Battery Cycling

[Numone]

I've just received my Phantom Angel Battery Discharger/Conditioner (its excellent BTW!) and have a question re "cycling" or "conditioning" batteries.

I have all four batteries in storage state at present, so around 60%. My question is, to undertake a "conditioning" discharge, do the batteries have to be fully charged, or could I undertake this at their present 60%?

 

[Mark The Droner]

Sounds like you're interested in doing a deep discharge. There have been relatively recent changes regarding deep discharge strategy. The new strategy is not to do deep discharges unless you think you need it. The 20-cycle strategy is out dated. So you might want to research that regarding what you think is DJI's current advice per your aircraft and battery.

Otherwise, the correct way to do a deep discharge is to charge your battery fully first, then do the deep discharge, then charge your battery fully again. Then fly.

 

[N017RW]

DoD has serious implications on battery life.

With regards to 'conditioning'... that is all about the associated smart/intelligent electronics.
BU-603: How to Calibrate a “Smart” Battery – Battery University

 

[alokbhargava]

I've just received my Phantom Angel Battery Discharger/Conditioner (its excellent BTW!) and have a question re "cycling" or "conditioning" batteries.

I have all four batteries in storage state at present, so around 60%. My question is, to undertake a "conditioning" discharge, do the batteries have to be fully charged, or could I undertake this at their present 60%?

Yes if you want to recover the lost capacity and recalibrate your batteries for accurate readings, you should go for deep cycling. Many people do different things but what I do is following:

Normal battery capacity after full charge is about 4400 mAh. It slowly goes down after use for few months. I check it and if it goes down below say 4000 mAH level, I go for deep discharge cycle which is: charge to 100%>>>> Discharge to say 4% >>>> charge to 100% and check its capacity. You will see drastic recovery. As the battery ages, it will lose its capacity but deep cycling will calibrate it, meaning it will tell what's the capacity at 100%. This will ensure your bird calculates critical voltage level with better accuracy.


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[Numone]

Yes if you want to recover the lost capacity and recalibrate your batteries for accurate readings, you should go for deep cycling. Many people do different things but what I do is following:

Normal battery capacity after full charge is about 4400 mAh. It slowly goes down after use for few months. I check it and if it goes down below say 4000 mAH level, I go for deep discharge cycle which is: charge to 100%>>>> Discharge to say 4% >>>> charge to 100% and check its capacity. You will see drastic recovery. As the battery ages, it will lose its capacity but deep cycling will calibrate it, meaning it will tell what's the capacity at 100%. This will ensure your bird calculates critical voltage level with better accuracy.


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Thanks very much for the info. I'll recharge the batteries before cycling. Also, what do you use to check the capacity of the battery?

 

[alokbhargava]

Thanks very much for the info. I'll recharge the batteries before cycling. Also, what do you use to check the capacity of the battery?

DJI Go App will display its capacity


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[Numone]

DJI Go App will display its capacity


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Ahhh right, thanks...

 

[PDX1953]

I've just received my Phantom Angel Battery Discharger/Conditioner (its excellent BTW!) and have a question re "cycling" or "conditioning" batteries.

I have all four batteries in storage state at present, so around 60%. My question is, to undertake a "conditioning" discharge, do the batteries have to be fully charged, or could I undertake this at their present 60%?

How do I get in touch with this company? I didn't see any contact info on their web page.

 

[Numone]

How do I get in touch with this company? I didn't see any contact info on their web page.

[email protected]

 

[PDX1953]

[email protected]

Thanks!!

 

[Numone]

Thanks!!

NP. It's excellent too btw....

 

[solentlife]

Deep discharge is a myth and proven many times. Lipo's do not recover .... do not lose capacity ....

What happens is internal resistance climbs as a pack gets used. Unfortunately it is not level across a pack and often one cell is significantly worse than another. The charger then has difficulty charging the high resistance cell causing an apparent capacity reduction. Where in fact that cell has not reached full charge. The DJI system dies not allow charger to continue balancing yo equalise cells as a normal RC lipo will with common lipo charger.

Internal resistance is non-recoverable .... all that happens is that cycling appears to correct caoacity - but actually all that has happened is charger has been able to charge that bad cell a little more .... one or two flights later - its back again.

The myth of 'calibrating' is exactly that .... a myth generated by someone in the last who failed to understand lipo chemistry.

The only time a lipo may benefit from forming cycle is when new and then you do it by slow charging at no more than 1C and then discharge to about 10% .... charge up again. That's it ... finish.

I always hope that one day DJI will wake up to the wider world and allow us to access the battery packs as we do with most other RC gear .... true balancing ... true user control of battery.

Nigel