DJI Official Battery Heater

That is the reason to use flight battery to warm the battery internal whilst creating more warmth. It is a very efficient system if you think about it.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
True. Using the same battery will heat it up itself but I expect little more intelligence into it.
 
I'm a big believer in warming batteries before a cold winter flight.

It seems people are disappointed because it uses battery energy to warm itself. But if the alternative is to insert it cold into the aircraft on a cold winter day, you're going to waste energy anyway because you can't fly with a cold battery. I think the battery warmer would do a better job than the battery warming itself while in the aircraft.

But yeah, I'd rather have a battery warmer that used 12 V DC or something like that. Or even 110 AC. Otherwise, I'd use an inside coat pocket. Still - at least they're thinking along the lines of a battery warmer which is a good thing.
 
That is the reason to use flight battery to warm the battery internal whilst creating more warmth. It is a very efficient system if you think about it.
It also eats up your already marginal flight time. To me its very inefficient use of energy. You are trading flight time for heat.

This is the sort of thing I am talking about cannibalizing. 5V 1.5A USB Cooler / Heat Warmer for Coffee Tea Cup Beverage Drink Cans Bottle

It uses a peltier device to heat AND cool. Which it does depends on the polarity of the power applied. They are small and efficient. These can then be powered by your vehicle (via cigarette outlet adaptor) or by a portable USB power box (something along these lines 6000mAh Dual USB Portable Charger External Battery Pack Power Bank Power Supply )

By using external power, you maximize flight time. Heat the battery. And with a flip of the switch, it becomes a battery cooler to cool the battery down after flight for charging (hot weather).

Another option but it would require vehicle power or other 12v source:
12V 6L Portable Car Cool Box Cooler Warmer Electric Fridge Heater Refrigerator
 
I just use the heaters in the car while i'm out keeps me warm as well as warming the lipo! :) Just rest over the vents in the windscreen while it warms up.
 
I think the DJI warmer is an excellent design and will be perfect for what I want to use it for so I am considering buying one or two for this upcoming winter season. Yes using a car to keep it warm or an external heater that plugs into the lighter socket would work if I was just flying nearby my car, but that won't work when I am snowshoeing and have my P3S in its backpack, or when I go out on my skidoo and have the phantom in its hard case in my sled. It can get pretty cold out on a frozen lake on a skidoo. With this battery heater I can actually look forward to flying my phantom in winter.
 
There is a much better solution that plugs into your car ciggy socket or is happy to run of a standard 3S LiPo / 12V NiMh pack etc....

Does not use the DJI battery it is keeping warm .. I can get 3 P3 batterys into the 'bag' ... I can set the temperature I want ....

Turnigy Programmable Lipo Battery Warmer Bag (12v DC)

33990.jpg


Why waste your DJI charge on doing something that can be sorted by other means AND cheaper ...

Another idea I use : I have Picnic Cooler bags ... one is designed for a 6 pack of beer ... and a larger one for food / pop bottles etc. I keep them open inside the house to warm up ... put batterys in ... close bag ... put in car and go fly. I open only to get battery out and close immediately - leaving in the car. A used battery being warm - is placed into a separate bag but in the cooler bag to help keep temperature up.

Simple. Works.

I fly in temps that freeze monkeys **** !

Nigel
 
I think the DJI warmer is an excellent design and will be perfect for what I want to use it for so I am considering buying one or two for this upcoming winter season. Yes using a car to keep it warm or an external heater that plugs into the lighter socket would work if I was just flying nearby my car, but that won't work when I am snowshoeing and have my P3S in its backpack, or when I go out on my skidoo and have the phantom in its hard case in my sled. It can get pretty cold out on a frozen lake on a skidoo. With this battery heater I can actually look forward to flying my phantom in winter.

Personally I think its crap !! Why would you want to use up precious battery charge ?

The LiPo Warmsack from Hobby king is a far better solution ... and is portable ... it only needs a $5 3S small LiPo to power it ...

