Salt Water Crash

[Andrew F]

Just tried. No lights. Who knows if it's on or off. No explosion yet anyways

I think it is reasonable to assume the most likely area for salt induced shorting would be the power button so it is probably a closed circuit right now. I'd treat that battery as a total loss and just keep it in a safe location until it is no longer warm. Then to the recycle center to help keep the world green. Hey, how about you video the drop off with your Mavic? Hahahaha.

 

[Happydude789]

I think it is reasonable to assume the most likely area for salt induced shorting would be the power button so it is probably a closed circuit right now. I'd treat that battery as a total loss and just keep it in a safe location until it is no longer warm. Then to the recycle center to help keep the world green. Hey, how about you video the drop off with your Mavic? Hahahaha.

Do you know if the dji care refresh covers the broken battery?

 

[Andrew F]

Do you know if the dji care refresh covers the broken battery?

I don't know but I doubt it unless the crash was the fault of the Mavic. Given your description I'm guessing it was user error? Or a big wave?

 

[Kilrah]

A lipo that got salt water on is dead for good, it penetrates the foil/somehow makes its way in into the cells and neutralises the chemistry (that's why that's the common way of neutralizing dead lipos before throwing them out). Got some that got wet when flying foamies at the beach and even with a thorough wash not long after the next day they were at 0V.

 

[Happydude789]

I don't know but I doubt it unless the crash was the fault of the Mavic. Given your description I'm guessing it was user error? Or a big wave?

I thought the refresh covered water damage?

 

[BorisTheSpider]

Yeah refresh covers water damage and has no exclusion (is even aimed at in fact) user error, so it should cover everything.

 

[Andrew F]

Yeah refresh covers water damage and has no exclusion (is even aimed at in fact) user error, so it should cover everything.

Oh. Interesting. I'd consider not using it just for a battery though as I think you just get two uses. But I could be wrong (again.)

 

[Happydude789]

Oh. Interesting. I'd consider not using it just for a battery though as I think you just get two uses. But I could be wrong (again.)

Yeah if in a few days I find out the drone is toast then I'll use it for both. Otherwise, if luck is on my side, the drone will work fine with the other 2 batteries I got in the fly more combo

 

[Kilrah]

Most cetainly not. And if it does it won't do so safely.

 

[BorisTheSpider]

Most cetainly not. And if it does it won't do so safely.

While I think that's a little pessimistic, I also think if it were me I'd probably use a refresh for this - for the price of a battery which you've definitely lost anyway, you'll get at least a refurbed drone rather than one that's taken a dunk. I don't know, you do hear a lot of horror stories about what DJI send back in refresh and warranty cases, but I doubt it can inspire less confidence than one that you know has definitely been in salt water.

 

[Dragonfly]

Sorry to say but your battery is caput, dead. DO NOT USE it, if you try to charge it you risk a fire.
What you need to do now is to make it safe as the cells are still charged and a potential fire risk still exists.
You need to put it back into a saturated solution of salt water (yes salt water)and leave for a few days, this will kill the chemical in the cell and stop the reaction that produduces electricity rendering the battery flatt/dead and inert. Its the safest way to deal and make a lipo/li ion battry safe for disposal.

 

[kika]

Do not use the battery even if it appears to be ok. Either recycle it if the drone is okay or send it back for the refresh with the drone otherwise. I personally wouldn't even think - the price of the battery is $89, the first Refresh case is $79 AFAIR, for which you will get a new drone AND a new battery. No brainer to me.

But don't even think about charging a compromised Lipo. It's a small incendiary grenade.

 

[Captainmarkie]

I live in Key West and run a Marina here. I have been around salt water for a long time. Being that said please don't give up hope after what I am about to say but salt water is a terribly corrosive thing. Even if you do manage to rinse off the components and get the device back working it seems like a matter of time and problems will still occur. We have had several items fall into the water including waterproof radios, computers, cell phones, and drones, all to no avail eventually. They all don't seems to survive the dip in the water, even if it's brief. Again, saltwater is a very bad thing when you mix it with anything electrical.
I'm not saying you can't bring your drone back from the dead but in my experience, replacement is the best route. Good luck.

 

[BossBob]

Canon won't consider a repair to a camera that has been dropped in water. Why would you consider trusting an aircraft that has been treated like this?

 

[Happydude789]

Update: just pulled out the mavic from rice after about 48 hours. Attempted a power on. Turned on but then proceeded to smoke and not connect to the remote. Thanks you to everyone who helped out. I'll be sending it back to dji for a replacement. Until then, happy droning!