Battery storage

[SeattleDrone]

I know somewhere there is a post about batteries storage, but cant find a good answer on if you cant fly for a couple days due to weather or what ever reason can you leave the battery in the drone or do you take it out,, I have a p4 advance any help would be helpful, dont want to ruin a battery or drone by doing something wrong
thanks

 

[Ansia]

The drone comes with the battery inside when you first purchase it. So in my opinion, I believe you will be allright leaving it inserted for a few days.

 

[msinger]

I have a p4 advance any help would be helpful, dont want to ruin a battery or drone by doing something wrong

I've never heard of anyone ruining a battery/drone by storing the battery in the drone. Your experience should be uneventful too if you choose to do the same.

 

[SeattleDrone]

Thanks,

 

[N017RW]

Some argue that storing the battery fully installed stresses the contacts.
It’s unlikely given the useful lifetime of a battery and the drone that this would be a problem.

 

[With The Birds]

Some argue that storing the battery fully installed stresses the contacts.
It’s unlikely given the useful lifetime of a battery and the drone that this would be a problem.

Just one of many popular myths- to the extent it was true it might also be advisable to disconnect the ECU wiring harness connector in your vehicle whenever it won’t be driven for a while.

 

[Ansia]

Just one of many popular myths- to the extent it was true it might also be advisable to disconnect the ECU wiring harness connector in your vehicle whenever it won’t be driven for a while.

S**t, I forgot to disconnect mine....

 

[clarkent]

I was leaving it inserted for 8 month when it was stored. No problems.

 

[solentlife]

As others have put - there should not be any problem leaving it in the aircraft. But I would like to add that used batterys are known to Puff and then you may have a problem getting it out ! We have had odd posts from people mentioning their packs doing this.
I have one pack for my P3P that is a tight fit due to very slight increase in pack ..... still flies fine - but I would never leave it in.

A few days is not a concern - but I would not like to leave in for long period. Regardless of switched off etc.- you are trusting circuitry.

The example of the 'car EMU' is a bit OTT in my view .... the car is designed for all to stay connected in all weathers / conditions. Your Phantom is not.

 

[With The Birds]

As others have put - there should not be any problem leaving it in the aircraft. But I would like to add that used batterys are known to Puff and then you may have a problem getting it out ! We have had odd posts from people mentioning their packs doing this.
I have one pack for my P3P that is a tight fit due to very slight increase in pack ..... still flies fine - but I would never leave it in.

A few days is not a concern - but I would not like to leave in for long period. Regardless of switched off etc.- you are trusting circuitry.

The example of the 'car EMU' is a bit OTT in my view .... the car is designed for all to stay connected in all weathers / conditions. Your Phantom is not.

I was responding to @N017RW effectively agreeing that the proposition often repeated by some that the contacts might fail prematurely if a battery is left installed for extended periods is unlikely to have any basis. The P4 battery connector is substantially similar to that of an ECU and other many other connectors that are left assembled for the service life of the vehicle. They don’t fail due to metal fatigue in the connectors. This is seemingly of relavence to the OP’s question.

Your suggestion that swelling of cells may prove to be an issue is worthy of consideration however a pack that swells to the extent it might prevent removal suggests it probably shouldn’t be relied on as a flight pack. One if the common causes of excessive puffing is to allow self discharge to the point the cells are probably permanently damaged.

 

[N017RW]

Well said WTB.

To add to that... any excessive over-discharge (OD) will lead to puffing.
(However, this is mitigated by the Phantom's 'smart' aspect of the battery.)

 

[skymonkey]

 

[N017RW]

Good post but consider DJI's perspective... Warranty costs. I.e. liability for any claim alleged from such storage.

This is entirely different from the mechanics of the components.

Having said that, I do not store a battery in the craft as there is no reason for me to.

Whenever possible I separate the item from the power source during long term storage such as cordless tools to prevent accidental or inadvertent operation.

This includes items containing ordinary dry cells due to the common occurrence of 'leaking'.

 

[Ansia]

Luckily OP is only thinking of doing it a couple of days and not 6 months.

 

[solentlife]

I was responding to @N017RW effectively agreeing that the proposition often repeated by some that the contacts might fail prematurely if a battery is left installed for extended periods is unlikely to have any basis. The P4 battery connector is substantially similar to that of an ECU and other many other connectors that are left assembled for the service life of the vehicle. They don’t fail due to metal fatigue in the connectors. This is seemingly of relavence to the OP’s question.

