Yay or nay on off-brand multiple battery chargers?

[smokinsound]

Hey everyone, new pilot here. My new P4P+ is due to arrive on Monday (I'm very excited!) and I hesitantly pulled the trigger on a generic ebay 3 battery + RC rapid charger. Has anyone had any first hand experience with these? Have they been known to cause any problems in the past? What is the general consensus here on using chargers that are not made by DJI?

For reference, this is the charger that I purchased. Would you use it?

4in1 17.5V Smart Battery Charging Hub Charger For DJI Phantom 4 4 Pro PRO+ RC GY | eBay

 

[fin032]

I have the blue one made for the P3 and it has worked great. I got it from Banggood. As I am now expecting the P4P on Monday I have ordered the Black multi charger for the P4 from Banggood to try out. It's basically the same as the one you are looking at on eBay apart from the eBay seller has rebranded it.

 

[Hendo]

I've just ordered the same. I had one with my P3A and had no issues (but sold it with my P3 as different plug). The charging smarts are in the battery so the "charger" is just a 17.5 V power supply that can handle a bit of current. DJI probably won't approve and technically it would void your warranty, but can't see how they would prove it.

I wouldn't read anything into how "fast" it charges as it's the state of the battery that dictates how much current it will draw. But they are good for charging multiple batteries at once.

 

[Dronefriend]

Interested in this topic as well. Would never buy non-OEM batteries or charger itself, but the multi bracket I might. Is that logic or does the multi matter too?

 

[smokinsound]

I've just ordered the same. I had one with my P3A and had no issues (but sold it with my P3 as different plug). The charging smarts are in the battery so the "charger" is just a 17.5 V power supply that can handle a bit of current. DJI probably won't approve and technically it would void your warranty, but can't see how they would prove it.

I wouldn't read anything into how "fast" it charges as it's the state of the battery that dictates how much current it will draw. But they are good for charging multiple batteries at once.

Solid info here. This pretty much addresses and confirms my concerns with the charger. I had read that the batteries were in charge of ensuring a safe charge, hence the "intelligence" in the batteries that we're paying a premium for. Speed is not my priority here, as much as charging multiple bats VS one at a time is. I suppose it's worth a shot.

I wonder if it would behoove me to use protective lipo charging pouches while using this charger. Also, the final lingering concern in the back of my mind, is the heat that the power supply may generate. Do you know if the charger itself has its own protection circuit in the case of overheating? I noticed the ebay listing's mention of automatic fan control, but not sure about an actual fuse or protection circuit. Any additional insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your response, Hendo.

 

[Hendo]

I would recommend a protective pouch or watching the batteries while they charge, they are LiPo so there is always the possibility they go bang/catch fire.

My other charger had a good fan in it which worked well and while it did get warm when charging 3 x P3A batteries, not too warm as to cause concern. Not sure if they have thermal cutout, but a good question...

 

[fin032]

If any of you are in the UK or have the 3 pin mains plug this mod is well worth it.

IMPORTANT Review of Phantom 4 charger - YouTube

 

[smokinsound]

I'm hoping they send me a 3 pin plug (I'd have to ground the unit). I sent a message to them asking for that, specifically.

Also, just in case anyone was interested. This person dissected his charging hub (the black charger) and went into some depth regarding their construction.

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[fin032]

If you have ordered from Banggood they will send you the 2 pin cable with a travel charger. It's just a standard kettle type cable so easy to pick up a 3 pin UK one. There the same type that plug in to your Pc's or printer.