Two More Battery Failures

[c.oberschneider]

Well, I should have thought about that by myself, but glad I could help anyway! Not sure whether I’ll be using the 3rd battery now anymore.

 

[gnirtS]

I think the batteries are safe to use if not swollen.
With all mine, even when swollen the voltages, current, power output and so on remained perfectly normal. It was just the physical issue of them unlatching and loosing connection.
Plus im sure not ALL batteries before that date would have the same fault - it'd be specific factories or batches.

 

[WWK888]

Just to be clear one of my batteries was fine on take off and when I landed with 47% left it popped out all by itself. I always check my batteries before flight by placing them on a flat surface.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Well, I should have thought about that by myself, but glad I could help anyway! Not sure whether I’ll be using the 3rd battery now anymore.

As @gnirtS has confirmed, the swollen batteries' performance is not in question. It is only the swelling that can potentially cause the battery to become dislodged in flight, and a tight rubberized velcro strap around the battery and fuselage can prevent that, albeit with some minor hassle. I bought some of the straps just in case. $8 for five of them on Amazon.

Amazon.com: 5 Pack 16mm x 300mm HD Rubberized Battery Straps Non-Slip - Apex RC Products #3021: Home Audio & Theater

Amazon.com: 5 Pack 16mm x 300mm HD Rubberized Battery Straps Non-Slip - Apex RC Products #3021: Home Audio & Theater

www.amazon.com

 

[GadgetGuy]

Just to be clear one of my batteries was fine on take off and when I landed with 47% left it popped out all by itself. I always check my batteries before flight by placing them on a flat surface.

Wise to do so! Getting some straps would be good insurance, too!

Amazon.com: 5 Pack 16mm x 300mm HD Rubberized Battery Straps Non-Slip - Apex RC Products #3021: Home Audio & Theater

Amazon.com: 5 Pack 16mm x 300mm HD Rubberized Battery Straps Non-Slip - Apex RC Products #3021: Home Audio & Theater

www.amazon.com

 

[WWK888]

Wise to do so! Getting some straps would be good insurance, too!

Amazon.com: 5 Pack 16mm x 300mm HD Rubberized Battery Straps Non-Slip - Apex RC Products #3021: Home Audio & Theater

Amazon.com: 5 Pack 16mm x 300mm HD Rubberized Battery Straps Non-Slip - Apex RC Products #3021: Home Audio & Theater

www.amazon.com

I did get the straps, but not those in your link.

 

[gnirtS]

I'd caution against straps - i did test and found they didn't really work.
The problem is the casing itself is very flexible so when the battery swells, no matter how tight the strap is the actual shell warps and unlatches.
The strap might stop the battery falling *but* even if its still in the slot the contacts aren't that deep, a few mm movement due to the shell warping can move the battery enough that electrically it disconnects. Its surprising just how strong and solid a swollen battery is.

I had one flight with a strapped battery, during flight i got the unlatch warning so came back and landed rapidly. A further test i did after that by holding the drone just after flight (warm battery) by shaking the drone i managed to turn it off as the contacts were broken - this could easily happen with a gust of wind, braking move etc.
That was the point i realised my drone was unusable as it was too risky to fly so spent 2.5 months grounded until i could fly out of the country and buy 3 new batteries.

So from the above id be happy myself to fly a battery that wasn't swollen before a flight. I wouldn't be comfortable flying one that was swollen before the flight or one known to swell during a flight in case the above happened.

I do have a feeling quite a few of the "my mavic just dropped into the sea" threads we've seen are related to batteries but not chemistry or cell related - simply they're swollen or swelling and disconnecting.
For the fairly large numbers we're seeing here happening theres a fair chance its happening to people in flight.

 

[WWK888]

I'd caution against straps - i did test and found they didn't really work.
The problem is the casing itself is very flexible so when the battery swells, no matter how tight the strap is the actual shell warps and unlatches.
The strap might stop the battery falling *but* even if its still in the slot the contacts aren't that deep, a few mm movement due to the shell warping can move the battery enough that electrically it disconnects. Its surprising just how strong and solid a swollen battery is.

I had one flight with a strapped battery, during flight i got the unlatch warning so came back and landed rapidly. A further test i did after that by holding the drone just after flight (warm battery) by shaking the drone i managed to turn it off as the contacts were broken - this could easily happen with a gust of wind, braking move etc.
That was the point i realised my drone was unusable as it was too risky to fly so spent 2.5 months grounded until i could fly out of the country and buy 3 new batteries.

So from the above id be happy myself to fly a battery that wasn't swollen before a flight. I wouldn't be comfortable flying one that was swollen before the flight or one known to swell during a flight in case the above happened.

