Just an observation after looking at something well over a hundred batteries for Phantom 3's, only genuine DJI brand batteries are marked with the word "PHANTOM". All the other aftermarket batteries that I've seen were marked as PH-3, PHA-3, or some other wording. I've bought six genuine DJI batteries, all of them are marked with "PHANTOM", but none of them actually have a DJI brand mark on them. If I don't see the word PHANTOM on a battery, I look elsewhere.
REAL STORIES OF AFTERMARKET BATTERIES
- Thread starter DONI
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Just an observation after looking at something well over a hundred batteries for Phantom 3's, only genuine DJI brand batteries are marked with the word "PHANTOM". All the other aftermarket batteries that I've seen were marked as PH-3, PHA-3, or some other wording. I've bought six genuine DJI batteries, all of them are marked with "PHANTOM", but none of them actually have a DJI brand mark on them. If I don't see the word PHANTOM on a battery, I look elsewhere.
I’m sure you realise Chinese manufacturers have no concerns with applying big name trademarks to copies and fakes.
Look for the manufacturer name and check the font and print quality. I like the Sunwoda batteries (DJI uses several suppliers, they don’t make the batteries). Sunwoda supplies Apple, Huwai and other big names as well as complete batteries for DJI AC. They have given best performance in my experience.
Well aware of that issue, but have not seen that issue with DJI batteries. Have seen countless batteries advertised as "genuine DJI brand" but, upon closer inspection and challenging the sellers, all were found to be aftermarket brands.
DJI batterys have :
Dongguan Amperex Technology Limited
printed on as Manufacturer.
Sorry to spoil your day but DJI batterys are contract production and Dongguan makes them on behalf of DJI based on required specs.
I do believe that prices have dropped because its difficult to support such profiteering in face of working copies being cheaper ... as well as Discount stores selling originals ...
I have 3 batterys for my P3P .... 1 DJI original supplied in the box ... 2 non original I bought via Kiundle (who now does not sell DJI batterys) .... one is IDENTICAL in all ways to DJI original even down to labelling. Other is the typical label that says PH3 ...
ALL 3 perform identical ... LEDs same ... mAh same ... flight time same .... but the Kiumdle's were half the price of the DJI.
I did have a 4th Kiundle battery - but that went for a swim in the river and when recovered was 'blown'. I dismantled it to see if I could save any part ... as I have pals with failed DJI batterys and clones ... maybe we could marry parts ....
Imagination my surprise (actually not !) the board in the non DJI battery is EXACTLY same as the failed DJI battery my pal has ...
I am not claiming that all non DJI batterys are good ... but I get annoyed when people just paint all with bad press ... when I am sure if truth be known - most have no basis for their statements other than reading others claims.
May I suggest to those who only use DJI original to stick with that ? Fair enough to explain why you do - but please stop the 3rd hand reporting that often has little base in fact.
As another says above ... it is natural to report and moan about failures - but I agree that more people enjoy success and do not report ...
I fly my P3P to limits in cold and hot weather ... range / height etc. I video RC shows and village stuff ... do I choose which battery to use out of my 1 original and 2 'budgets' ? Yes - the one thats charged !! Label - I ignore.
This is a subject that leads to a lot of hearsay and I knew a pal who knew a guy who had xxxxx
Proof is in the pudding - not in the myths and legends ...
In my club we have over 10 P3's .... that means approx 30 batterys .... Guess how many original DJI ? 10. Why ? Because they were supplied with the P3 in the box. The rest are copies / clones budget priced and ALL perform ..
In fact the only one that has failed is a DJI original. Not through crash or bad handling.
Nigel
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You have assumed there is only one battery supplier to DJI there are at least two. One being Sunwoda, Highpower incorporated also supplies DJI with P3 and P4 batteries.
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No problem WTB ... both our posts gave impression of only ONE manufacturer ... now people know there are at least two.
I've spent a lot of time in China on business and I know first hand that exclusivity is hard to maintain there. Its why many western brand companys often only have hardware produced in China with final SW programming done outside China.
That should tell you something as DJI is not a Western Co.
Nigel
I've spent a lot of time in China on business and I know first hand that exclusivity is hard to maintain there. Its why many western brand companys often only have hardware produced in China with final SW programming done outside China.
That should tell you something as DJI is not a Western Co.
Nigel
I said there are several suppliers in my original post as there are three that I know of. I have only seen two in the wild though, the brands you and I mentioned (I have a few of each).
There is no reason a third party lack can’t oerform as well or better and there is a good chance some of the third party packs may contain some component parts from the main manufacturers. Not uncommon practice in China.
Not trying to be an a*** .... but this is the post I replied to which only said Sunwoda ... no mention of others.
