Water Problems... HELP

[Smiegal]

Hi all.

I'm gutted and disgusted with myself that this has to be my first post.

Basically I had been flying my two week old PV2+. The battery ran down so brought her back to me and switched her off. Walked back to the house (about 150 yards away) and decided I'd turn her back on to download the footage. It said 12% I think, so I said I'd have another very quick flight over the house to get a photo of something I wanted.

As soon as I powered her on she went into coming home mode and took off. I wasn't worried as that's where I was anyway. But then for some reason it flew to a previously saved home point from last week and by the time I could get to it, it had landed in a puddle which was just nearly deep enough to cover the top of the camera. Which obviously means part of the gimbal was also submerged. I raced back to the house and tried patting it down with anything I could grab. Turned it back on and it worked perfectly.... until the screen went black a few seconds later! And it's like that since so I've turned it off and have it up in the hot press with the battery out. The gimbal still seemed to working perfectly.

I'm disgusted with myself to have let this happen. I'd always said I don't mind any part of it breaking buts nut the camera/gimbal... I know how much they cost...

So I guess does anyone else know of anyone else with a similar story and if so what was the outcome. Or anyone that has any advice for me other then the hot press.

I'm hoping and praying here. Gutted.

Thanks in advance

 

[N017RW]

Re: Water Problems... HELP

From what you have said it seems typical for the state of the quad at the time except the water was a factor where if there was no puddle the outcome would have been different.

There's still some debate among others about what happens with low-batt. RTH and poor or no GPS signal or valid home point. It is generally accepted,if not a certainty, that the last Home Point data is in volatile memory so there's no way it went to last week's spot especially since you just flew it a few minutes prior. Probably a coincidence.

However... Are you waiting for Heading Lock (if your IOC is enabled) and Home Lock indicator flashes from the green LEDs?

 

[Smiegal]

Re: Water Problems... HELP

From what you have said it seems typical for the state of the quad at the time except the water was a factor where if there was no puddle the outcome would have been different.

There's still some debate among others about what happens with low-batt. RTH and poor or no GPS signal or valid home point. It is generally accepted,if not a certainty, that the last Home Point data is in volatile memory so there's no way it went to last week's spot especially since you just flew it a few minutes prior. Probably a coincidence.

However... Are you waiting for Heading Lock (if your IOC is enabled) and Home Lock indicator flashes from the green LEDs?

Cheers for reply.

Not sure if I fully understand the first paragraph.

Nope. IOC was not enabled. I just spoke to a local DJI agent. He says to simply send it off. Simple as that. I'm going to wait a few days in the hope it might dry out and a miracle will happen. Although he said the damage was done when I runes it back on and it cut out. He thinks that this was the camera shorting out. Makes sense.

Having calmed down now I'm more of the opinion that the phantom was at fault. I mean I created a new home point yesterday. I even cross checked it in the Ground Control page to make sure it worked. And yet when RTH is activated it goes to the previous Home point. This is what resulted in the damage. Surely I have a case to put to DJI???

 

[N017RW]

Re: Water Problems... HELP

Others have reported an immediate take-off where it thinks it's time to RTH for a low battery.

So that's what I meant. Sorry.

Still don't agree about the previous Home point. There's something else going on as you just flew it minutes earlier form another location.

Plus most will agree the memory is volatile therefore it cannot store anything between flights.

Am I 100% sure of this? I didn't design it or have specific info stating such but I'm 99.99% sure.

 

[Turbazz]

Re: Water Problems... HELP

Is there a setting in the assistant for "go home" at critical battery level maybe? If you toggle the S1 switch you May have able to regain control.

 

[Smiegal]

Re: Water Problems... HELP

Is there a setting in the assistant for "go home" at critical battery level maybe? If you toggle the S1 switch you May have able to regain control.

Thanks Turbazz. I thought about trying to regain control. But then thought again as I new the battery was critical and I didn't want my phantom to turn into a stone if you know wha I mean... Now if I'd known about the puddle I'd have definitely toggled. Hindsight 20/20 vision and all that.

I'm hoping against hope all will be good in a couple of days time in the hot press. Fingers and props crossed [emoji24][emoji24][emoji24]

 

[jason]

Re: Water Problems... HELP

Water leaves chemical traces on circuit boards which cause shorts. The only to clean the circuit board it to disassemble it or send it in for repairs. I suggest sending in to a repair center.

 

[Smiegal]

Water Problems... HELP

Thanks Jason. Afraid to take it apart like that as still under warrant, plus not sure if it would go back together as easily. Think I'll just wait till Monday to turn it on again and if still screwed I'll send it in. I'm told by agent anything from four to eight week waiting list in Europe. [emoji22]

 

[Meta4]

Re: Water Problems... HELP

Basically I had been flying my two week old PV2+. The battery ran down so brought her back to me and switched her off. Walked back to the house (about 150 yards away) and decided I'd turn her back on to download the footage. It said 12% I think, so I said I'd have another very quick flight over the house to get a photo of something I wanted.

