A Very General Battery Question

[silverdragon]

Ok, here it is....I use one battery just for setting up the drones. Meaning, I go to the camera setting and it takes time to get all the correct setting including installing ND filters and so on. The battery goes down to 90% at times but I tend to throw the battery back on the charger to bring it back to 100%. So basically I'm just topping off the battery. I'm wondering if there is a correct way to top off the battery? Will the batteries health decline faster using this method? What is the proper procedure if there is one?

If there is a correct procedure please let me know..

 

[WithTheBirds]

If all you do with that pack is drone set up taking around 10% out of it in each use I would not put it in the charger until it got down to around 30%.

Is there a particular reason you have one pack dedicated to setup?

 

[Mossiback]

I install my ND filter before power up with the gimbal lock on and most camera settings can be made before launching so there is minimal battery use before getting it in the air. I agree with @WithTheBirds about not charging each time but was wondering how often you fly.

 

[silverdragon]

If all you do with that pack is drone set up taking around 10% out of it in each use I would not put it in the charger until it got down to around 30%.

Is there a particular reason you have one pack dedicated to setup?

Well yeah, I need every bit of time in a full charged battery in order to do the video and photos do to range. Yes I keep LOS but it out there and with my vision I can fly the bird pretty far before losing LOS so between the distance and the amount of time I have on hand I need all the juice possible (for the the flight out and back takes a lot of energy) not including the video/photo time frame so the setup battery is the way I can achieve all I have to do.

 

[Meta4]

If there is a correct procedure please let me know..

You want to avoid leaving a battery sitting at high charge levels for a long time.
Keeping a battery close to 100% is bad for that battery.
Post #2 makes more sense if you really need to use a separate battery to make a couple of camera settings.

 

[silverdragon]

Post #2 does make sense. So I will use it until 30% then recharge... See that, I'm usually good at using my common senses. Sometimes i slip.

 

[WithTheBirds]

You want to avoid leaving a battery sitting at high charge levels for a long time.
Keeping a battery close to 100% is bad for that battery.
Post #2 makes more sense if you really need to use a separate battery to make a couple of camera settings.

It doesn’t make sense to me- that’s why I am curious about reasons.

Dedicating a battery to this purpose is a waste of a good battery. One you no longer trust to fly (high cycle count- reduced life- inconsistent performance) fair enough. Otherwise there is no reason not to have it in rotation with other packs.

 

[WithTheBirds]

Well yeah, I need every bit of time in a full charged battery in order to do the video and photos do to range. Yes I keep LOS but it out there and with my vision I can fly the bird pretty far before losing LOS so between the distance and the amount of time I have on hand I need all the juice possible (for the the flight out and back takes a lot of energy) not including the video/photo time frame so the setup battery is the way I can achieve all I have to do.

It makes about as much sense as rotating all your tyres except for the spare (assuming all your rims are the same). You are costing yourself 20% in potential service life of the set.

It doesn’t make sense to me. Do you have a particular reason?

 

[THE WOMBLE]

I thought it was best to store at 60%. The battery will automatically drop to 60% after 10 days.

 

[theDRONEranger]

If all you do with that pack is drone set up taking around 10% out of it in each use I would not put it in the charger until it got down to around 30%.

Is there a particular reason you have one pack dedicated to setup?

I do very much the same. I have 5 batteries, and number 5 (alive) is the setup, then I switch to full power batteries for flight!
Number 5 Alive was reference to some little robot movie years ago.

 

[RickinWaST]

“You want to avoid leaving a battery sitting at high charge levels for a long time.
Keeping a battery close to 100% is bad for that battery.”
= = =
Good to know as a new drone owner!

 

[WithTheBirds]

I do very much the same. I have 5 batteries, and number 5 (alive) is the setup, then I switch to full power batteries for flight!
Number 5 Alive was reference to some little robot movie years ago.

Why? Is Batt 5 an older less reliable pack?

 

[silverdragon]

I install my ND filter before power up with the gimbal lock on and most camera settings can be made before launching so there is minimal battery use before getting it in the air. I agree with @WithTheBirds about not charging each time but was wondering how often you fly.

Everyday, weather permitting...the weather has been sunny and hot with an occasional rain spurt but then I fly the Spark in light rain...

 

[silverdragon]

I install my ND filter before power up with the gimbal lock on and most camera settings can be made before launching so there is minimal battery use before getting it in the air. I agree with @WithTheBirds about not charging each time but was wondering how often you fly.

I've tried that method a few times but at the time of lift off I have to make changes anyway. So I take my setup battery make the changes and set the settings to get the perfect videos and set the photo settings and then I check my battery level and it's usually around 92%.... like I said in a previous post, I need to start with a fully charged battery to forfill my obligations. I just want to know what is the proper procedure for topping off a battery with 90% to 94% battery level. Is there one? Yes, then what is it No, then I will change my methods...

 

[theDRONEranger]

Why? Is Batt 5 an older less reliable pack?

No particular reason, it’s just number 5.

 

[WithTheBirds]

Why? Is Batt 5 an older less reliable pack?

I have multiple packs also. I only charge as many as I think I might need and any I don’t fly get priority for the next outing. If I used one for setup only it would be used for flight the next time out. If the intent is to get max use out of all your packs then trying to share the use equally must make sense? To use a battery purely for setup doesn’t make sense to me unless it has known or suspected reliability issues. It’s a waste if a good pack.

 

[WithTheBirds]

I thought it was best to store at 60%. The battery will automatically drop to 60% after 10 days.

40% is better (arguably not by a significant enough margin to be worried).

If I have a pack above 20% rested after a flight I will happily leave it in that state before I need to fly it again. I will keep an eye on it though, would check after a couple of weeks.

 

[theDRONEranger]

I have multiple packs also. I only charge as many as I think I might need and any I don’t fly get priority for the next outing. If I used one for setup only it would be used for flight the next time out. If the intent is to get max use out of all your packs then trying to share the use equally must make sense? To use a battery purely for setup doesn’t make sense to me unless it has known or suspected reliability issues. It’s a waste if a good pack.

Your choice, but why could I not use a fresh battery to maximize flight time and use the extra on my next outing to prep the bird again and switch to a fresh for maximum flight again? The one prep battery could be used for prepping until it too needs to be charged. I just simply try to be able to maximize the flight time if possible.

And, how you do your prep, if it works for you and you’re happy that, stay with with it!

I simply stated how I do it, and I’m happy that way. My batteries are all good with no problems reported. I do not recharge the remaining four until the day before, if needed! If I still have four green lights on any from non use after just a couple of days, I’m good to go!

 

[WithTheBirds]

Your choice, but why could I not use a fresh battery to maximize flight time and use the extra on my next outing to prep the bird again and switch to a fresh for maximum flight again? The one prep battery could be used for prepping until it too needs to be charged. I just simply try to be able to maximize the flight time if possible.

And, how you do your prep, if it works for you and you’re happy that, stay with with it!

I simply stated how I do it, and I’m happy that way. My batteries are all good with no problems reported. I do not recharge the remaining four until the day before, if needed! If I still have four green lights on any from non use after just a couple of days, I’m good to go!

Of course you can use whatever system you like. I am simply pointing out the obvious- if the packs are rotated with a view to balancing usage for flight and prep you will get the most out of all of them (performance and service life).

 

[theDRONEranger]

Of course you can use whatever system you like. I am simply pointing out the obvious- if the packs are rotated with a view to balancing usage for flight and prep you will get the most out of all of them (performance and service life).

I believe my batteries are getting a balanced usage. Thank you very much for your most valued input.