Your suggestion that swelling of cells may prove to be an issue is worthy of consideration however a pack that swells to the extent it might prevent removal suggests it probably shouldn’t be relied on as a flight pack. One if the common causes of excessive puffing is to allow self discharge to the point the cells are probably permanently damaged.

Just to labour a point .... I am not talking contacts - my thoughts are more on the electronics themselves.

Second - the most common cause of puffing of a pack is not due to allowing discharge below safe levels, in fact that should not swell a pack at all unless done at excessively high discharge rate. The reason a pack swells is due to too high a discharge rate causing heat increase. That heat increase causes expansion.

quote: Your suggestion that swelling of cells may prove to be an issue is worthy of consideration however a pack that swells to the extent it might prevent removal suggests it probably shouldn’t be relied on as a flight pack

I did not advise anyone to use a pack that has swollen such it cannot be removed. How would you get it in anyway ?
My pack that has tiny increase inserts and removes and provides same good performance as when new. I also monitor the pack as I have the 'tools' to do that.

 

[With The Birds]

Just to labour a point .... I am not talking contacts - my thoughts are more on the electronics themselves.

Second - the most common cause of puffing of a pack is not due to allowing discharge below safe levels, in fact that should not swell a pack at all unless done at excessively high discharge rate. The reason a pack swells is due to too high a discharge rate causing heat increase. That heat increase causes expansion.

quote: Your suggestion that swelling of cells may prove to be an issue is worthy of consideration however a pack that swells to the extent it might prevent removal suggests it probably shouldn’t be relied on as a flight pack

I did not advise anyone to use a pack that has swollen such it cannot be removed. How would you get it in anyway ?
My pack that has tiny increase inserts and removes and provides same good performance as when new. I also monitor the pack as I have the 'tools' to do that.

I was, as is evident from the post I responded to- talking about the contacts.

Leave a LiPO pack long enough to discharge below the minimum terminal voltage and puffing is a common occurance. Hydrogen gas being the predominant contributor.

Yes, packs loaded above the design C rating and/or with significant internal resistance will also puff (IR heating). Occasionally with spectacular results.

 

[solentlife]

I was, as is evident from the post I responded to- talking about the contacts.

Leave a LiPO pack long enough to discharge below the minimum terminal voltage and puffing is a common occurance. Hydrogen gas being the predominant contributor.

Yes, packs loaded above the design C rating and/or with significant internal resistance will also puff (IR heating). Occasionally with spectacular results.

You responded to a post that questioned my point of trusting electronics.

Puffing : Wrong way round....sorry.

Self discharge of a LiPo does not stress a LiPo and can easily discharge to real zero without any puffing at all. I have a box of such LiPo's that I just haven't got round to disposing yet. In fact they were discharged by me at rates higher then the extremely low Self discharge rates. Some of those go back significant time as well.

Putting packs to excessive high discharge rates is the most common cause of all - in fact I would suggest is the vast majority of causes ... any flight line discussions with users will support that through actual use and experience.
Problem is DJI users will normally not experience such as the systems are setup to avoid such. But regular RC users will see this as there the LiPo's are without fancy front boards and subject to direct control by the user.

 

[With The Birds]

I

You responded to a post that questioned my point of trusting electronics.

Puffing : Wrong way round....sorry.

Self discharge of a LiPo does not stress a LiPo and can easily discharge to real zero without any puffing at all. I have a box of such LiPo's that I just haven't got round to disposing yet. In fact they were discharged by me at rates higher then the extremely low Self discharge rates. Some of those go back significant time as well.

Putting packs to excessive high discharge rates is the most common cause of all - in fact I would suggest is the vast majority of causes ... any flight line discussions with users will support that through actual use and experience.
Problem is DJI users will normally not experience such as the systems are setup to avoid such. But regular RC users will see this as there the LiPo's are without fancy front boards and subject to direct control by the user.

My initial response to you concerned your suggestion that my likening the battery connector to a car ECU was off topic. Interesting as I was quoting another poster directly who seemingly got my point.

Crossed wires.

Old packs do puff just sitting around. I have direct observations of this occurring on numerous occasions.

 

[solentlife]

Anyone for Tennis ?

 

[N017RW]

Puffed Lipo Battery: Why they swell and what to do about it • LearningRC