RC no longer charges iPhone

[Stew-2]

Took the P4 out in the backyard today and the controller is not charging my iPhone anymore. There have been a couple of DJI GO4 updates (and maybe a firmware update) that I've installed since last time I flew so I guess that has to be it. I looked through all the settings I can think of and don't see a setting for it. Now that I think about it I also recently installed the HDMI module so that could be it too I suppose.

Bottom line is the controller used to charge the phone now it doesn't, I'd like to get this feature back. Everything else looks to be working just fine. I searched the forum but didn't really find any answers, anybody know how to re-enable this?

Thanks in advance!

 

[outdoorslife308]

Use the same lightbridge controller, but on a P3P. Can verify that although the charging symbol appears on the IPhone (6S), I actually lose battery when flying.

 

[MTH]

Even before the update I would get a message on the Air 2 and the LG tablet about charging. Can not charge, not charging, or something like that. Don't think it happens all the time, I would/do just ignore it. Personally if the controller is trying to charge the tablet I would like to shut it off. Tablet has a longer battery life than the controller.

 

[Stew-2]

Mine is kinda weird, when I plug the phone into the RC and first power on the RC it does start charging and shows the icon on the phone indicating it's charging, and it makes the chime sound when it's plugged into power. A second or so later however it stops charging and the icon indicating it's charging goes away.

It acts as though it's a setting the way it charges for a second while the RC is initializing then stops. Turning on the Phantom and launching DJI GO 4 doesn't change anything, it's already stopped charging by the time you do those things. Again, everything else seems to work as before, aside from some new features in the updated app, and it's not the end of the world but I did like when it charged my phone.

 

[lb650]

Mine is kinda weird, when I plug the phone into the RC and first power on the RC it does start charging and shows the icon on the phone indicating it's charging, and it makes the chime sound when it's plugged into power. A second or so later however it stops charging and the icon indicating it's charging goes away.

It acts as though it's a setting the way it charges for a second while the RC is initializing then stops. Turning on the Phantom and launching DJI GO 4 doesn't change anything, it's already stopped charging by the time you do those things. Again, everything else seems to work as before, aside from some new features in the updated app, and it's not the end of the world but I did like when it charged my phone.

Mine does the same thing, but with iPad Air 2. Not sure if it's actually charging or just recognizing the go app , but as stated above the indicator goes away, I also put tablet into airplane mode after warm up and the map has been loaded Really saves the tablet battery.

 

[sar104]

I doubt that anything has changed. The RC USB interface does not supply enough current to charge any iOS device, even though the charging indicator on the device will sometimes appear when it's first connected and detects voltage. As soon as the device tries to draw current though, the voltage drops and no significant charging occurs.

 

[Stew-2]

I doubt that anything has changed. The RC USB interface does not supply enough current to charge any iOS device, even though the charging indicator on the device will sometimes appear when it's first connected and detects voltage. As soon as the device tries to draw current though, the voltage drops and no significant charging occurs.

It really did use to charge, if I started flying with say 95% battery on my iPhone I would have 100% charge when I was done. I wonder if it really is the HDMI module, it does get much warmer than the non-HDMI module which means it's pulling more current. Maybe DJI decided that the HDMI module is maxing out the current draw over the thin ribbon cable conductors and there was no more headroom to also charge phones and tablets.

I guess the easy way to see if this is what's going on would be to swap the standard module back in and see if charging resumes.

 

[sar104]

It really did use to charge, if I started flying with say 95% battery on my iPhone I would have 100% charge when I was done. I wonder if it really is the HDMI module, it does get much warmer than the non-HDMI module which means it's pulling more current. Maybe DJI decided that the HDMI module is maxing out the current draw over the thin ribbon cable conductors and there was no more headroom to also charge phones and tablets.

I guess the easy way to see if this is what's going on would be to swap the standard module back in and see if charging resumes.

It's more likely to be the iOS device determining that it cannot get enough current. Testing my RC shows that the USB port powers up at around 5.2 V, the iOS charging circuit detects that and starts to draw current, but at around 0.1 A the RC USB voltage drops too much and the iOS device shuts down the charging, leaving the USB port voltage back at 5.2 V.

 

[BigAl07]

It's NOT charging your device. It doesn't put out enough power to charge it (by design). Occasionally it's enough to trigger "Charge Indicator" and the charge algorithms in the phone "think" it's charging but in reality it's not.

 

[Stew-2]

It's more likely to be the iOS device determining that it cannot get enough current. Testing my RC shows that the USB port powers up at around 5.2 V, the iOS charging circuit detects that and starts to draw current, but at around 0.1 A the RC USB voltage drops too much and the iOS device shuts down the charging, leaving the USB port voltage back at 5.2 V.

Ok, this does make sense.

It's NOT charging your device. It doesn't put out enough power to charge it (by design). Occasionally it's enough to trigger "Charge Indicator" and the charge algorithms in the phone "think" it's charging but in reality it's not.

For real, I'm not kidding, it honest to goodness used to charge and increase the battery percent compared to when I first connect it to the RC. However, I have the iPhone SE which of course is the small 4" iPhone. Perhaps with such a small screen and the non-HDMI module it was enough below the current draw thresholds that it was able to charge.

In light of sar104's testing it would make sense that larger phones or tablets with larger screens, especially with the HDMI module (and now it seems small phones with the HDMI module), would draw enough current to cross that line and not be capable of charging.

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the feedback!

 

[Peace12503]

Ok, this does make sense.



For real, I'm not kidding, it honest to goodness used to charge and increase the battery percent compared to when I first connect it to the RC. However, I have the iPhone SE which of course is the small 4" iPhone. Perhaps with such a small screen and the non-HDMI module it was enough below the current draw thresholds that it was able to charge.

In light of sar104's testing it would make sense that larger phones or tablets with larger screens, especially with the HDMI module (and now it seems small phones with the HDMI module), would draw enough current to cross that line and not be capable of charging.

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the feedback!

The problem is with the HDMI output module . If you put the old module back on , your phone/table will go back to charging as it did before you installed the HDMI outputmodule.