Nigel
 
Personally I think its crap !! Why would you want to use up precious battery charge ?

The LiPo Warmsack from Hobby king is a far better solution ... and is portable ... it only needs a $5 3S small LiPo to power it ...

Nigel
Nigel,
Thanks for the info. That looks like a good alternative to DJI's solution, but what keeps the lipo that powers the bag warm? I will not have access to a car cig lighter while backpacking or skiidooing and if the lipo that powers the bag gets cold which it will in Jan temps of -20 to -30 deg c then it will likely not work. Also I may be out in the cold for quite some time before I find a site to fly at.
 
The power demand from the lipo for the sack is very low .. and will work in low temps ... I'm out in -10 .. -15C and no problem with it.

You could if you wanted extend the lead and place the lipo INSIDE the sack as well ... its just like a normal LiPo sack - with a strong velcro closing.

I have been thinking to fix velcro to the back of the sack to attach my small 800mAh 3S lipo to ... that way its all one.

Nigel
 
The power demand from the lipo for the sack is very low .. and will work in low temps ... I'm out in -10 .. -15C and no problem with it.

You could if you wanted extend the lead and place the lipo INSIDE the sack as well ... its just like a normal LiPo sack - with a strong velcro closing.

I have been thinking to fix velcro to the back of the sack to attach my small 800mAh 3S lipo to ... that way its all one.

Nigel
I might just try this sack and see how it goes. I could probably use one of my lipos that I have for my Syma x8g to power the sack. I will check the link for Hobby King above. Hopefully they have reasonable shipping costs to Canada. Been caught a couple of times where duty and brokerage fees have jacked up a price exponentially.

Thanks for the info.

Chris
 
Suggest looking into their US Warehouse .... Hobby King maintain warehouses in various places ...

You could even try eBay as many HK items come up there...

Nigel
 
Suggest looking into their US Warehouse .... Hobby King maintain warehouses in various places ...

You could even try eBay as many HK items come up there...

Nigel
Thanks Nigel, will look into it and likely try it out. Thanks for the great idea.!

Chris
 
I have the warming bag, not sure on how to power it. Please advise.

Thanks


There is a much better solution that plugs into your car ciggy socket or is happy to run of a standard 3S LiPo / 12V NiMh pack etc....

Does not use the DJI battery it is keeping warm .. I can get 3 P3 batterys into the 'bag' ... I can set the temperature I want ....

Turnigy Programmable Lipo Battery Warmer Bag (12v DC)

33990.jpg


Why waste your DJI charge on doing something that can be sorted by other means AND cheaper ...

Another idea I use : I have Picnic Cooler bags ... one is designed for a 6 pack of beer ... and a larger one for food / pop bottles etc. I keep them open inside the house to warm up ... put batterys in ... close bag ... put in car and go fly. I open only to get battery out and close immediately - leaving in the car. A used battery being warm - is placed into a separate bag but in the cooler bag to help keep temperature up.

Simple. Works.

I fly in temps that freeze monkeys **** !

Nigel
 
I have the warming bag, not sure on how to power it. Please advise.

Thanks

Any 12v source .... but best is a 3S LiPo ..... as designed.

If you get hold of XT60 plugs ... you can make a lead to connect to it from your car lighter socket.

Nigel
 
Got my Turnigy LiPo Battery Warmer yesterday from Hobby King. Powered it with one of my 3S LiPo Batteries that I use for my Syma X8G drone and it worked perfectly. Didn't take long to warm up at all (in the house). I can probably fit two of my P3 batteries in there at one time. What temp do you set it at, 25C or 30C? It has been an unusually warm fall here so would not have needed it yet but it came just in time as the temps are starting to drop. Usually by this time in October we have had many days with freezing temps and a few dustings of snow, but not this year.

Anyway, thanks again Nigel for the link to the warmer - very much appreciate it.

Chris
 
I set mine to low - as I don't think we need it high.

Cheers
Nigel
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
143,066
Messages
1,467,358
Members
104,935
Latest member
Pauos31