What's the issue with P4 batteries?

[LZJ]

I've had a P3se for years and have accumulated both newly purchased as well as several used batteries for it and NONE have ever become swollen or failed like the batteries for my P4p.... Some of those have literally swollen after only a couple flights. The added expense and worry about P4 batteries is a joke. I'm just about ready to dump both of my P4 birds on Ebay and go solo with my P3se. I believe the P3 se has a greater overall flight time as well in comparison after using both side by side. No doubt it has something to do with all the sensors pulling power etc. Everything for the P3 se is cheaper as well. My conclusion, its no different than buying a stripped down car with fewer options, LESS THINGS TO FALL APART, BREAK AND FAIL.

 

[LZJ]

and I didn't even mention very poor battery fitment on the part of the P4 as well... I've never had the P3 se battery become dislodged or fail to set properly. during or prior to a flight, snaps right in and is always easier to extract..

 

[MapMaker53]

Have you been buying your batteries directly from DJI? The battery is a critical (and expensive) part, so I never purchase them from a third party website. Same with props. Honestly, I've had my P4P and 5 batteries for several years now and have never experienced the problems you describe. Maybe I'm just lucky.

 

[LZJ]

Excellent point. I've tried a hodge-poge of batteries to include cheaper after market ones as well as high dollar DJI's but have had trouble with all of them. Tired of hoping for better luck. But in contrast again with the P3 se's I'm really wondering if there's a physical developer issue here related to the amperage, volume, discharge rates etc that make them seem much more prone or susceptible to failure and shorter operating life in my experience... Wish I could trade them in like pop bottles for a refund...

 

[Starz]

very poor battery fitment on the part of the P4

I would agree that the system could have been designed a bit better.
I’ve learned that with the P4 models, checking to insure the battery is locked is a MUST.

 

[Capt KO]

I would agree that the system could have been designed a bit better.
I’ve learned that with the P4 models, checking to insure the battery is locked is a MUST.

Agree, check then check again. I never trust the push and go method. Using 2 fingers top and bottom works better but still look at the bottom to confirm it's tight. The swelling is still a concern with all brands, incl oem.

 

[Adamborz]

I’ve had 3 p4 pro batteries swell up in about 3 years. 1 per year, usually the one I used the most I’m guessing. I never go below 30% either…

 

[Andy9]

I have 4 batteries and one which froze - it didn't want to recharge any more.
It was one of the two batt. which came with the P4P+. Generally, they worked normally for about 4 years then one froze and one still make nearly 18 min. of flight time + 25% left.
The newer ones work fine and with no problems make 25 min. of flight time + remaining power. Never swollen. Checking if the battery is locked is really one of the most important steps before the flight. I usually push it in to hear the lock sound but many times after doing that the bottom edge of the batt. is not in the position. If so you need to push again the lower part of the batt with two fingers - one up and one down of the cover so the bottom edge klick and properly fix inside. This I think is enough secure.
Only one fast push into the drone is not always enough and if I haven't been doing the second check the drone would probably fall down. This is a simple but important check before each flight.
I don't know what is happening with your batteries. Certainly not normal.

 

[snowghost]

Have you been buying your batteries directly from DJI? The battery is a critical (and expensive) part, so I never purchase them from a third party website. Same with props. Honestly, I've had my P4P and 5 batteries for several years now and have never experienced the problems you describe. Maybe I'm just lucky.

I trust third parties such as B&H. That's where I got the P4P and extra batteries. All are healthy and recently manufactured.

 

[gingerbloke]

Echo what others have said about double checking the P4 battery is properly clicked in place - it's the last thing I check before powering up!

I've been using my P4Pro for agri/mapping work for 4 years, still on original batteries (approx 70 cycles) but I do look after them. Most flights never below 30%, never charged when hot, storage charge on hub when not using them and I make sure the connectors on batteries and drone are clean (no dust,etc).

