Battery help.

[marksavill]

Hi all new to the forum.

Had my Mavic air for just over a month and love it.

Question is about the batteries. I fly my batterys down to about 25-30% then rechange the batterys. I only fly on weekends due to work should I recharge the batterys to 100% again and pack them away for the week or leave them on the lower charge after there used around 20-30% then recharge them the day before I hope to fly and should it be left in the drone or left out the drone. Also if I charge them to 100% in preparation for flying the next day but the weather changes as it does here in the uk how would I lower the charge to store them for the week. Thanks for any help.

Sorry if this has been posted before!

 

[WithTheBirds]

In this scenario I wouldn't do anything with the battery until you charge it for the next use. 20-30% is a great storage level.

 

[bumper]

Your batteries should be stored at about 40 to 50% charge. This charger will do that for you automatically. It will fully charge multiple batteries at once, discharge or charge them (as needed) to 50%, or fully discharge them once in a blue moon as recommended (I haven't tried that function yet). -I have one for my Mavic 2, works well:

https://www.amazon.com/Hanatora-Bat...atora+charger+mavic+air&qid=1581540874&sr=8-1

 

[WithTheBirds]

Your batteries should be stored at about 40 to 50% charge. This charger will do that for you automatically. It will fully charge multiple batteries at once, discharge or charge them (as needed) to 50%, or fully discharge them once in a blue moon as recommended (I haven't tried that function yet). -I have one for my Mavic 2, works well:

Amazon.com: Hanatora Battery Wall Charger & Car Charger for DJI Mavic Air and Remote Controller,5 in 1 Rapid Charging Hub with Charging, Discharging and Storage: Toys & Games

40-50% is a good general recommendation as it allows for a safety margin for a battery that might be left to self discharge for an extended period.

What do you say about the OP’s specific use case? Why bring the battery back up to 40-50% from 20% when it will be recharged in a week? There is no benefit.

 

[Lastrexking]

Here’s an in depth article on the subject by experts; DJI Mavic Air in Depth Series–Intelligent Battery | Heliguy

 

[bumper]

40-50% is a good general recommendation as it allows for a safety margin for a battery that might be left to self discharge for an extended period.

What do you say about the OP’s specific use case? Why bring the battery back up to 40-50% from 20% when it will be recharged in a week? There is no benefit.

Well, we disagree. I think there's a significant benefit, that being convenience. No matter the state of the battery, the quoted charger, on "storage mode" will take it there. Lets say you've run a batter down to 25% and you have another that's charged more than 80% and something comes up and you can'f fly for X days. Put all the batteries on the charger, select storage mode, and the charge takes them all to an acceptable long term percentage of charge.

Another advantage is the display shows voltage and current of each of the batteries and the charger works in car also. Necessary? Maybe not, but is sure works nicely!

 

[Mossiback]

If you only fly on weekends then I would wait until Friday to charge them. Of course this means that you will not have it available for an impromptu flight on a weekday.

Now that the daylight is lasting longer and the weather is slightly improving, I try to get in at least one battery in the afternoon after work. I recharge my batteries after use and leave the whole kit in my car. If I want to fly, I can. It would suck to miss an opportunity because it was at home with depleted batteries.

 

[WithTheBirds]

Well, we disagree. I think there's a significant benefit, that being convenience. No matter the state of the battery, the quoted charger, on "storage mode" will take it there. Lets say you've run a batter down to 25% and you have another that's charged more than 80% and something comes up and you can'f fly for X days. Put all the batteries on the charger, select storage mode, and the charge takes them all to an acceptable long term percentage of charge.

Another advantage is the display shows voltage and current of each of the batteries and the charger works in car also. Necessary? Maybe not, but is sure works nicely!

So your idea of convenience is that the OP should go to the additional trouble of parts charging his batteries only to fully charge 6 days later? That sound like additional work to me. The opposite of convenience.

There is no question that for most use cases (you don't know with reasonable certainty when your next flight might be) the charge to storage level practice you propose is good practice.

 

[WithTheBirds]

Here’s an in depth article on the subject by experts; DJI Mavic Air in Depth Series–Intelligent Battery | Heliguy

Ok- so the part of the article most relevant to the OP question would be the relating to storage.

One to 10 days – Leave between 60 and 80%.

Over 10 days – Leave the charge between 40 and 60%.

Do not leave the battery fully charged or completely empty.

What do you say about the 1 to 10 day recommendation?

Your best compromise for long term storage is 40-50%. If you favoured 60% its no big deal, perhaps a few % capacity loss over 12 months at room temp.

Who knows where 80% comes from?

 

[marksavill]

So looks like I should just keep them at what ever % they are at after a flight then charge them up once I know when I'm going to go fly. Don't want to get a charger that can do this or that as I just spent £900 all in and don't want to be spending out again!

 

[slup]

I try to fly as much as possible even now during winter times ... and certain days the opportunity to do that comes suddenly & I need to act & get things charged before the daylight disappears.

Have since I started to fly used 3 strategies regarding charging ...

The first initial when I was a fresh newbie ... "will fly as much as possible intention", charged full after every flight to be prepared & relied on the self discharge after 10 days ... and didn't know anything about that every time I peaked on the battery charge level the counter restarted. So in hindsight the battery could be fully charged well over the ten days if thing's interfered with my flying plans.

Then the second phase, now well informed about the correct battery storage handling. Flew the batteries usually down to 20-30% & left them there waiting for the next opportunity ... again with the ambition to fly really soon again, & then as usual something got in between & I had to take whatever sudden appearing opportunity & then stood there waiting for everything being properly charged.

