DJI Mavic, Air and Mini Drones
Friendly, Helpful & Knowledgeable Community
Join Us Now

Do you charge your batteries back to 100% for storage?

aesculus

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2017
Messages
67
Reactions
46
Age
53
Location
Ohio
I'm aware that the Mavic intelligent batteries will partially discharge themselves after a set amount of days, but I've found that when I'm flying frequently (2 or 3 days a week) they don't ever sit around long enough to discharge down to 65%. My habits have been to store all 3 batteries at 100% so I'll be ready to fly at any time, meaning, once I'm done flying, as soon as the batteries cool down, I put them on the charger and then pack them up. So my batteries are always at 100% except for a couple hours when they get used.

I thought maybe this was going to shorten the lives of the batteries, so I started keeping only one charged at 100%, leaving the others partially charged. Then, when I go fly, I put the other 2 on the charger. Then rotate which one gets the full charge for storage. I feel like that's probably a better habit, but I don't really know.

This is a bit more of a hassle, but it's worth it if it will extend the life of my batteries. Will it?
 
Im new to the MP but not quad lipos. I have a few racing quads and Ill only charge the batts the night before I fly. And then I always charge them to a "storage charge level" after I get back from the field. I have friends that keep their lipos 100% charged for weeks.

If youre flying 2-3 times a week I wouldnt worry about it too much. I definitely wouldnt let them charge unattended and would keep on an eye on the balance of the 3 cells.
 
I'm aware that the Mavic intelligent batteries will partially discharge themselves after a set amount of days, but I've found that when I'm flying frequently (2 or 3 days a week) they don't ever sit around long enough to discharge down to 65%. My habits have been to store all 3 batteries at 100% so I'll be ready to fly at any time, meaning, once I'm done flying, as soon as the batteries cool down, I put them on the charger and then pack them up. So my batteries are always at 100% except for a couple hours when they get used.

I thought maybe this was going to shorten the lives of the batteries, so I started keeping only one charged at 100%, leaving the others partially charged. Then, when I go fly, I put the other 2 on the charger. Then rotate which one gets the full charge for storage. I feel like that's probably a better habit, but I don't really know.

This is a bit more of a hassle, but it's worth it if it will extend the life of my batteries. Will it?
You didnt read the manual did you ? Oklet me give a brief outline. If you stored your batteries at 100 for a period longer that 7 days, i would start saving to replace them all. LIPO battery cells get irrepairably damaged if stored at full capacity or low voltage for period longer than 7 days. You will get low voltage peaks on the batteries, quick power drop offs as well as well as voltage disparities... Says 80 % left and all of a sudden you loose 20% in 30 sec. NEVER EVER store lipos at 100 or anything below 35 %. The Mavic battery has 3 batteries that make up the lipo and they do not like being abused. Fly your drone to nothing less than 25% battery power remaining ... 35 % idealy.... Because then u are on perfect storing capacity. Abusing LIPO cells is the worst thing you can do to your kit.... Apart from flying it into a try or a big lake of water ... But the concequences are very similar
 
  • Like
Reactions: WizDrone
These 'smart' mavic batteries have a default setting to lower to 20%(?) by its own after 10 days. you can change the setting in the battery tab. I charge to 100% on all my 3 batteries and leave it. I charge again to 100% (from whatever the batteries are at) night before or on the road.
 
I charge all mine til the 3rd LED starts flashing during the charge cycle then stop. The manual says clearly to charge them to 40% - 65% when not in use. Charge to full before use. I fly them down to as near to 5% or 10% as I can. Then same day I charge them back to mid range voltage.

If you don't do this, your battery WILL suck after not too long, and there's no fixing it.

Don't do this at your own peril.

There's plenty of horror stories of lost Mavics that inexplicably started throwing up over or under current errors and self landing in rivers and lakes etc. Potentially bad or abused batteries are the cause.

Why risk it? It's not so hard to take care of them!
 
  • Like
Reactions: pgitug
Ideally charge them until over 50% - leaving them depleted after a flight is worse than charging fully - and in any case the self discharge will kick in after set number of days.
The best plan is probably boost until 4th light is starting to flash and stop there.
If you suddenly decide to go out again that final top up won't take more than 20-30 minutes.
 
