Will it Hurt my Phantom 3 Battery by leaving it in an unheated garage in sub-freezing temperatures? Garage interior temp drops below freezing.
Question, Batteries may Freeze
- Thread starter Realtor Bob
- Start date
ryantrax
Approved Vendor
According to DJI the ideal storage temp is 22-28C. It doesn't mention not to store below a certain temp but says never to store above 60C.
Freezing a battery will probably not damage it, but I wouldn't do it. The problem is when you bring it back to room temperature. Condensation can form and that can short out the battery. If you do store batteries where they can freeze, store them in a airtight bag and keep them sealed in that bag until they reach room temperature.
ryantrax
Approved Vendor
Agree with above. I have never let any of mine freeze. DJI Does mention: "Use of battery below -10C can lead to permanent damage."
Thank You All for your "Suggestions". But does anyone on the Forum "Really Know" what happens when battery freezes?
I'd not think that condensation would be an issue as the battery is sealed. A battery with a good charge charge will resist damage from freezing better than one that has a lower charge. But you don't want to store with a higher charge. I'd _guess_ that the problem with freezing temps is that the better materials will tend to contract and then expand with the temperature charges. If you had to store them outside, I'd say wrapping them up and putting them in a small cooler might be the best way.
ryantrax
Approved Vendor
Condensation would be an issue with the charging components, with a standard lipo pack that doesn't have the "smart" capabilities that DJI has freezing it may be ok. Better safe than sorry, keep the lipos inside at room temp.
After reading about House Fires caused by Exploding DJI Batteries, I have decided it is not worth the risk of losing my home to save a couple of batteries from freezing. I shall store them on the concrete floor in my garage locked in a Bat-Safe. If they freeze and die then so be it, I shall buy more.
Has anyone reading this ever had a battery actually "Freeze" from the cold? Can you tell me if it worked OK after it thawed out?
They don't actually freeze, it doesn't contain a liquid. The Lithium-ion cells are composed of solid polymer electrolytes, usually in the form of a gel. When they get cold, the chemical activity that produces electricity slows down. But nothing actually freezes. The risk of damage is when you bring the temperature back up, allowing condensation to form. That could short a battery, which is typically considered a Bad Thing™. While the risk of that happening is probably pretty low, if you just shove them in a freezer, ice could form on the batteries. I would refer you back to the Bad Thing™ video if that situation should ever occur.
If you needed to store a LiPo battery in freezing temperatures, I would store them in an airtight bag. Leave them in the bag when you bring them back to room temperature. That should keep moisture from condensing across the connectors.
Thanks for all the help and suggestions. I bought a "Bat-Safe" online to store batteries. What a nice piece of equipment. Real heavy duty and well built. Says it's FireProof also. That's what I'll be using.
Found out what happens when Battery Freezes. Nothing. Left battery in garage all winter. Temp went down to -15F. Charged up battery this Spring and it's been working Fine ever since.
According to one book, lithium ion batteries should not be frozen. Note that most lithium-ion battery electrolytes freeze at approximately −40 °C, which is much colder than the lowest temperature reached by most household freezers.
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