Broken tabs on DJI mini4 pro batteries

[Herongate]

Hello fellow pilots,
I just broke a tab on one of my DJI mini4 Pro while taking it out of the charging unit!
I am upset because now I have to buy a new battery and they aren’t cheap and I wonder about the fragility of my other batteries.
Is that something that happens often?

 

[PanoVolo]

Happens all the time, design flaw. If the battery <12 mo old open a support ticket with DJI and they may replace for free.

 

[Herongate]

Happens all the time, design flaw. If the battery <12 mo old open a support ticket with DJI and they may replace for free.

Thanks PanoVolo. Unfortunately the battery is 14 months old. :-(

 

[Droning on and on...]

Thanks PanoVolo. Unfortunately the battery is 14 months old. :-(

Ahhhhh... the 12+ month tab breakoff timer kicked in...

 

[PanoVolo]

Still may try with a support ticket but chances are slim.

I don't know what this community recommendations are re diy repairs, but the tab needs to flex so something like crazy glue+baking soda won't work.

 

[norsehabanero]

Happens all the time, design flaw. If the battery <12 mo old open a support ticket with DJI and they may replace for free.

Two sets of broken batteries in 3 months

 

[norsehabanero]

Is there different batteries that can be used that don't break

 

[GadgetGuy]

Is there different batteries that can be used that don't break

In the future, just handle the battery tabs more gently, knowing they are more fragile than you first thought.

 

[BossBob]

Perhaps it’s that the batteries are clipped into the battery charger as well as being clipped into the drone which puts twice as much stress on the clips. The charger seems like a good idea but could be the cause of the problem. Even if you use a different charger with no clips there is the temptation (which I’ve fallen foul of) to store and carry the batteries in it. Perhaps a dremel will be put to use on the DJI charger.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Perhaps it’s that the batteries are clipped into the battery charger as well as being clipped into the drone which puts twice as much stress on the clips. The charger seems like a good idea but could be the cause of the problem. Even if you use a different charger with no clips there is the temptation (which I’ve fallen foul of) to store and carry the batteries in it. Perhaps a dremel will be put to use on the DJI charger.

To minimize that wear and tear, the batteries can also be kept in the battery hub case without fully clipping them in. A bit of gaffers tape over the top and around the sides of the hub can be used for securing them further, as needed.

 

[BossBob]

I’ll just file away the lip at the top of the battery hub that the batteries latch on to. A nice big elastic band can hold all the batteries in place, or if being picky, three individual elastic bands, one per battery.

 

[Max Headroom]

In the future, just handle the battery tabs more gently, knowing they are more fragile than you first thought.

I read about broken battery tabs in another thread so have only been pushing gently and only enough until they release, basically treating them like they could break any second.

 

[mm crashed]

Hello all. I have had the same issue with a battery still under warranty. DJI customer service was absolutely horrible and is now blaming everything but their design flaw. They blame tariffs or that I was not in China when it broke. They even said the warranty only covers items that are in China so I have to be physically in China to get a replacement otherwise I have to pay for a new one. This happened twice. It is clearly a design flaw. And yes I am extremely gentle and don't snap it into the charger all the time. In fact the latest break, I could tell it was broken before I even placed pressure on the tabs. Possibly the drone's heat led to the weakening.

Has anyone thought of a different route? Or just stop buying the batteries from DJI.

 

[PanoVolo]

I was able to get one of the batteries replaced out of warranty by going back and forth with their service. I think it was for a very low nominal fee. This was before tariffs and we are in Canada anyway. They do know it's a design flaw.

 

[GerdS]

I had the same problem about 1 year ago and the battery was replaced by the DJI service at Hungary for free (I am living in Germany). About 6 months later and although I was much more cautious now the tabs on the replaced battery broke again and I got it replaced a second time for free. I have the fly more combo and there have been no issues with my other two batteries.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I had the same problem about 1 year ago and the battery was replaced by the DJI service at Hungary for free (I am living in Germany). About 6 months later and although I was much more cautious now the tabs on the replaced battery broke again and I got it replaced a second time for free. I have the fly more combo and there have been no issues with my other two batteries.

Hopefully, the more recently manufactured new Mini 4 Pro regular batteries have solved the problem.