How to store batteries/etc between uses for several weeks?

[JDH77]

I have a Mavic Air 2 and can go several weeks or even more than month between flying it. I read that you shouldn't let the batteries completely die out before recharging, but I've also heard it's not good to overcharge batteries. Is it ok to keep the batteries plugged into the charger for weeks on end, or do I have to remove them when full, let them die out a bit, then put them back on the charger every week or two? I was thinking they might have a feature where they will de-charge while on the charger when necessary and then automatically charge back up but I'm not sure if that's true.

I have the same question about the controller.

 

[old man mavic]

I have a Mavic Air 2 and can go several weeks or even more than month between flying it. I read that you shouldn't let the batteries completely die out before recharging, but I've also heard it's not good to overcharge batteries. Is it ok to keep the batteries plugged into the charger for weeks on end, or do I have to remove them when full, let them die out a bit, then put them back on the charger every week or two? I was thinking they might have a feature where they will de-charge while on the charger when necessary and then automatically charge back up but I'm not sure if that's true.

I have the same question about the controller.

no dont leave them on the charger they are best stored between 45 to 65% charge when not in use, same with the RC as long as its got similar charge left in it your good to store
the drone batts will discharge down to 65% themselves in around 5 days if you leave them in a fully charge state and in the case of the MA2 they drop down to 96% after 24 hours if fully charged ,just keep a check on the state of charge every couple of weeks and charge them fully every two months if they are going to be laid up for an extended period ,such as winter months when flying can be problematic due to the weather ,the main thing is to check them and store then safely away from hot places and children and animals

 

[JDH77]

no dont leave them on the charger they are best stored between 45 to 65% charge when not in use, same with the RC as long as its got similar charge left in it your good to store
the drone batts will discharge down to 65% themselves in around 5 days if you leave them in a fully charge state and in the case of the MA2 they drop down to 96% after 24 hours if fully charged ,just keep a check on the state of charge every couple of weeks and charge them fully every two months if they are going to be laid up for an extended period ,such as winter months when flying can be problematic due to the weather ,the main thing is to check them and store then safely away from hot places and children and animals

Thank you very much for this information.

 

[Tommy85]

Thanks, old man Mavic. Winter will be here in Indiana soon, so I was also wondering how to store my MPP batteries all winter.
Now I know what & how to do it.

 

[Redvers]

Will add to the advice given. Lithium batteries do not like being stored totally discharged OR charged. If you fully charge and decide not to fly that day then no problem as the 'intelligent' function will look after you and drain a few %. If you own an electric bike and find the same - ie not being used unexpectedly after a full charge - try and bomb 'round the block' just to take the edge off the 100% capacity.

 

[volition]

I Race RC cars as well. Our chargers often have a storage mode. 3.8-3.9v per cell. Which for the MA2 is 66-70%. We also store our batteries in the fridge. I use a watertight container. The fridge keeps any reactions going on to a minimum. I live in Australia so we have hot summers if you live in colder environments just keep it as cold as practical. As mentioned above though heat is definitely not good, so do not leave them in a place that gets hot at the very least.

in regards to the storage charge, as above the battery will self storage charge after 5 days after a full charge. To manually do it, either fly to 70% or charge to 3 dots as approximations. It doesn’t have to be perfect just close enough.

Some will find the Fridge storage option risky, which is their call. I am vigilant in monitoring the health of my lithium based batteries. And if a battery is unhealthy it goes to the collection centre. I am yet to see or hear of a healthy battery causing problems. For My MA2 batteries I use Airdata UAV to monitor health and regular inspections and contacts cleaning. But note just like your phones, tablets, etc there is a extremely extremely low chance of a lithium fire, but in my years of experience hundreds of batteries I have only heard of fires during charging or during use and always a reason. Bad charge cables, old batteries, etc.

 

[Amckim2084]

If you know you're not going to fly for awhile, then after your last flight, charge them til the 3rd light starts blinking then take them off. They will be at the correct levels for storing. Even if you charge them fully, they will discharge on their own based on the number of days you have set. Just don't press the button on the battery at the beginning or the timer will restart and it will take longer to discharge. But it's ok to check the levels every few weeks and make sure they're not going down below 2 lights.

 

[volition]

If you know you're not going to fly for awhile, then after your last flight, charge them til the 3rd light starts blinking then take them off. They will be at the correct levels for storing. Even if you charge them fully, they will discharge on their own based on the number of days you have set. Just don't press the button on the battery at the beginning or the timer will restart and it will take longer to discharge. But it's ok to check the levels every few weeks and make sure they're not going down below 2 lights.

Ah that’s really interesting. I did not know pressing the button reset the storage discharge timer. That’s handy to know. Thanks!

 

[Amckim2084]

Ah that’s really interesting. I did not know pressing the button reset the storage discharge timer. That’s handy to know. Thanks!

I never knew myself for the longest time. I never got into the habit of checking them every day but there have been times where I did and it always made me wonder why they were not discharging. I would check the settings and still be confused. So now I wait at least a week if I’m not flying and then check them.

Rep