P3A fell out of sky... can someone look at data and explain???

newbie here - sitting at my desk waiting for UPS and my Phantom 3 Advanced. I have a quick question regarding the responses to the OP question. I have been reading and watching videos to educate myself before flying for the first time. I have seen posts stating that you shouldn't charge a battery unless it is dead (so don't recharge say a battery that is at 60%). So what do you do to discharge the battery if it is unsafe to fly? Don't mean to start back up the conversation about whether you should fly with a battery thats fully charged or not and Sorry for the thread hijack but thought it was ok since it was based on advice given here.

You make a good point!


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
The reason is the first case (battery sitting and maybe into self discharge mode) the actual charge level is a GUESS.

No its not.

If you have battery voltage, temperature, load (pretty much zero when not flying) and battery specs, you have all you need to give a pretty darn accurate capacity estimate, even if it has been sitting on the shelve or self discharging (which the battery also knows). The only potential unknown is the battery condition, but even that is data the intelligent battery has access to. And especially a no load measurement, ie, before take off, is really straight forward.

Maybe DJI bungled this in a previous firmware, maybe in the current too, but that doesnt mean its voodoo or somehow impossible.
 
I have seen posts stating that you shouldn't charge a battery unless it is dead (so don't recharge say a battery that is at 60%).

Which is not true. Dont believe everything you read. If anything the opposite is true, dont discharge a fresh battery below ~40-50% for the first 5 or so cycles, your battery will last longer.
 
Which is not true. Dont believe everything you read. If anything the opposite is true, dont discharge a fresh battery below ~40-50% for the first 5 or so cycles, your battery will last longer.

I generally don't believe everything, just trying to learn what is right. So, forget the new battery part, lets say i have a well used battery at 60%, do i charge it before flight or discharge it first, then recharge? and how do you discharge. I have a little RC experience, my charger for my rc cars has a discharge feature but not sure if these have a similar feature built in.
 
I have seen posts stating that you shouldn't charge a battery unless it is dead (so don't recharge say a battery that is at 60%).
It's perfectly fine to recharge a battery from 60% (or any other level).
 
  • Like
Reactions: D'sAdvanced
lets say i have a well used battery at 60%, do i charge it before flight or discharge it first
Charge it completely. There is no need to discharge it first.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fifty7
Yes -

When the Li-Ions first came out around 2000, we were taught it was best not to charge them if they were partially charged because they had a memory. We were told it was best to keep using them until they got down to around 30% or so. Then we could fully charge them.

None of that applies to these newer generation Lipos. You can charge them from whatever charge they happen to be to full charge whenever you want. There is no memory to worry about.
 
Yes -

When the Li-Ions first came out around 2000, we were taught it was best not to charge them if they were partially charged because they had a memory. We were told it was best to keep using them until they got down to around 30% or so. Then we could fully charge them.

None of that applies to these newer generation Lipos. You can charge them from whatever charge they happen to be to full charge whenever you want. There is no memory to worry about.

Awesome thanks. As we speak I just signed for it, now i can't wait to leave work, get home and unbox it.
 
Maybe you're not feeling very well at the moment. You're feeling a little light-headed and a bit naseous, and you'll have to leave a little early this afternoon...
This guy must be psychic or something. Thats EXACTLY how i feel. lol. Actually its about 96 degrees in NY right now and feels like its over 100 so i have no desire to go stand in the sun for any reason. I will get home charge everything up and play with the simulator and the setup for a while and then hopefully when the sun starts going down do a short test flight.
 
I generally don't believe everything, just trying to learn what is right. So, forget the new battery part, lets say i have a well used battery at 60%, do i charge it before flight or discharge it first, then recharge? and how do you discharge. I have a little RC experience, my charger for my rc cars has a discharge feature but not sure if these have a similar feature built in.

The first part of your question has been answered already by others (just charge it).

But you can configure the battery to discharge itself (slowly) after x days in the DJI software. I think it defaults to 10 days. This is because its not good for lipo's to store long term when fully charged.
 
The first part of your question has been answered already by others (just charge it).

But you can configure the battery to discharge itself (slowly) after x days in the DJI software. I think it defaults to 10 days. This is because its not good for lipo's to store long term when fully charged.

Thanks again
 
I also had my P3S delivered at work. No way i could resist opening it and at least charging the batteries.
My P3A arrived on a day off. I drove intro midtown Manhattan to pick it up :D
 
  • Like
Reactions: Digdat0
I also had my P3S delivered at work. No way i could resist opening it and at least charging the batteries.
My P3A arrived on a day off. I drove intro midtown Manhattan to pick it up :D
I'm in Staten Island and it was to be delivered today. Yesterday i received a notification that they tried to deliver yesterday. :mad: Could've had my first flight under my belt and probably would have called out sick today :p
 
I'm in Staten Island and it was to be delivered today. Yesterday i received a notification that they tried to deliver yesterday. :mad: Could've had my first flight under my belt and probably would have called out sick today :p
Don't trust that. I often have deliveries scheduled for Saturday. They simply put business closed and don't attempt the delivery
 
I have seen posts stating that you shouldn't charge a battery unless it is dead (so don't recharge say a battery that is at 60%).
that is not correct. If you have a partially discharged battery you should charge it before flying. The only time you should not charge a battery is when it is still warm after flying. Allow it to cool completely then recharge.

So what do you do to discharge the battery if it is unsafe to fly?.
Well you allow it to cool, if you have just finished flying, then you recharge it. If the battery is only a little discharged e.g. 98% charged it will not charge when you plug it in. In that instance turn the battery on then plug it in to "top-off" the battery.
 
I don't know that it is an issue to fly on a partially charged battery anymore. I do know that they have addressed the issue in firmware updates. That being said, I still don't fly unless I have a fully charged battery. About all I will do is takeoff and after checking exposure... Land make an adjustment and take off. If I actually put the bird away to change locations I use a new battery.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

Some of these crashes may be coming from those that never did the revised update. Or never knew about it, or how to check if it has been added.

But then again, maybe dji wants them to drop? Most of the members that was here in 2014 and early 2015 should remember when there were similar issues taking place. It seems like each time we get near a new model release these same ole things begin to pop up here & there. It's like they want a good roll out on the new model
 
  • Like
Reactions: kirk2579
Newbie here ,

Want to introduce myself to this forum.
Waiting for my Phantom 3 Advanced, it will be delivered FedEx on Wednesday.
I am doing as much research as possible.
I am also studying to obtain my FAA commercial license to fly my drone for commercial purposes, company that I work for.
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
143,066
Messages
1,467,355
Members
104,934
Latest member
jody.paugh@fullerandsons.