Battery life. Best practices

[adicool]

Hi all.

I am just about to buy a new mavic pro. I want to know from all you experienced pilots about the following:

1. What are the best practices of charging, discharging and storing the batteries to maximise their life?

2. Is there any truth in the claims made by people that the batteries are good for only about 23-25 charges and thereafter start giving a critical voltage error?

3. How many batteries do you guys maintain on an average?

Thanks.
Adi

 

[msinger]

What are the best practices of charging, discharging and storing the batteries to maximise their life?

Check out the Battery Safety Guidelines for the best practices.

Is there any truth in the claims made by people that the batteries are good for only about 23-25 charges and thereafter start giving a critical voltage error?

No.

How many batteries do you guys maintain on an average?

Get an extra battery for each additional 20 minutes you'd like to fly before recharging your batteries. For example, if you want to fly for an hour every time you head out, you'll need 3 batteries.

 

[GerdS]

Discharge your batteries no much below 30% which is the standard battery warning level.
Charge discharged batteries at least until there is one solid and one blinking LED on them for storage, better up to two solid LEDs but not more.
Don't store batteries fully charged for more than a day. Charge them up just few hours before usage.

 

[armoredsaint]

All good advice

 

[adicool]

Thanks guys for all the advices. Will keep them in mind.

It's a relief to know that the battery doesn't last only 24-25 charges. Else it would be an extremely expensive hobby to maintain.

 

[NickB]

1. What are the best practices of charging, discharging and storing the batteries to maximise their life?

I simply leave mine fully charged if I'm going to fly again within a week
If i'm not planning on flying for a week or so i just leave them at the 20-25% i land with.
If im not flying for say the winter i will just charge a battery that has 20-25% capacity for 30 mins.

2. Is there any truth in the claims made by people that the batteries are good for only about 23-25 charges and thereafter start giving a critical voltage error?

If you look after your lipo's then they will give you between 100 and 200 cycles.
My guidelines are
A. Don't constantly discharge below 20%
B. Don't store fully charged packs in places where the temp fluctuates.

3. How many batteries do you guys maintain on an average?

I have 2 mavic packs and charge as i need them with the mains charger on a 12v converter in the van.

 

[adicool]

1. What are the best practices of charging, discharging and storing the batteries to maximise their life?

I simply leave mine fully charged if I'm going to fly again within a week
If i'm not planning on flying for a week or so i just leave them at the 20-25% i land with.
If im not flying for say the winter i will just charge a battery that has 20-25% capacity for 30 mins.

2. Is there any truth in the claims made by people that the batteries are good for only about 23-25 charges and thereafter start giving a critical voltage error?

If you look after your lipo's then they will give you between 100 and 200 cycles.
My guidelines are
A. Don't constantly discharge below 20%
B. Don't store fully charged packs in places where the temp fluctuates.

3. How many batteries do you guys maintain on an average?

I have 2 mavic packs and charge as i need them with the mains charger on a 12v converter in the van.

Thanks mate. Will keep this in mind too.

What is lipo's though?

One more thought. What happens if I am flying and someone calls me on phone?

 

[NickB]

Thanks mate. Will keep this in mind too.

What is lipo's though?

One more thought. What happens if I am flying and someone calls me on phone?

Lipo is just short for lithium polymer which is what the mavic battery chemistry is.

If i use a mobile i use airplane mode as the app is a lot less likely to crash.

You won't get 'follow me' and you can't reset your home position once taken off but as long as it has recorded the home position it's perfectly fine.