P4 controller charging issue SOLVED

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After a long hiatus from the forum (life happens) I thought I’d jump back in with what I believe to be the resolution to the charging issue that appears to be plaguing these controllers.

I pulled the bird out of storage for the winter to find the controller at around 20% battery. I plugged it in and an hour later the lights were off which I thought was odd. Anyhow lo and behold, I discovered the charging epidemic.

I can confirm that this is NOT a battery or firmware issue but rather a circuit board issue in the RC. I pulled the battery and tested voltage and it read 8.4v which is a full charge for the 2S1P battery inside. Like the countless others, my RC would only charge to approximately 60-65% on average using the USB port. Using the charging port would give me 30% at best.

Anyhow, I purchased another battery off of eBay and after externally charging to 8.4v, I put it in my RC. Once again 2 lights and 64% in the DJI app.

I found a post on the DJI forum where a member posted a video regarding reflowing of the circuitboard. Being out of warranty I figured why not give it a try IT WORKED! All 4 RC lights are lit and the DJI app reads 99%

I ran the controller battery down to 50% today and plugged it in and it took a full charge. What has happened to the RC really should not have happened under normal operating conditions (storage none the less). You see this type of thing happening in high temperature gaming systems and components that typically generate a lot of heat such as laptops. In short, the solder connections on the circuitboard begin to deteriorate and it begins to fail. Reheating the circuitboard to a specific temperature, holding and then allowing it to cool off slowly can many instances repair it as it did for me. In fact, I understand that there is a pilot in Brazil that offers the reflowing service on DJ I controllers that are out of warranty.

In any event, your mileage may vary. It sure explains why some people are reporting to get replacement controllers that are problematic right out of the box or buying brand new units that have the problem right out of the box. It’s simply a manufacturing process or engineering deficiency that they are simply not taking responsibility for.
 
So it's possible to charge the controller through the micro usb port? Anyway, i have the same problem (battery charge stops at 60-70%). I am undecided whether to send the remote to repair or try the reflow procedure...
 
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So it's possible to charge the controller through the micro usb port? Anyway, i have the same problem (battery charge stops at 60-70%). I am undecided whether to send the remote to repair or try the reflow procedure...

Understand that the battery has a PCB in it that will stop juice to the battery when it is full (8.4v). Using the micro USB and a .5 amp or lower AC adapter may or may not help depending if your problem is an out of balance battery or a bad charging circuit in the controller. If you can get 70% from the AC charger then it’s worth trying the micro USB. The only way to know for sure is to take a meter to the battery.

If your controlling is out of warranty, repair is going to hit you with a bill which may or may not equate to the cost of a new controller anyhow. If you have the knowledge I would say at a minimum meter your battery so you know with certainty where the problem is.
 
I sent my out of warranty controller to DJI and they repaired it for free when I had this same problem.

It’s a no-brainer if your controller is still under warranty. I have the original P4 so I was well out of warranty and had nothing to lose since I had no intention of flying the bird with a controller that only charged to 60% and would go dead after two flights.
 
I sent my out of warranty controller to DJI and they repaired it for free when I had this same problem.

Sent mine at DJI Netherlands two days ago, the repair center received it this morning, after one hour i received an email saying it will be replaced with another unit, in warranty (even if buyed in december 2016), no charge.

Great work DJI!
 
Here is the very cheap and relatively easy solution for many of you folks:
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Making a long story short because the level of customer service despite warranty limitations, etc. is just getting ridiculous not only with DJI but other tech companies as well. Seems like it's gone from really giving a **** about customer's to not.

I also came from a long hiatus only to find my controller no longer charging. After reading thru this thread and having the hope of DJI helping a brotha out, I decided to give it a shot and sent it in. Sure enough, they came back after a day with an estimate, $200+, to "repair" the controller. Yes, R-E-P-A-I-R. Repair a device that has been given a self-destruct date from the day the last piece was placed onto it. The least they could do is put a date on the device (or maybe that's what the warranty's for?) like a carton of milk.

Anyway, I'm over it and am just awaiting the return of the controller and will attempt the reflow since I'm no longer bound by the warranty exceptions as stated by their reply to my disappointment with this page: After-Sales Service Policies - DJI

Thanks DJI for the exceptional lack of respect for customer loyalty.

TL;DR - BEWARE, YOU'RE DJI PRODUCT HAS A LIMITED SHELF LIFE. AT LEAST IF IT'S NOT USED ON A REGULAR BASIS.

#micdrop #rantover
 
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