Too late to help this time but a couple of points that may help in future.
Removing the SD card and directly transferring images and videos is a lot faster and easier.
12% is not good enough to have a quick flight over the house for more photos.
The last 10% is not the same as the first 10%. When you get down that low you cannot depend on your battery to fly like you expect.
For safety you should aim to have your Phantom back at around 20%. Pushing it beyond that leaves no reserve when things are tricky.

 

[Smiegal]

Re: Water Problems... HELP

Basically I had been flying my two week old PV2+. The battery ran down so brought her back to me and switched her off. Walked back to the house (about 150 yards away) and decided I'd turn her back on to download the footage. It said 12% I think, so I said I'd have another very quick flight over the house to get a photo of something I wanted.

Too late to help this time but a couple of points that may help in future.
Removing the SD card and directly transferring images and videos is a lot faster and easier.
12% is not good enough to have a quick flight over the house for more photos.
The last 10% is not the same as the first 10%. When you get down that low you cannot depend on your battery to fly like you expect.
For safety you should aim to have your Phantom back at around 20%. Pushing it beyond that leaves no reserve when things are tricky.

Thanks Meta4,

Really disgusted and annoyed with myself. I have been so overly safety conscious up until now. I should have known it was Friday the 13th. A lot of crappy factors had to happen for all this go cone together..., "Seconds From Disaster" here we come!

 

[MrC]

Re: Water Problems... HELP

Turning it back on was a big mistake. Anything electronic that gets a dunking needs the battery removing as quick as humanly possible followed by as much drying as possible. I would have waited a week to turn it back on and packed it in rice etc to help dry out.
Do that anyway, maybe it will come back to life? Good luck. And ye fri 13th!! You never had a chance..

 

[Smiegal]

Re: Water Problems... HELP

Turning it back on was a big mistake. Anything electronic that gets a dunking needs the battery removing as quick as humanly possible followed by as much drying as possible. I would have waited a week to turn it back on and packed it in rice etc to help dry out.
Do that anyway, maybe it will come back to life? Good luck. And ye fri 13th!! You never had a chance..

Yeah, I know. That was my big f* up. I panicked and didn't think. Just wanted to see if it was okay. And when I saw it was I was delighted. Then boom!! Doesn't look good but have followed your advice. Please God.

 

[jason]

Re: Water Problems... HELP

Rice may absorb water but it isn't a cure all for chemical traces left behind that can cause shorts. The same can be done with a hair dryer or heat gun but the circuit boards have to be exposed in order to dry the board.

 

[Smiegal]

Re: Water Problems... HELP

But if I open it up will it affect my warranty?

 

[jason]

Re: Water Problems... HELP

You are correct it will void your warranty that is why it's best to send it in for repairs. Of course this damage isn't covered by your warranty either but it shouldn't cost as much as it would to replace the the camera assembly.

 

[mendezl]

Re: Water Problems... HELP

12% battery was very low to have gone for another flight.

 

[Smiegal]

Re: Water Problems... HELP

12% battery was very low to have gone for another flight.

Correct. Thanks for input.

 

[Smiegal]

Re: Water Problems... HELP

You are correct it will void your warranty that is why it's best to send it in for repairs. Of course this damage isn't covered by your warranty either but it shouldn't cost as much as it would to replace the the camera assembly.

Ya, thought as much with the warrantyHopefully drying out process will do the job. If not, off to Germany she goes for anything up to eight weeks I'm told. Apparently not only are Germany snowed under with there own back logs but now they're also dealing with the States overflow too.

 

[PhantomFanatic]

Re: Water Problems... HELP

Rice may absorb water but it isn't a cure all for chemical traces left behind that can cause shorts. The same can be done with a hair dryer or heat gun but the circuit boards have to be exposed in order to dry the board.

Contact cleaner can be sprayed on to cure that. But, my experience with rice has been very positive. No traces left. But, I remove all batteries and rinse in fresh water prior to drying. My recovery rate for myself and friends has been 100%.

 

[jason]

Re: Water Problems... HELP

Rice may absorb water but it isn't a cure all for chemical traces left behind that can cause shorts. The same can be done with a hair dryer or heat gun but the circuit boards have to be exposed in order to dry the board.

Contact cleaner can be sprayed on to cure that. But, my experience with rice has been very positive. No traces left. But, I remove all batteries and rinse in fresh water prior to drying. My recovery rate for myself and friends has been 100%.

Answer one question. How many years have you spent in the electronics repair business. Contact cleaner isn't the cure-all you think it is nor is this ridiculous idea of using rice. One would think after spending 20 some year in the repair industry manufacture would have supplied with us with tons of rice.