Knowing Chinese production - I can well imagine more than 2 or 3 factories working on this. Second that it is known that actual CELLS are not produced by as many 'assembly plants' ........ so that narrows it down ...
On the subject another suggested .... likes of Hobby King having sub-standard ... Hobby King is part of Hextronic, a large highly successful Electronics Company in China. Like DJI - they have branded batterys as well as others that many use and are happy with.
The sub-standard batterys often are rejected of production lines due to mismatched cells or other detected defect. They are supposed to be 'binned' but can find their way to some 'online' sellers on eBay etc. Amazon is not immune to these either.
Nigel
WTB - you know full well that my reply was based on your #12 post and most likely I had not read your #22 when posted. Only later when scrolling through
Nigel
Nigel
I didn’t. I do now. It’s not important.
I do agree there are only a small number of LiPO plants and strongly suspect most of the aftermarket products are of similar performance/quality to the official DJI branded packs.
People may not be aware - but China over last year has been implementing very strict environmental rules and many chemical raw material factories / facilities have been shut down. I know of this because it has directly affected my Companys business. We have various contracts with Chinese Production and near 3 out of 4 facilities have been closed ... with requirements to upgrade to comply with stricter reg's.
I don't say this is same in the LiPo market - but I can well expect due to processes and components used - that regs are tighter and may explain why various sellers have disappeared.
Nigel
I don't say this is same in the LiPo market - but I can well expect due to processes and components used - that regs are tighter and may explain why various sellers have disappeared.
Nigel
Well guys I appreciate the discussion on the batteries. I am in the “new used drone camp” and I was trying to figure out if the batteries I got when I bought it are the reason I’m not getting FPV when I fly my drone. I might be under the wrong assumption that the batteries have something to do with it? One reply said no. I’ve read a lot of posts that say it could be my WiFi extender, and others that say it’s from a DJI “update”.
Today both batteries acted very strange in the fact that my longest flying and usual FPV battery didn’t initially work at all!?
I was switching batteries and recalibrating the compass and I had a picture on my phone of the ground from yesterday’s flight?
After switching batteries a couple times I got one good flight in (no FPV) and launched with the second and I started hearing a warning beep and noticed a red light blinking on my controller.. Ended that flight immediately and now have another wrench thrown into the equation. Can the controller affect FPV?
I ran out of time today but hope to do a training run tomorrow... results to follow
Today both batteries acted very strange in the fact that my longest flying and usual FPV battery didn’t initially work at all!?
I was switching batteries and recalibrating the compass and I had a picture on my phone of the ground from yesterday’s flight?
After switching batteries a couple times I got one good flight in (no FPV) and launched with the second and I started hearing a warning beep and noticed a red light blinking on my controller.. Ended that flight immediately and now have another wrench thrown into the equation. Can the controller affect FPV?
I ran out of time today but hope to do a training run tomorrow... results to follow
Solentlife,
Not sure if this clears the water or muddies it but, I checked all six of my batteries. The five batteries marked as "Phantom" that I bought from eBay sellers were all made by Dongguan. The battery that was supplied with my new P3S, and also marked as "Phantom", was made by Sunwoda.
Now you only need one from Highpower and you have one from each of the current known DJI suppliers.
Question now is which of the three (if any) is feeding the aftermarket industry with components or perhaps complete units?
I'm away from my non dji battery right now... Does anyone know who makes the powerextra battery? Which I have one of, no problems what so ever.
Well, I looked the battery over no manufacturer listed, only Mode No. DL-UAV-DJ3
Not a typo "Mode No"
Well, I looked the battery over no manufacturer listed, only Mode No. DL-UAV-DJ3
Not a typo "Mode No"
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When I bought my P3A last February, I also bought 2 non-DJI batteries. I am still using those batteries today and am having no issues. They last as long as the original DJI battery during flight and I have over 200 flights. Everyone has their own opinion about which batteries to use
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I bought some 3rd party batteries on Amazon. Some weird things would happen, like I'd get a range and height restriction of about 60 yds or so. I'd bring it back in and put another battery in and it would be fine. Go back to the battery that caused the problem, duplicated the issue. I was informed by a member that I need to log out of the DJI app and log back in again. That typically fixes the problem, temporarily anyway. I haven't done a clinical study on the issue, and I can't be assured it's a battery issue, but something weird is going on. There must be some communication between the drone and battery and it may get confused or something. I truly have no clear idea. I've been burned on 3rd party batteries many times before (and printer cartridges), but I never seem to learn the lesson. I'll stick with OEM from now on... (or will I?) at least for the drone.
My thoughts on aftermarket batteries, l have 2 orig and 2 different branded aftermarket batts , no issues with either ..
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