In one of the DJI-made videos, I hear them say to deplete your battery down to 5% once every 10 flights, for maximum long-term battery life. Can anyone from DJI confirm that this is a good practice?
 
I usually fly my batteries only down to 30% or a little below to ensure a long battery life. So I still have one solid and one blinking LED. I store them in this state up to one week and charge them shorttly before the next usage. In case they will not be used for longer, I will charge them until they will show 2 solid and one blinking LED which is a safe storage level.
 
In one of the DJI-made videos, I hear them say to deplete your battery down to 5% once every 10 flights, for maximum long-term battery life. Can anyone from DJI confirm that this is a good practice?
They don't recommend it with the Mavic, the only time I had problems with Phantom batteries was after doing that.
If battery life becomes noticeably shorter it won't hurt to try running it way down.
The principle is you are re-calibrating the battery monitoring software, I don't thing it's anything to do with helping the chemical process going on.
 
  • Like
Reactions: pgitug
In one of the DJI-made videos, I hear them say to deplete your battery down to 5% once every 10 flights, for maximum long-term battery life. Can anyone from DJI confirm that this is a good practice?
The "every 10 flights" was for the older batteries (I1, P3). Newer ones (P4, Mavic, I2) they say once every 3 months.

I usually keep my batteries charged becasue when I go fly it's on a whim rather than something planned. Yes it will probably shorten their life a bit but that's life, when they're dead I'll replace them and that's it.
 
In one of the DJI-made videos, I hear them say to deplete your battery down to 5% once every 10 flights, for maximum long-term battery life. Can anyone from DJI confirm that this is a good practice?
Unless you're attempting to rebalance the battery cells, there is likely no other reason you should be doing this.
 
I typically fully charge my gear before packing away... it's also not likely the MP will be sat around long enough to warrant "Extended storage situations". And even then I have my batteries set to discharge after 10days so longer term storage is self managed right?
 
Nope, not good for a Lipo battery to be stored at 100% i'll keep mine around 30%-50% and leave it, i'll fully charge the batteries the day I go flying.
 
I don't give my batteries a second thought really. I usually fly no lower than about 30% then just leave them like that until I'm ready to fly again. Only takes about an hour to charge them.
 
Good thoughts, thank you all (Oingo Boingo, I don't think my question warranted a RTM response, but thank you just the same). I guess I won't worry about it so much. I'm going to set the discharge period to 5 days. Right now, even with crappy Ohio weather I'm still finding opportunities to get it out at least twice a week, so I've not even observed any of the batteries self-discharge.

Here's a related question. Just for s&g I took a just-used hot battery and plugged it into the charging hub to see what would happen. I was pleased to see that the hub refused to charge it, but rather pulsed a red LED, which I assumed meant, "No, stupid." So is it safe to stick them on the charger and assume that they will begin charging once the temperature comes down to a safe level?
 
Hi All ..,

New pilot here!
Just so I'm understanding this..
Once I've been out and flown the Mavic( with 3 batteries), rather than returning home and charging FULLY, I'd be better charging them to say 3 green lights/4th flashing?
Then remove and keep in that State until I'm planning on flying... then FULLY charge???


Regards
D
 
Hi All ..,

New pilot here!
Just so I'm understanding this..
Once I've been out and flown the Mavic( with 3 batteries), rather than returning home and charging FULLY, I'd be better charging them to say 3 green lights/4th flashing?
Then remove and keep in that State until I'm planning on flying... then FULLY charge???


Regards
D

Not in my opinion,assuming you haven't flown them down to a ridiculously low amount, they'll be fine.
 
Not in my opinion,assuming you haven't flown them down to a ridiculously low amount, they'll be fine.
I always return home at 30%.... always!
So once home assuming there all around 30% give or take a very small margin, I'd be ok to leave and fully charge Night before?
 
Lycus Tech Mavic Air 3 Case

DJI Drone Deals

New Threads

Forum statistics

Threads
130,584
Messages
1,554,099
Members
159,588
Latest member
gfusato