanted to discharge their batteries they either flew the P2 to 50 % landed and stored the battery. Or used a discharger plugged into the battery with an alarm which would ring when it reached 50 percent. Whether those discharge units are still on the market is any bodies guess.
I purchased this one online but it got so hot it melted socket which I replaced with modification.
This is one I built using a battery terminal assembly and a brake light socket.
But with either one, you need to be in the same room when discharging batteries. Most batteries I've seen online are not OEM batteries from DJI they are aftermarket using the same labels. Since P2's are no longer in production authorized dealers no longer carry OEM batteries.
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