I do have a feeling quite a few of the "my mavic just dropped into the sea" threads we've seen are related to batteries but not chemistry or cell related - simply they're swollen or swelling and disconnecting.
For the fairly large numbers we're seeing here happening theres a fair chance its happening to people in flight.

I would never fly with a known swollen battery. The straps would maybe help if a battery swells up during a flight and give me the opportunity to land before it unlatches.

 

[gnirtS]

I would never fly with a known swollen battery. The straps would maybe help if a battery swells up during a flight and give me the opportunity to land before it unlatches.

I wouldn't through choice other than i needed it for work and unable to take time off to fly out of the country to replace them.
Eventually it reached a stage where i wouldnt risk it (after those tests). Fortunately by that point in time i'd gotten at least most of what i needed so the 2.5 months was tolerable.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I'd caution against straps - i did test and found they didn't really work.
The problem is the casing itself is very flexible so when the battery swells, no matter how tight the strap is the actual shell warps and unlatches.
The strap might stop the battery falling *but* even if its still in the slot the contacts aren't that deep, a few mm movement due to the shell warping can move the battery enough that electrically it disconnects. Its surprising just how strong and solid a swollen battery is.

I had one flight with a strapped battery, during flight i got the unlatch warning so came back and landed rapidly. A further test i did after that by holding the drone just after flight (warm battery) by shaking the drone i managed to turn it off as the contacts were broken - this could easily happen with a gust of wind, braking move etc.
That was the point i realised my drone was unusable as it was too risky to fly so spent 2.5 months grounded until i could fly out of the country and buy 3 new batteries.

So from the above id be happy myself to fly a battery that wasn't swollen before a flight. I wouldn't be comfortable flying one that was swollen before the flight or one known to swell during a flight in case the above happened.

I do have a feeling quite a few of the "my mavic just dropped into the sea" threads we've seen are related to batteries but not chemistry or cell related - simply they're swollen or swelling and disconnecting.
For the fairly large numbers we're seeing here happening theres a fair chance its happening to people in flight.

Good advice from "boots on the ground"! If Production Date is 2018.08 or earlier, strap 'em until they swell. Then save them solely for finding satellites before flight, and any other strictly ground use of the gimbal and camera (which actually is a great way to get matching camera footage too dangerous to fly around people and in tight spaces).

 

[WWK888]

Yup I use one of my slightly swollen batteries to check settings. When not in use I keep them in a fireproof bag.

 

[Brockrock]

I had one flight with a strapped battery, during flight i got the unlatch warning so came back and landed rapidly.

Would mind clarifying this? Was this a Mavic 2 you were flying or a P4P ver 2?

 

[gnirtS]

M2P

 

[Mordor]

2019 battery production date, are any relates of problems?

 

[gnirtS]

Not that anyone has mentioned so far. I dont think a single one after August 18 has been reported.

 

[Mordor]

So there is hope, and maybe we can avoid people buy the old ones!

 

[GadgetGuy]

So there is hope, and maybe we can avoid people buy the old ones!

The good news is that it appears that all M2 batteries in the current pipeline should be immune from the battery swelling. The 2018.08 and prior production dates have long been sold, and are already in the hands of the early adopters of the M2, for better or worse. If buying used M2 batteries, stay away from any Production Date of 2018.08 or earlier, as displayed in the GO 4 app.

 

[Brockrock]

The good news is that it appears that all M2 batteries in the current pipeline should be immune from the battery swelling. The 2018.08 and prior production dates have long been sold, and are already in the hands of the early adopters of the M2, for better or worse. If buying used M2 batteries, stay away from any Production Date of 2018.08 or earlier, as displayed in the GO 4 app.

And thus, the old adage, ‘Always wait for awhile before buying the newest and greatest thing. It may be new, but maybe, it isn’t great...yet’.

Ok, in full disclosure, this adage is not really old per se. I just pretty much just made it up now, but yeah, I’m pretty sure it’s always applied to modern, electronic products..

 

[DanMan32]

All three of mine are 2018-7
26-28 charge cycles.

I bought my M2 sometime in September, not long before DJI raised the price.

As for waiting for maturity, sometimes you'll be waiting a long time. Think of how long it took before precision landing was included. By the time you might think it's mature, it's out of production.

 

[DanMan32]

Storage temperature conditions have been mentioned as contributing if not causal factors for the swelling, such as having our gear in the car. But it occurred to me that battery temperature during operation could be even hotter than what might be experienced in a car.
I flew my M2Z today, outdoor temp about 93F. When I was done, the M2 was plenty hot. Unfortunately I didn't note the battery temp.
My flight was with my one remaining good battery.

Sitting on idle in the house 80F to go through settings, battery got up to 34C or about 93.2F.