How to keep my batteries heathy?

[Rip]

I have a P3A and want to know how to keep the batteries healthy, in the DJI GO app I see the flight batteries are set to do discharge after 10 days, I assume this is OK?

But more importantly, how to I look after the controller and it's battery? The reason I'm a little paranoid about the controller is because both me and my Brother bought used P3A's this week and neither of the controllers would charge up fully, luckily my Brothers will charge to 3 lights (about 70%) so it's still useable but mine now won't charge past 1 light or sometimes 2. I've actually had to buy a brand new controller for £250 which made that £400 good deal turn out to cost £650... I've tried all sorts of 'fixes' including resetting it to physically taking the battery out and plugging it back in again but I'm guessing something on the circuit board isn't reading the battery voltage properly tricking it into thinking the battery is full and just stopping the charging process prematurely. I would like to just buy a replacement battery to see if that's the issue as 2S LiPo's are usually pretty cheap but I can't seem to find one for sale anywhere that would just be a direct replacement?

Both of the previous owners of our P3A's said that they hadn't used them in about 6 months and that they were charging fine when last used so I can only assume that the damage has been done when they were being stored, obviously I don't want this to happen to my brand new controller if it ends up sitting unused for a few months (which is almost inevitable at some point).

Also I believe the flight batteries are intelligent so they can be topped up and charged whenever without needing to be ran almost flat first? But what about the controllers battery, should I use it down to about 25% and then recharge it or can I keep topping it up as and when?

 

[Rip]

?

 

[Erised]

To store keep your batteries around 50% (when the third light start to flash) I have a P4 and the charging hub has a storage setting. Your controler I leave store around 50% also. I just fly until the third light flashes and don't recharge. Try to fly your batteries down to 20% max, sometimes you will have to go more but try not to, once cool charge them to 50% and store, on fly day charge to 100%. If you don't fly that day a few days are ok but I try to at least get them down to 50% (it's a good reason to fly a bit more) When your RC battery starts to flash the second light it's time to recharge. Keep your batteries stored in a cool place and never in your car parked in the sun, heat kills. The life of the battery is dependent on how hard you fly and how you store. My 4 batteries are 16 months old with around 70+ charges and they still light up all 4 lights for battery life. Never store LIPO batts drained. Have fun fly safe.

 

[Rip]

To store keep your batteries around 50% (when the third light start to flash) I have a P4 and the charging hub has a storage setting. Your controler I leave store around 50% also. I just fly until the third light flashes and don't recharge. Try to fly your batteries down to 20% max, sometimes you will have to go more but try not to, once cool charge them to 50% and store, on fly day charge to 100%. If you don't fly that day a few days are ok but I try to at least get them down to 50% (it's a good reason to fly a bit more) When your RC battery starts to flash the second battery it's time to recharge. Keep your batteries stored in a cool place and never in your car parked in the sun, heat kills. The life of the battery is dependent on how hard you fly and how you store. My 4 batteries are 16 months old with around 70+ charges and they still light up all 4 lights for battery life. Never store LIPO batts drained. Have fun fly safe.

Thank you.

 

[solentlife]

I have a P3A and want to know how to keep the batteries healthy, in the DJI GO app I see the flight batteries are set to do discharge after 10 days, I assume this is OK?

First this is not good to leave for 10 days before auto-storage discharge starts. I would suggest alter this to 3days. The least time a LiPo sits at full charge the better. Damage is accumulative and cannot be recovered.

But more importantly, how to I look after the controller and it's battery? The reason I'm a little paranoid about the controller is because both me and my Brother bought used P3A's this week and neither of the controllers would charge up fully, luckily my Brothers will charge to 3 lights (about 70%) so it's still useable but mine now won't charge past 1 light or sometimes 2. I've actually had to buy a brand new controller for £250 which made that £400 good deal turn out to cost £650... I've tried all sorts of 'fixes' including resetting it to physically taking the battery out and plugging it back in again but I'm guessing something on the circuit board isn't reading the battery voltage properly tricking it into thinking the battery is full and just stopping the charging process prematurely. I would like to just buy a replacement battery to see if that's the issue as 2S LiPo's are usually pretty cheap but I can't seem to find one for sale anywhere that would just be a direct replacement?

There is nothing special about the LiPo in the controller - as you correctly deduce - its a 2S and all you need to do is find similar capacity LiPo and fit required plug.

Probable reason the batterys were bad in your controllers - guy likely left the controllers fully charged in storage. DJI have not given us access to the batterys or a system of storage discharge as with flight batterys. So only way is to switch on and leave it to discharge till only two LEDs are on. That would be a good level to store for appreciable time ...
But if you are a regular user and only leave controller for a week or so - then not worth it. The power demand on controller battery is far lower and a LiPo can have significant internal reduction before you have any problems.

Both of the previous owners of our P3A's said that they hadn't used them in about 6 months and that they were charging fine when last used so I can only assume that the damage has been done when they were being stored, obviously I don't want this to happen to my brand new controller if it ends up sitting unused for a few months (which is almost inevitable at some point).

If you leave for months .. only way really is to either remove the batterys and put to storage level of 30 - 50% ... or charge up fully and leave alone in the controller. Reason as given above.

Also I believe the flight batteries are intelligent so they can be topped up and charged whenever without needing to be ran almost flat first? But what about the controllers battery, should I use it down to about 25% and then recharge it or can I keep topping it up as and when?

Storage charge is between 3.7V and 3.85V .... that is 20 - 50% ....

If you fly to 30% low battery alarm - then there is absolutely no need to top up charge to 50%. At any level down to 20% you can remove from AC and be happy to store.

Last point - DO NOT do deep discharge to 5 - 8% battery ... unless you want to risk shortening its life. Even DJI no longer suggest Deep Discharges - except some moderators on their Forum and the yet to be edited owners manual. The Battery Manual is already modified and deep discharge is removed from it.
If you want to have best charge - then switch on battery before charging ... that over-rides the internal board and makes sure a full charge is given.

Hope that above helps.

Nigel

 

[solentlife]

To store keep your batteries around 50% (when the third light start to flash) I have a P4 and the charging hub has a storage setting. Your controler I leave store around 50% also. I just fly until the third light flashes and don't recharge. Try to fly your batteries down to 20% max, sometimes you will have to go more but try not to, once cool charge them to 50% and store, on fly day charge to 100%. If you don't fly that day a few days are ok but I try to at least get them down to 50% (it's a good reason to fly a bit more) When your RC battery starts to flash the second light it's time to recharge. Keep your batteries stored in a cool place and never in your car parked in the sun, heat kills. The life of the battery is dependent on how hard you fly and how you store. My 4 batteries are 16 months old with around 70+ charges and they still light up all 4 lights for battery life. Never store LIPO batts drained. Have fun fly safe.

Absolutely no need to topup to 50% ....

20 - 50% is recc'd storage, with 30 - 35% as prime.

Nigel