Battery charging tips
- Thread starter sajindra
- Start date
There is no evidence that calibration of the battery helps. Yes, charging to 60% is good if you plan to not fly for a while. Then the night before you fly charge them the rest the way, perfectly OK. In fact that's exactly what the 3X charge cradle for P4 craft from DJI does when you select storage mode, it charges to 60%.
Here's a list of ways to keep your batteries in good condition:
1. Do not let them get hot in a car, sitting in the sun. Repeated treatment like that will shorten the life of a battery.
2. Store batteries in a cool place, 50 to 65F. If storing more than a week, just let them naturally discharge to 60% by NOT pushing the battery button. Each time you push the battery button it resets the 2-10 day clock to discharge the battery by itself.
3. Don't let the battery sit for long periods charged at 15%, depleted from flying. Charge them immediately after flying to 60%, or 100% if you plan to fly within a few days.
4. Keep them dry from moisture when storing.
5. Don't let them sit in your car overnight at -20F when discharged.
6. Monitor each individual cell voltage of each battery in the Go app, insuring the deltas are no more than .15V between cells when charged or discharged. If they do deviate this much, consistently, it may be time to retire the battery. As a last resort you could try calibrating, but most people I've heard from says it doesn't help.
7. If you see signs of bulging of the cells, it's time to retire the battery.
8. If you drop a battery and physically damage a cell, such as putting dent in the cell (not the plastic, but a cell itself), this becomes a high risk battery. I wouldn't keep it in my house, IMO.
9. When flying in cold climates, make sure the batteries are warm (50F to 70F) before take off to maximize flight time and the health of the battery. In cold climates use Zippo hand warmers, or rechargable handwarmers inside an igloo ice chest to store batteries to keep them warm.
10. Don't deplete the battery to 10% unless you have too. Try to target landing no lower than 25%, preferably 30% to be gentle on battery integrity.
Here's a list of ways to keep your batteries in good condition:
1. Do not let them get hot in a car, sitting in the sun. Repeated treatment like that will shorten the life of a battery.
2. Store batteries in a cool place, 50 to 65F. If storing more than a week, just let them naturally discharge to 60% by NOT pushing the battery button. Each time you push the battery button it resets the 2-10 day clock to discharge the battery by itself.
3. Don't let the battery sit for long periods charged at 15%, depleted from flying. Charge them immediately after flying to 60%, or 100% if you plan to fly within a few days.
4. Keep them dry from moisture when storing.
5. Don't let them sit in your car overnight at -20F when discharged.
6. Monitor each individual cell voltage of each battery in the Go app, insuring the deltas are no more than .15V between cells when charged or discharged. If they do deviate this much, consistently, it may be time to retire the battery. As a last resort you could try calibrating, but most people I've heard from says it doesn't help.
7. If you see signs of bulging of the cells, it's time to retire the battery.
8. If you drop a battery and physically damage a cell, such as putting dent in the cell (not the plastic, but a cell itself), this becomes a high risk battery. I wouldn't keep it in my house, IMO.
9. When flying in cold climates, make sure the batteries are warm (50F to 70F) before take off to maximize flight time and the health of the battery. In cold climates use Zippo hand warmers, or rechargable handwarmers inside an igloo ice chest to store batteries to keep them warm.
10. Don't deplete the battery to 10% unless you have too. Try to target landing no lower than 25%, preferably 30% to be gentle on battery integrity.
Last edited:
If you want to charge to storage level and full charge before flight 40% is even better than 60%. There is no need to calibrate the packs.
First of all ....
DJI auto discharge targets INITIALLY 60 - 65% ... but continues on ... it does NOT stop at that.
Storage charge of LiPo's is regarded as between 30 and 60% with 60% being regarded as maximum you should use if at all. It is better to sit in the lower range. Vast amount of information and evidence online about this.
John Locke mentions GO4 App .... yes that's fine in a P4 ... but using a P3 - its GO before 4 App.
OK ...
1. Do not let them get hot in a car, sitting in the sun. Repeated treatment like that will shorten the life of a battery. Correct - heat increases the risk of Internal Resistance increasing and causing poor power out.
