Battery charge checker

[bombero]

Apologies if this has been asked before, I've searched but can't find the answer..

Is there any other way to check the charge level of a battery, short of attaching it to the drone and checking via the app?

 

[CanadaDrone]

A single press of the power button on the battery will light up the (4) LEDs surrounding the button which will tell your approximately what the charge is:

1 light blinking: 0-25%
1 solid, 1 blinking: 26-50%
2 solid, 1 blinking: 51-75% (this is typically where you want to store your batteries at)
3 solid, 1 blinking: 76-99%
4 solid: 100%

That is usually good enough - I cant think of many scenarios where you would need to know the exact percentage while not flying, though you could always pop it on the drone for a second if you really did need that.

Also always make sure you start every flight with a freshly charged 100% battery. For further due dilligence, it's a good idea to turn on the voltage display (shows you the voltage of the lowest voltage battery cell) and to keep an eye on battery temperature (don't fly if it's below 20C).

 

[bombero]

Thanks CanadaDrone, I should've mentioned that I know about the battery button, my bad! I guess I wanted to know a more accurate percentage for storage but having given this more thought, as long as the batteries aren't at 100% or below say 20%, they should be okay, shouldn't they?

 

[CanadaDrone]

Thanks CanadaDrone, I should've mentioned that I know about the battery button, my bad! I guess I wanted to know a more accurate percentage for storage but having given this more thought, as long as the batteries aren't at 100% or below say 20%, they should be okay, shouldn't they?

Any time you aren't currently using a battery (or aren't about to use it), charge should be between 40% and 65%, so right when the third light starts blinking on the battery is when you would want to pull it off the charger. Then, charge to 100% before use. Really all you're trying to avoid is keeping the battery at or near a full charge for too long, or at a low charge for too long - both can permanently damage it. If you're in a hot climate, it's even more important never to keep them at 100% until right before use as they can swell more easily. After 10 days at 100%, the batteries will automatically slowly discharge themselves to a safe level, but that is more of a fail-safe rather than something to rely on.

 

[Thomas B]

Any time you aren't currently using a battery (or aren't about to use it), charge should be between 40% and 65%, so right when the third light starts blinking on the battery is when you would want to pull it off the charger. Then, charge to 100% before use. Really all you're trying to avoid is keeping the battery at or near a full charge for too long, or at a low charge for too long - both can permanently damage it. If you're in a hot climate, it's even more important never to keep them at 100% until right before use as they can swell more easily. After 10 days at 100%, the batteries will automatically slowly discharge themselves to a safe level, but that is more of a fail-safe rather than something to rely on.

Or get one of the chargers that has 60% charge as an option. Most of these will also discharge to this level too

 

[Thomas B]

Or get one of the chargers that has 60% charge as an option. Most of these will also discharge to this level too

I use the Tercel FWIW. Works @ home or in car. Also charges 4 batteries in about 75 min to full charge.

 

[bombero]

@Thomas B, any idea where I can get one of these chargers?

 

[Thomas B]

Amazon has them among others.

 

[bombero]

Good man ?

 

[parkgt]

Amazon has them among others.
View attachment 82506

That charger is for a Spark!

 

[Thomas B]

That charger is for a Spark!

You’re correct.
Search it with Mavic 2 Pro in the search words also...
Here’s a pic of mine

 

[parkgt]

I already have 4 chargers, wanted to read about the Tercel. Search didn't bring up one!

 

[Thomas B]

I already have 4 chargers, wanted to read about the Tercel. Search didn't bring up one!

Se my last post above yours... looks the same as the pic above us but shows the readout

 

[parkgt]

Also always make sure you start every flight with a freshly charged 100% battery.

Your emphatic statement seems to imply that something terrible will happen if a flight is started at less that 100% charge.

I have started numerous times at less, including down to under 60% without issue.

What incidents have been reported involving DJI's Flagship Consumer Drone with Smart batteries having problems related to starting at less than 100%?

Maybe I have just been lucky, it is not something I been concerned about.

 

[bombero]

Ah nuts, Amazon don't do the Tercel unit here in the UK ? I like it as it's also a battery conditioner, allowing the user to put batteries into a storage mode.

 

[parkgt]

Ah nuts, Amazon don't do the Tercel unit here in the UK ? I like it as it's also a battery conditioner, allowing the user to put batteries into a storage mode.

Can't find it anywhere online in the US either.

 

[ff22]

Can't find it anywhere online in the US either.

Fascinating - it is as if they, Tercel, does not exist outside of some of their listings on Amazon. Can't seem to find any homepage for such a company, not that I did an exhaustive search.

The nearest is a Youtube video with a website but a click on that link leads nowhere fast

 

[DanMan32]

Your emphatic statement seems to imply that something terrible will happen if a flight is started at less that 100% charge.

I have started numerous times at less, including down to under 60% without issue.

What incidents have been reported involving DJI's Flagship Consumer Drone with Smart batteries having problems related to starting at less than 100%?

Maybe I have just been lucky, it is not something I been concerned about.

There has been incidents where it was suspected that starting out at a significantly less than 100% has caused a miscalculated SoC where late in flight % suddenly drops.
It was like the AC starts out "OK, I have 60%" but later says "oh crap, I thought I had 30% left but voltage tells me I only have 10%. Time to land NOW!"

 

[DanMan32]

Note that charge status lights are different during charge than when not charging.

 

[PAW]

With the new M2 firmware update's discharge options:

Optimized auto discharging function for the Intelligent Flight Battery. Added ability to set when auto discharge will begin. The default setting is five days. Note that DJI GO 4 v4.3.24 or later is required.

The discharge feature of the battery charger may not be so important.