Near Disaster

[WWK888]

I was flying the other day over water catching a south swell. I decided to come back early with 47% battery left. After I landed I went to turn off the battery and it just popped right out. I discovered it was swollen on the bottom. I know it was seated properly before take off.

I am sure the battery was about to pop out on its own, if I hadn’t come back early I am sure the drone would have gone for a swim. The battery was produced in July 2018 and only had 17 charges.

 

[msinger]

The battery was produced in July 2018 and only had 17 charges

How were you caring for it? Ever store it in hot conditions (like in a parked car)?

 

[WWK888]

Nope, I have 5 batteries. Never store them hot or in hot places. Never keep them fully charged longer than a day or so.

 

[WWK888]

I am sure this scenario explains a lot of the sudden power loss crashes.

 

[BigAl07]

I know it's a different aircraft but I'm flying an older version of the MP... a Platinum. Over the last 2 weeks I've had 3 batteries "Puff" on me to the point of removing them from use. All three are puffy/swollen to the point to where they are physically hard to get the side latches to engage properly. There is no way I'd put any of these into Air Use in the aircraft because I'm confident they are one "jerk/jar" away from disconnecting and leaving the aircraft.

One thing I can say about my situation is I know they were left in a vehicle for at least 6 hours on a very hot day. LiPo do not tolerate HOT(to that degree) and they were fully charged during the day they were left in the vehicle. Oh well mark it up for User Error on m part.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

I was flying the other day over water catching a south swell. I decided to come back early with 47% battery left. After I landed I went to turn off the battery and it just popped right out. I discovered it was swollen on the bottom. I know it was seated properly before take off.

I am sure the battery was about to pop out on its own, if I hadn’t come back early I am sure the drone would have gone for a swim. The battery was produced in July 2018 and only had 17 charges.

Just wondering if the Battery ever got wet. ?

Phantomrain.org
Gear for you Mavic to fly in the rain.
Designer of the Lunar Landing Pad.

 

[WWK888]

Just wondering if the Battery ever got wet. ?

Phantomrain.org
Gear for you Mavic to fly in the rain.
Designer of the Lunar Landing Pad.

Nope.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

Nope.

The only thing left is extreme temperature changes is that possible ?

 

[WWK888]

The only thing left is extreme temperature changes is that possible ?

Nope.

 

[WithTheBirds]

The only thing left is extreme temperature changes is that possible ?

The only thing?

Allowing the battery to sit at high or low SOC for extended periods will also lead to puffing (with respect to the latter it need not for be an extended period).

 

[Moose1967]

I have a MP1 and have 45 charges on each of my three batteries - quad is a year old - just purchased Care Refresh + and none of them is puffed up at all - I am a bit **** about the batteries - very rarely take them below 50 percent - only if I have to - rarely store them below room temperature - I let them cool a few hours before charging them again - I maybe lucky.

But they are a product that can fail as they are man made.

 

[WithTheBirds]

I have a MP1 and have 45 charges on each of my three batteries - quad is a year old - just purchased Care Refresh + and none of them is puffed up at all - I am a bit **** about the batteries - very rarely take them below 50 percent - only if I have to - rarely store them below room temperature - I let them cool a few hours before charging them again - I maybe lucky.

But they are a product that can fail as they are man made.

Below room temperature is good.

 

[Grstallion]

Below room temperature is good.

If it gets hot while flying the battery shouldnt swell. But if it did it would be locked in place cuz it swells in the container and tighten.

 

[WithTheBirds]

If it gets hot while flying the battery shouldnt swell. But if it did it would be locked in place cuz it swells in the container and tighten.

I think your quoting me by accident. My comment was with respect to storage not flying.

 

[Joe4flight]

I was flying the other day over water catching a south swell. I decided to come back early with 47% battery left. After I landed I went to turn off the battery and it just popped right out. I discovered it was swollen on the bottom. I know it was seated properly before take off.

I am sure the battery was about to pop out on its own, if I hadn’t come back early I am sure the drone would have gone for a swim. The battery was produced in July 2018 and only had 17 charges.

This is all new and confusing to me. I have a MPP and purchased the flymore kit. So 3 total batteries. I was under the impression the batteries discharge on their own after sitting idle for ten days. I’ve never seen any of them swell and I don’t even know what that would look like. Can you send a pic? My MPP and batteries are less than a year old.

 

[Pontoon-pilot]

Li-po batteries have some mistery of their own.
I've been using them for a long time with hobby airplanes and helis.
Some batteries were accidentally left in a tool shed in Texas heat for weeks fully charged, others are stored in a fridge yet I see some expensive ones swell up, and some cheapies last a long time...and the other way around too.
Some of my trophy truck li-pos were left fully charged for a year at least in a tool shed (abandoned RC truck for a while) yet they functioned fine later.

 

[GFields]

This problem is not limited to the batteries your drone uses. It applies to all Lipo Batteries. Here is what I found:

Simply put, a battery is made of three things: the anode, the cathode, and the electrolyte. The cathode and the anode are the positive and negative terminals on your battery.

The electrolyte is a chemical inside the battery that allows charged ions to flow from the anode to the cathode during discharge (and the other way during charging).

Electrolyte decomposition is what happens when that electrolyte chemically breaks down. So in a lipo battery, as the electrolyte breaks down you end up with lithium and oxygen. This forms lithium oxide on the anode and cathode (depending on whether you are charging or discharging).

But what you also end up with is excess oxygen that doesn’t adhere to the anode or cathode. This excess oxygen is part of what causes a battery swell. And oxygen likes to burn. See here for more details. He also goes over some other reasons a battery might swell.

Other gases that can be found in the battery during the normal chemical reactions of a battery are carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon monoxide (CO). For a technical overview of this, see this paper.

Check with DJI to see if the battery(ies) are under warranty. Do not use a swollen battery.

Good Luck

 

[gnirtS]

If it gets hot while flying the battery shouldnt swell. But if it did it would be locked in place cuz it swells in the container and tighten.

Not true. The most flexible part is the bottom.
When they swell, the bottom bulges not the side.
This springs the clips on one or both sides.

 

[gnirtS]

I was flying the other day over water catching a south swell. I decided to come back early with 47% battery left. After I landed I went to turn off the battery and it just popped right out. I discovered it was swollen on the bottom. I know it was seated properly before take off.

I am sure the battery was about to pop out on its own, if I hadn’t come back early I am sure the drone would have gone for a swim. The battery was produced in July 2018 and only had 17 charges.

It seems to be happening me often lately. Another swelling thread was started this week, the are 4 others over the last few months and a similar number on the dji forum.

 

[BigAl07]

If it gets hot while flying the battery shouldnt swell. But if it did it would be locked in place cuz it swells in the container and tighten.

The "Swelling" occurs where the unit is the softest which happens to be the bottom of the battery. I've got (3) that are swollen and you can spin them like a top when sitting on a hard flat surface. When I get home tonight I may make a video or take some pics so everyone understands what it looks and feels like.

For the record, it's called PUFFING because it becomes swollen and .... Puffy...it's like there is a soft foam layer suddenly inside the pack.