2. Store batteries in a cool place, 50 to 65F. If storing more than a week, just let them naturally discharge to 60% by NOT pushing the battery button. Each time you push the battery button it resets the 2-10 day clock to discharge the battery by itself. Correct - but storage is fine in ambient domestic environment ... some people actually put LiPo's in fridge as cooling reduces any self damaging effects.
3. Don't let the battery sit for long periods charged at 15%, depleted from flying. Charge them immediately after flying to 60%, or 100% if you plan to fly within a few days. Actually online reports by such as Battery University and other knowledgeable sites such as manufacturers do not advise charging any LiPo up to 60% for storage. Note that even DJI's own auto discharge takes a pack below 60% after its user set time. It actually continues to a significantly low figure and then hibernation mode. As to charging to 100% ... even charged at 100% for short time causes increase of Internal Resistance and this is accumulative and non-recoverable. Unless you are going to use pack that day or early next - please do not charge to 100% ...
4. Keep them dry from moisture when storing. Correct
5. Don't let them sit in your car overnight at -20F when discharged. Correct. If you do this - then bring pack into only a moderate warm environment and let it warm up slowly - do not put under a heater for example ..
6. Monitor each individual cell voltage of each battery in the Go4 app, insuring the deltas are no more than .15V between cells when charged or discharged. If they do deviate this much, consistently, it may be time to retire the battery. As a last resort you could try calibrating, but most people I've heard from says it doesn't help. Go4 is for P4 but basically yes ... deviation is not so good ... it basically means that cell will work hard and deteriorate faster than the others ... it may even voltage drop enough to shorten flight significantly. You can discharge to a moderately low value - certainly not the 8% that some advise !! and then recharge - You may get a temporary reprise. But damage is permanent. Second that DJI system does not actually allow proper balancing of cells and terminates charge once TOTAL voltage is reached.
7. If you see signs of bulging of the cells, it's time to retire the battery. Correct ... keep for bench testing / updating etc. - any use where flight power not needed.
8. If you drop a battery and physically damage a cell, such as putting dent in the cell (not the plastic, but a cell itself), this becomes a high risk battery. I wouldn't keep it in my house, IMO. This is debatable and personal choice. I have a number of 'creased' LiPo's that are still in good use but I keep careful eye on them. Puncturing of cell foil is the BIG NO-NO !!
9. When flying in cold climates, make sure the batteries are warm (50F to 70F) before take off to maximize flight time and the health of the battery. In cold climates use Zippo hand warmers, or rechargable handwarmers inside an igloo ice chest to store batteries to keep them warm. There are various ways to warm batterys, I use the Turnigy Battery Warmer bag ... cheap and effective. I also put batterys inside my coat if only going for a quickie flight.
10. Don't deplete the battery to 10% unless you have too. Try to target landing no lower than 25%, preferably 30% to be gentle on battery integrity. Correct ... going below 25% increases risk of causing a rise in internal resistance and damage to cells. The practice of deep discharge should be totally outlawed and actually even DJI do not recc'd it anymore. Flying to 30% and land means that once pack rests - it rebounds back to about 35% or more ... fine for storage - no need to top up. BUt if left for more than a reasonable period - you should check to make sure it is not dropping too low .. possibly a short top up to be safe then.
I am not knocking Johns post ... as we all arrive at our own views on various subjects. I am just adding what is the generally accepted for LiPo's and verified by many online authors far more knowledgable about this than I can ever hope to be.
Nigel
DJI auto discharge targets INITIALLY 60 - 65% ... but continues on ... it does NOT stop at that.
Storage charge of LiPo's is regarded as between 30 and 60% with 60% being regarded as maximum you should use if at all. It is better to sit in the lower range. Vast amount of information and evidence online about this.
John Locke mentions GO4 App .... yes that's fine in a P4 ... but using a P3 - its GO before 4 App.
OK ...
1. Do not let them get hot in a car, sitting in the sun. Repeated treatment like that will shorten the life of a battery. Correct - heat increases the risk of Internal Resistance increasing and causing poor power out.
2. Store batteries in a cool place, 50 to 65F. If storing more than a week, just let them naturally discharge to 60% by NOT pushing the battery button. Each time you push the battery button it resets the 2-10 day clock to discharge the battery by itself. Correct - but storage is fine in ambient domestic environment ... some people actually put LiPo's in fridge as cooling reduces any self damaging effects.
