Dual Battery Mod

Gimpster said:
I would like to experiment with some lihv, but I really don't want to buy another charger. I have an iCharger, but max cell voltage is 4.3 on lithium battery mode :( They don't have any newer firmware either that support lihv, guess I'll have to email them. Surely it can do another .05v.
Click to expand...
My icharger does 4.35 no problem.
 
First, I'm digging all the info on this thread, it's good stuff. Consolidating a list of the most common configuration/setups (what works, common issues, etc) would help, but looks like we are all figuring this out as we go :)

I've got the following setup:
Multi Battery...

Multi Battery...

  • Media owner kwatts
  • Date added
- Phantom 3A
- Dual battery mod with multistar 5200 3S 11.1V

First, how are people charging the LIPO? I'm charging it with my iCharger (as can use the battery balancing) prior to attaching. I'm reading about charging it with the DJI battery, how can you do this w/out connecting the cell balancer?

And -- when finally getting this bird in the air, it quickly starts draining the DJI battery and I didn't have it up long (less than 5 minutes). Bringing it down, the DJI battery was SUPER hot to the touch. I've attached the multistar 5200 underneath the ultrasonic sensor, and the app didn't seem to like that - GPS etc never really locked in.

Thanks - any advice here on this setup would be a big help...
 
kwatts said:
First, I'm digging all the info on this thread, it's good stuff. Consolidating a list of the most common configuration/setups (what works, common issues, etc) would help, but looks like we are all figuring this out as we go :)

I've got the following setup:
Multi Battery...

Multi Battery...

  • Media owner kwatts
  • Date added
- Phantom 3A
- Dual battery mod with multistar 5200 3S 11.1V

First, how are people charging the LIPO? I'm charging it with my iCharger (as can use the battery balancing) prior to attaching. I'm reading about charging it with the DJI battery, how can you do this w/out connecting the cell balancer?

And -- when finally getting this bird in the air, it quickly starts draining the DJI battery and I didn't have it up long (less than 5 minutes). Bringing it down, the DJI battery was SUPER hot to the touch. I've attached the multistar 5200 underneath the ultrasonic sensor, and the app didn't seem to like that - GPS etc never really locked in.

Thanks - any advice here on this setup would be a big help...
Click to expand...
Check that battery again and let me know did you say 3S 11.1 V. Because that will not work with your PA 4Sbattery. And that would answer why your main batteries getting fried
 
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+1 on the batt voltage(s).
 
Yeah that doesn't make any sense dig, how are you gonna fly 29 minutes and still have 80% battery nobody's found that mod yet. Something don't add up about that part
 
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dirtybum said:
Yeah that doesn't make any sense dig, how are you gonna fly 29 minutes and still have 80% battery nobody's found that mod yet. Something don't add up about that part
Click to expand...

Thanks DB, I was thinking that too. I know that the power read wont be accurate from the get go, and once its down to ~25min left, it will start to read properly. Or, that's what i have learned .. for those flying battery mods, whats your experience like with accuracy of battery % and remaining flight time? Does it appear to be pretty close, and take into account the externals?
Thanks again to all.
 
Last edited:
The app can't read the percentage of the externals it only reads the main battery so the percentage that it shows is the percentage that your main battery has left. Although your percentage will go down slower because of the juice being fed in by the externals. So your battery percentage should be correct. The only reason it would autoland with such a high percentage would be because of one of the cells being so low. I would definitely charge it all up again and give it a short range test. Personally I've had trouble with my horizon modded battery with the balance plug and so have two other pilots that I know of. My opinion is that charging the split pack through the main battery sometimes causes the main battery to be unbalanced and might be hard on the main battery. If you have an LiHV capable charger I would recommend charge in the split pack that way and the main battery with the DJI charger
 
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dirtybum said:
The app can't read the percentage of the externals it only reads the main battery so the percentage that it shows is the percentage that your main battery has left. Although your percentage will go down slower because of the juice being fed in by the externals. So your battery percentage should be correct. The only reason it would autoland with such a high percentage would be because of one of the cells being so low. I would definitely charge it all up again and give it a short range test. Personally I've had trouble with my horizon modded battery with the balance plug and so have two other pilots that I know of. My opinion is that charging the split pack through the main battery sometimes causes the main battery to be unbalanced and might be hard on the main battery. If you have an LiHV capable charger I would recommend charge in the split pack that way and the main battery with the DJI charger
Click to expand...
Reposting db's post for emphasis - it has a lot of good info. I have used the Db method of charging and it has worked perfectly for me.
 
dirtybum said:
If you're just going to junk it Kwatts, you can donate it to 'ol dirtybum and I'll put some distance on my P2 with it[emoji41]
I mean considering I practically saved you from burning your phantom3 & house down[emoji41]
Click to expand...

done, send me your address
 
Interestingly enough, there's no customer contact info on Hyperion corporate website. There's a contact for resellers, and that's that. Warranty is expected to be handled by resellers.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
 
Finally finished putting together my dual battery setup and wanted to share the final product with everyone. Its a Horizons FPV Battery mod with the 5200 LiHV split power pack. I got some cf trays from RCHobby, they turned out to be too small for the landing gear so i modded them and used some zip ties and a few holes in the legs. I think it turned out quite well, it fits nicely and looks good. I've put two, 8min flights on the batteries and its flying well. Hope to get more time later after family obligations are gone :)

Thanks again to everyone here for sharing information, this has been an amazing place to learn information and be with like minded folks.

Pics:
43OIqWa.jpg

5DTl9Zb.jpg

QxaPttW.jpg

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UgQ9UIa.jpg
 
Last edited:
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