I've read numerous and multiple threads on numerous and multiple forums about the care and feeding of the P4P Intelligent Flight Battery. And I'm confused.
(These comments and observations may apply equally to any and all DJI batteries; however, as I fly a P4P, I use that AC as a reference. I'm also not looking for a chemistry lesson surrounding the science behind Lipo batteries. I do want to understand and hear how others handle the vague information surrounding this topic. )
The one common theme everyone agrees with is these batteries should not be stored fully charged for an 'extended period of time.' DJI sets, as a default, a maximum storage time of 10 days at full charge before the batteries begin a self-discharge cycle to a state of 50% of full charge.
I have seen quite a number of YouTube videos and read quite a few threads, where pilots recommend changing the default self-discharge setting from 10 days to three. Another recommends five days, and another states he never lets his batteries sit with a full charge for more than 24 hours. Most say they leave theirs fully charged and on the 10 day default setting for self discharge, but may fly and recharge multiple times within that 10 day window - so the batteries are never stored at the preferred 50% level, but always fully charged. (BTW, it apparently takes a fully charged P4P battery three - four days to self discharge to the 50% storage level. It is much faster to charge a depleted battery from 20% or more to 50%.)
Even though DJI has benchmarked the 10 day window as being an appropriate and/or reasonable time to allow the batteries to remain fully charged before automatically self discharging for longer storage, I haven't found anywhere in the manuals or GO App settings where it addresses this, including the other charging tools DJI makes available, other than to state the automatic self discharge default is set at 10 days. In every instance I could find where battery storage was addressed, time in storage was only referenced as 'an extended period of time.'
So the question is, what exactly is an 'extended time' as it pertains to the DJI Intelligent Flight Battery?
For my routine, I fly on a full charge, return, fully charge the discharged batteries and pack them away for the next flight. I have five batteries and numbered them to start keeping track of their use. I've had my P4P since the end of January and have flown approximately three dozen flights. Some flights have been as much as 20 days apart, due to weather, etc. If I knew for certain I wouldn't be able to fly for a month or more, then I would store my batteries at 50%. However, for routine, regular, flights - say at least once or more in a week, or a couple of flights within a two week window - is it really necessary to keep batteries at 50% for the few days between flights?
What do you do?
(These comments and observations may apply equally to any and all DJI batteries; however, as I fly a P4P, I use that AC as a reference. I'm also not looking for a chemistry lesson surrounding the science behind Lipo batteries. I do want to understand and hear how others handle the vague information surrounding this topic. )
The one common theme everyone agrees with is these batteries should not be stored fully charged for an 'extended period of time.' DJI sets, as a default, a maximum storage time of 10 days at full charge before the batteries begin a self-discharge cycle to a state of 50% of full charge.
I have seen quite a number of YouTube videos and read quite a few threads, where pilots recommend changing the default self-discharge setting from 10 days to three. Another recommends five days, and another states he never lets his batteries sit with a full charge for more than 24 hours. Most say they leave theirs fully charged and on the 10 day default setting for self discharge, but may fly and recharge multiple times within that 10 day window - so the batteries are never stored at the preferred 50% level, but always fully charged. (BTW, it apparently takes a fully charged P4P battery three - four days to self discharge to the 50% storage level. It is much faster to charge a depleted battery from 20% or more to 50%.)
Even though DJI has benchmarked the 10 day window as being an appropriate and/or reasonable time to allow the batteries to remain fully charged before automatically self discharging for longer storage, I haven't found anywhere in the manuals or GO App settings where it addresses this, including the other charging tools DJI makes available, other than to state the automatic self discharge default is set at 10 days. In every instance I could find where battery storage was addressed, time in storage was only referenced as 'an extended period of time.'
So the question is, what exactly is an 'extended time' as it pertains to the DJI Intelligent Flight Battery?
For my routine, I fly on a full charge, return, fully charge the discharged batteries and pack them away for the next flight. I have five batteries and numbered them to start keeping track of their use. I've had my P4P since the end of January and have flown approximately three dozen flights. Some flights have been as much as 20 days apart, due to weather, etc. If I knew for certain I wouldn't be able to fly for a month or more, then I would store my batteries at 50%. However, for routine, regular, flights - say at least once or more in a week, or a couple of flights within a two week window - is it really necessary to keep batteries at 50% for the few days between flights?
What do you do?