3. Don't let the battery sit for long periods charged at 15%, depleted from flying. Charge them immediately after flying to 60%, or 100% if you plan to fly within a few days. Actually online reports by such as Battery University and other knowledgeable sites such as manufacturers do not advise charging any LiPo up to 60% for storage. Note that even DJI's own auto discharge takes a pack below 60% after its user set time. It actually continues to a significantly low figure and then hibernation mode. As to charging to 100% ... even charged at 100% for short time causes increase of Internal Resistance and this is accumulative and non-recoverable. Unless you are going to use pack that day or early next - please do not charge to 100% ...
4. Keep them dry from moisture when storing. Correct
5. Don't let them sit in your car overnight at -20F when discharged. Correct. If you do this - then bring pack into only a moderate warm environment and let it warm up slowly - do not put under a heater for example ..
6. Monitor each individual cell voltage of each battery in the Go4 app, insuring the deltas are no more than .15V between cells when charged or discharged. If they do deviate this much, consistently, it may be time to retire the battery. As a last resort you could try calibrating, but most people I've heard from says it doesn't help. Go4 is for P4 but basically yes ... deviation is not so good ... it basically means that cell will work hard and deteriorate faster than the others ... it may even voltage drop enough to shorten flight significantly. You can discharge to a moderately low value - certainly not the 8% that some advise !! and then recharge - You may get a temporary reprise. But damage is permanent. Second that DJI system does not actually allow proper balancing of cells and terminates charge once TOTAL voltage is reached.
7. If you see signs of bulging of the cells, it's time to retire the battery. Correct ... keep for bench testing / updating etc. - any use where flight power not needed.
8. If you drop a battery and physically damage a cell, such as putting dent in the cell (not the plastic, but a cell itself), this becomes a high risk battery. I wouldn't keep it in my house, IMO. This is debatable and personal choice. I have a number of 'creased' LiPo's that are still in good use but I keep careful eye on them. Puncturing of cell foil is the BIG NO-NO !!
9. When flying in cold climates, make sure the batteries are warm (50F to 70F) before take off to maximize flight time and the health of the battery. In cold climates use Zippo hand warmers, or rechargable handwarmers inside an igloo ice chest to store batteries to keep them warm. There are various ways to warm batterys, I use the Turnigy Battery Warmer bag ... cheap and effective. I also put batterys inside my coat if only going for a quickie flight.
10. Don't deplete the battery to 10% unless you have too. Try to target landing no lower than 25%, preferably 30% to be gentle on battery integrity. Correct ... going below 25% increases risk of causing a rise in internal resistance and damage to cells. The practice of deep discharge should be totally outlawed and actually even DJI do not recc'd it anymore. Flying to 30% and land means that once pack rests - it rebounds back to about 35% or more ... fine for storage - no need to top up. BUt if left for more than a reasonable period - you should check to make sure it is not dropping too low .. possibly a short top up to be safe then.
I am not knocking Johns post ... as we all arrive at our own views on various subjects. I am just adding what is the generally accepted for LiPo's and verified by many online authors far more knowledgable about this than I can ever hope to be.
Nigel
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The damage done by this if repeated too often will accumulate and is irreversible.
If you KNOW you will not need battery for 2 - 3 days why charge up ?
Second even if you have auto discharge set for longer than 2 - 3 days (not actually a good idea !) ... the pack will self discharge a small amount and its better to give it a top-up just before flying. How ? Switch on battery and then plug in charger. This over-rides the circuit that prevents charge if battery is over ~90% charged.
Remember that you may see 4 green LED's on check - but they are based on a wide range for each LED and does NOT mean 100%. Refer Manual and you will see what I mean.
Nigel
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Keep it simple. If you plan on flying, then charge the batteries you're going to use the day you fly (or as close as possible to the day you're going to fly if you cannot charge them the same day).
Plus besides allowing the flight pack to cool down before i put on the charger...I also allow the RC pack to cool down too..you can sure feel the heat thru the RC case......beings im right next to my flying field the RC units still warm when i get back inside after a Very Fun nice time flying my P3 SE !
