Warning - A Serious Issue Found on Multiple M2 Batteries

[Kazzaaz]

Hi all,

I have found a very concerning issue with multiple M2 batteries that I would like everyone's thoughts on.
The issue concerns the last four pins of the battery which seem to have been arcing during discharge which has resulted in these pins losing contact area and in some cases, even melting the plastic around them.

I created a detailed post on the DJI forum which you can find the link to below:

Warning - A Serious Issue with Multiple M2 Batteries

Hello all, I have found what seems to be a chronic and fatal issue with the DJI batteries for Mavic 2. Please read the short summary below. Two months ago I submitted a Mavic 2 Zoom to DJI Repair under warranty. The aircraft lost power without warning and smashed into the ground. Later while...

forum.dji.com

Is this issue present with any of your batteries?
I have witnessed three separate M2Z aircraft completely lose power with two separate batteries that have shown these signs of damage.
It is to the point where I am nervous to fly at all.

 

[sancap]

Hi all,

I have found a very concerning issue with multiple M2 batteries that I would like everyone's thoughts on.
The issue concerns the last four pins of the battery which seem to have been arcing during discharge which has resulted in these pins losing contact area and in some cases, even melting the plastic around them.

I created a detailed post on the DJI forum which you can find the link to below:

Warning - A Serious Issue with Multiple M2 Batteries

Hello all, I have found what seems to be a chronic and fatal issue with the DJI batteries for Mavic 2. Please read the short summary below. Two months ago I submitted a Mavic 2 Zoom to DJI Repair under warranty. The aircraft lost power without warning and smashed into the ground. Later while...

forum.dji.com

Is this issue present with any of your batteries?
I have witnessed three separate M2Z aircraft completely lose power with two separate batteries that have shown these signs of damage.
It is to the point where I am nervous to fly at all.

I have some questions for you.

How old are the batteries?
How many cycles on the batteries?
What battery charger are you using?
Why would you ever use a battery that was involved in a crash that had gouges on it like shown in your other post?

 

[Kazzaaz]

I have some questions for you.

How old are the batteries?
Various, the oldest is the beat-up looking one at a little over a year old and ~150 charges.
The others are less than six months old.

How many cycles on the batteries?
Approximately 30 on batteries #1 and #3 in the DJI post. 80 on Battery #4.

What battery charger are you using?
DJI charger - I have three different chargers that have all come in the box with the M2Z.

Why would you ever use a battery that was involved in a crash that had gouges on it like shown in your other post?
That's not the battery that is showing any problems.
It looks like that because it fell off the back of my car and scraped the lip of it on the pavement.
I vigorously tested the latching mechanism and found no mechanical damage.

 

[sancap]

How old are the batteries?
Various, the oldest is the beat-up looking one at a little over a year old and ~150 charges.
The others are less than six months old.

How many cycles on the batteries?
Approximately 30 on batteries #1 and #3 in the DJI post. 80 on Battery #4.

What battery charger are you using?
DJI charger - I have three different chargers that have all come in the box with the M2Z.

Why would you ever use a battery that was involved in a crash that had gouges on it like shown in your other post?
That's not the battery that is showing any problems.
It looks like that because it fell off the back of my car and scraped the lip of it on the pavement.
I vigorously tested the latching mechanism and found no mechanical damage.

Thanks for the added info. I have 7 batteries, 5 of which are almost 2 years old. I got them when the Mavic 2 just came out. None of them show what yours are doing. Mine are all set to discharge in 2 days.

 

[sancap]

I have been using the Colorado Chargers Mavic 2 charger for the last year or so. I think I would check the charger leads to see if they are clean on your chargers. Does the Mavic battery pins look clean?

 

[Kazzaaz]

Thanks for the added info. I have 7 batteries, 5 of which are almost 2 years old. I got them when the Mavic 2 just came out. None of them show what yours are doing. Mine are all set to discharge in 2 days.

Interesting - thanks for weighing in!

Like I mentioned in the DJI post, I am not counting out the possibility that the first M2Z I sent back for replacement had been damaging the batteries. I hope that is the case so I can get these replaced and not have to worry again...

 

[LoganAir]

I just inspected the six M2 batteries I have and all are in perfect condition. Each are approaching one year and each with +25 charges thus far with both OEM charger and the Hanatora 5 in 1 Rapid Charger. I also inspected the charger connections and the contacts within the Zoom...all are pristine and overall look like new.

 

[bumper]

Interesting - thanks for weighing in!

Like I mentioned in the DJI post, I am not counting out the possibility that the first M2Z I sent back for replacement had been damaging the batteries. I hope that is the case so I can get these replaced and not have to worry again...

The first 4 and the last 4 contacts of the battery connector are negative and positive. The center two contacts, 5 & 6, are data. The reason for 8 pins devoted to power is to spread the current load between the relatively small connectors. If any get damaged is shifts more current to the others! Be sure to carefully inspect the pins in the drone's battery housing to be sure they are not burnt or damaged (if they are, they can damage a new battery). If you have one battery damaged, it may be that the pins in the drone are also damaged.