Mapping flights tend to be smooth, slow (not 'hot rodding' about the sky) so maybe my batteries have had an easy life

Adam

 

[Wavepilot]

I have seven DJI P4P OEM batteries I've sidelined because of swelling and difficulty removing them from the aircraft immediately after flight. Their cycles have ranged from 45 to 65 before swelling and I grounded them to err on the side of caution. But I have never had a performance or operational issue or severe cell voltage deviation with any of them. I naturally wish they lasted longer, but I fly primarily in Florida where I attribute their early demise to the regularly 90°+ hot temperatures. This taught me to fly the dark heat-absorbing Obsidian model in the cooler months, and fly the white sun-reflecting model in the warmer months - which is most of the months now. I expect there is a correlation between ambient operating temperatures and battery longevity.

 

[LZJ]

Great observations. Interestingly I have never had a p3 battery swell or fail to recharge or develop a weird pattern of flashing LEDs and no longer charge either. I've gone well beyond 65 charges with some P3 batteries. I think the p4 has some developmental, power, heat, physics, or less likely planned obsolescence issues that limit it in my opinion for durability, cost and reliability.

 

[Brojon]

It's why I reluctantly sold my P4P to a surveyor.
I got tired of feeding it batteries.
Strangely enough I had one PowerXtra aftermarket that never gave me a problem and was the only one left out of 4 batteries.
All the DJI batteries swelled up and became impossible to insert and remove.

 

[AWD]

Coming in late to the conversation but all five of my OEM batteries for the P4 have swollen and are now basically not useable.

Granted they all have at least 100 cycles on them and the voltages all looked good the last time they were used.

They were never charged hot and are kept indoors and on a factory charger.

I keep hoping there's a way to recover these batteries that have worked so well for me over the years.

AD

 

[Andy9]

Coming in late to the conversation but all five of my OEM batteries for the P4 have swollen and are now basically not useable.

Granted they all have at least 100 cycles on them and the voltages all looked good the last time they were used.

They were never charged hot and are kept indoors and on a factory charger.

I keep hoping there's a way to recover these batteries that have worked so well for me over the years.

AD

Worked properly, but how long they haven't been in use since last?
Were they fully charged or almost empty when idle?
And a hundred cycles for the battery is not so little. My oldest battery has around 100 charging cycles and I've been using it for around 5 years. This is pretty close to the lifetime of the battery.
Your batteries are garbage.

 

[Adamborz]

I’m not impressed with the p4 batteries either. I’m commercial, use them frequently and they only seem to last a couple years. I have a p4p+ and a version 2 p4p+. Just moved on to the Mavic 3 cine hope the batteries work better.

 

[Starz]

hoping there's a way to recover these batteries that have worked so well for me over the years.

Years of use may indicate that they just need to be replaced.
Any battery has a lifespan. The other option would be a newer DJI product with current battery availability.

 

[ribjig]

my DJI P4P+ (new Jan 2017) battery swelled after 3 years;
a pin prick ended swelling & gave me an additional year
& then it wouldn't charge;
I had kept it constantly fully charged from the start;

my new (2021) DJI battery drains naturally after each use;
will it matter -- IDK...

 

[Andy9]

I’m not impressed with the p4 batteries either. I’m commercial, use them frequently and they only seem to last a couple years. I have a p4p+ and a version 2 p4p+. Just moved on to the Mavic 3 cine hope the batteries work better.

What makes you think that the Mavics batteries are better than Phantoms?
The same factory. I have a Mavic air too and the batteries drain much faster than Phantoms ones.
I think that Phantoms batteries are good in general but everything in life deteriorates sooner or later.

 

[AWD]

After reading the rest of the messages in this thread I've gone ahead and "pin pricked" the 5 swollen batteries and did 5 test flights with them last night.

All five batteries ran well and I brought them down to 12% before shutting down and changing out for the next battery.

All five are currently charging as we type.

I wasn't sure just what would happen now that the batteries have been "punctured" but they all appeared to work well and I monitored the battery voltages all during the rather boring POI flights but did get 15 minutes of ATT flight in on the final flight to keep my hand in it.

My high time battery (#1) has 153 cycles on it. The "low time" (#5) battery has 107 cycles.

135, 149 and 147 fill out the rest.

AD