And then the third phase ... as I handle it nowadays. Have reconciled with the facts of that even "the best battle plan will change after the first shot is fired" & understood that the next flying opportunity can occur already tomorrow or within 2-3 weeks. So nowadays I always charge my used batteries up to where the third led starts to blink (50-55%) after the flight ... They are then good for long term storage (peace of mind), but in the same time quicker to charge full when the opportunity suddenly occurs.

 

[WithTheBirds]

I try to fly as much as possible even now during winter times ... and certain days the opportunity to do that comes suddenly & I need to act & get things charged before the daylight disappears.

Have since I started to fly used 3 strategies regarding charging ...

The first initial when I was a fresh newbie ... "will fly as much as possible intention", charged full after every flight to be prepared & relied on the self discharge after 10 days ... and didn't know anything about that every time I peaked on the battery charge level the counter restarted. So in hindsight the battery could be fully charged well over the ten days if thing's interfered with my flying plans.

Then the second phase, now well informed about the correct battery storage handling. Flew the batteries usually down to 20-30% & left them there waiting for the next opportunity ... again with the ambition to fly really soon again, & then as usual something got in between & I had to take whatever sudden appearing opportunity & then stood there waiting for everything being properly charged.

And then the third phase ... as I handle it nowadays. Have reconciled with the facts of that even "the best battle plan will change after the first shot is fired" & understood that the next flying opportunity can occur already tomorrow or within 2-3 weeks. So nowadays I always charge my used batteries up to where the third led starts to blink (50-55%) after the flight ... They are then good for long term storage (peace of mind), but in the same time quicker to charge full when the opportunity suddenly occurs.

Nice compromise.

 

[Heijst]

40-50% is a good general recommendation as it allows for a safety margin for a battery that might be left to self discharge for an extended period.

What do you say about the OP’s specific use case? Why bring the battery back up to 40-50% from 20% when it will be recharged in a week? There is no benefit.

The charger you mentioned here seems more convenient (more options) than the original charging hub from DJI. Thanks for this info.

 

[slup]

The charger you mentioned here seems more convenient (more options) than the original charging hub from DJI. Thanks for this info.

Sorry but not following you here ... I'm using the original 4 batt charger included in the Fly More combo for the Mavic Air. What more options do you referring to?

 

[Heijst]

Sorry but not following you here ... I'm using the original 4 batt charger included in the Fly More combo for the Mavic Air. What more options do you referring to?

Car charger included, fast charging, storage mode (charging 50%), discharging mode.

 

[slup]

Car charger included, fast charging, storage mode (charging 50%), discharging mode.

Aha ... but no car charger is included in the Mavic Air Fly more unfortunately but it's possible to buy on the side though. Regarding charging mode it's only one ... fast or not. The different charging levels spoken of isn't regulated by the charger itself, if you want 50% let 2 of the four leds light up then take it of the charger ... highly manual function And for the discharge ... it's performed by the smart battery itself after fixed 10 days, then it takes it down to approx 65%. But that 10 day counter resets every time you push the battery button to light the leds for checking the charge.

 

[Heijst]

Aha ... but no car charger is included in the Mavic Air Fly more unfortunately but it's possible to buy on the side though. Regarding charging mode it's only one ... fast or not. The different charging levels spoken of isn't regulated by the charger itself, if you want 50% let 2 of the four leds light up then take it of the charger ... highly manual function And for the discharge ... it's performed by the smart battery itself after fixed 10 days, then it takes it down to approx 65%. But that 10 day counter resets every time you push the battery button to light the leds for checking the charge.

The DJI charging hub doesn't stop automatically at 50%, you have indeed to remove the battery yourself. The Hanatora can do that for you automatically.
DJI charging hub needs 50 min. per battery, so 4 batteries takes 200 minutes. The Hanatora can charge four batteries in 80 minutes.
The DJI charger cannot discharge a battery (the battery will discharge itself after 10 days to more or less 50%. The Hanatora can discharge the battery till 0%, but elsewhere I have read that you never must discharge to that level, because it can damage the battery. I am not sure how the Hanatora deals with that issue.

 

[Unknown Pilot]

But that 10 day counter resets every time you push the battery button to light the leds for checking the charge.

Really? I've seen no indication of that during the time I've had the air and if you think about it, it's kind of counter intuitive.

 

[slup]

Really? I've seen no indication of that during the time I've had the air and if you think about it, it's kind of counter intuitive.

Yup... but that is how it works unfortunately.

 

[Firejay27]

I find all these battery discussions interesting along with the wording from the reviewers and such as well. I'll start by saying that I for one don't sit and watch my batteries charge as it would be almost as entertaining as watching grass grow. I have the DJI charging dock and will plug all 4 in at once. Now DJI recommends storing around 60% for long term storage and everyone will say don't store your batteries at 100%. My opinion here but I think everyone misses the point that DJI has made these batteries intelligent and will recognize when they are stored for more than 10 days. This is why they will automatically discharge to 65% once that 10 day period is reached. After that there is no real guideline for storing even longer term.

My opinion again but if you're discharging to 25% or so when flying then let the DJI charger and battery intelligence do it's job. Fully charge them back up, put them away and let them go from there. Always though pop them in the charger the night before you're going to fly anyway. And as for some suggestions here regarding third party chargers.. no way! I won't trust them for anything. I've had issues with third party chargers for other types of batteries and have destroyed the battery. DJI has matched their chargers to their batteries and at $75/battery I won't take the risk. Charging a battery at a higher rate than what the manufacture charger does just to shave off some charging time is dangerous IMO and can risk damage and bursting.

Just my 2 cents.