The battery compartment of the drone, being deep, tends to guide and keep the battery connector "lined up" when inserting the battery to minimize any lateral stress to the contacts. This is not the case when connecting the battery to a charger connector - use care when making this connection by pushing the connector on straight to minimize stress to the contacts.

I have 5 batteries for my M2P, all purcased Nov/Dec last year. No problems.

 

[Gringorio]

What ever you figure out, thanks for this post as it made me inspect my batteries since it had been a while. They all look good and were manufactured between July and December of 2018 and charged using standard DJI MP2 chargers.

 

[Deleted member 114292]

Hi all,

I have found a very concerning issue with multiple M2 batteries that I would like everyone's thoughts on.
The issue concerns the last four pins of the battery which seem to have been arcing during discharge which has resulted in these pins losing contact area and in some cases, even melting the plastic around them.

I created a detailed post on the DJI forum which you can find the link to below:

Warning - A Serious Issue with Multiple M2 Batteries

Hello all, I have found what seems to be a chronic and fatal issue with the DJI batteries for Mavic 2. Please read the short summary below. Two months ago I submitted a Mavic 2 Zoom to DJI Repair under warranty. The aircraft lost power without warning and smashed into the ground. Later while...

forum.dji.com

Is this issue present with any of your batteries?
I have witnessed three separate M2Z aircraft completely lose power with two separate batteries that have shown these signs of damage.
It is to the point where I am nervous to fly at all.

Of course the cause is unknown but I would doubt it is a battery problem.
Second it's not an arcing problem either - 12 volts does not arc across an air gap.
The contact pins got hot and melted from either too much current or high resistance.
Too bad you don't have your original drone as some issue with it could have been the cause. It could have been an issue with that drone causing high current flow or a fouled contact with high resistance causing high heat.
Instead of jumping to the conclusion it is a battery problem other problems should be considered as well. You seem to have already tagged and bagged it as a battery problem, with actually no evidence that is the case.

None of my 6 M2 batteries - with about 300 total flights on them - show any damage.

Which in and of itself proves only that it is not an inevitable consequence of a hypothetical battery "design flaw".

 

[Kazzaaz]

Of course the cause is unknown but I would doubt it is a battery problem.
Second it's not an arcing problem either - 12 volts does not arc across an air gap.
The contact pins got hot and melted from either too much current or high resistance.
Too bad you don't have your original drone as some issue with it could have been the cause. It could have been an issue with that drone causing high current flow or a fouled contact with high resistance causing high heat.
Instead of jumping to the conclusion it is a battery problem other problems should be considered as well. You seem to have already tagged and bagged it as a battery problem, with actually no evidence that is the case.

None of my 6 M2 batteries - with about 300 total flights on them - show any damage.

Which in and of itself proves only that it is not an inevitable consequence of a hypothetical battery "design flaw".

Thanks for the insight!
While my first suspicion was a battery flaw, I had not totally disparaged the idea of the damage being caused by the first drone as you mentioned.
After multiple replies from people without any signs of this issue I would agree with you.

I suppose in this case the mystery won't be solved.
Looks like I'll be going through the Warranty process again to get all of my packs replaced.
I would love to fly peacefully again

Second it's not an arcing problem either - 12 volts does not arc across an air gap.

P.S. while I use the term "arcing" loosely, 12 volts is certainly capable of producing a spark at the threshold of contact.
But it could very well have been just getting too hot.

 

[Deleted member 114292]

Thanks for the insight!
While my first suspicion was a battery flaw, I had not totally disparaged the idea of the damage being caused by the first drone as you mentioned.
After multiple replies from people without any signs of this issue I would agree with you.

I suppose in this case the mystery won't be solved.
Looks like I'll be going through the Warranty process again to get all of my packs replaced.
I would love to fly peacefully again



P.S. while I use the term "arcing" loosely, 12 volts is certainly capable of producing a spark at the threshold of contact.
But it could very well have been just getting too hot.

A spark yes if you touch the wires - a short - arcing usually means thru the air like flybacks on a tv - oh wait tv's don't have tubes any more.

WIki:
An electric arc, or arc discharge, is an electrical breakdown of a gas that produces a prolonged electrical discharge..

 

[Camino Ken]

A spark yes if you touch the wires - a short - arcing usually means thru the air like flybacks on a tv - oh wait tv's don't have tubes any more.

WIki:
An electric arc, or arc discharge, is an electrical breakdown of a gas that produces a prolonged electrical discharge..

I agree that arcing is probably not the cause of the problem because i believe that the battery contacts are designed as “break before make‘ ( or is it “make before break”) to avoid this type of issue.

 

[Ol' Sparky]

All 3 of mine are fine

 

[Kazzaaz]

I am pleased to report that today I received a full replacement of the aircraft and all five of my batteries.
I have high hopes not to have to worry about this problem again!