Controller battery on Phantom 4

bullerman1946 · Mar 19, 2020

Having a problem with my battery on my Phantom 4 controller. I bought it used about a year and a half ago. When I charged the battery on the controller it would light up all the lights on the controller. Shortly after cutting it on one of the lights would go out. If I flew any amount of time the third light would go out. I didn't know if it was the battery or I had read people were having a problem with the board or controller itself. Thought it might be a problem with the charger. It does charge the drone battery up with no problem.
I bought a new battery, put it in and it basically did the same thing. Sadly I don't think I paid any attention to the battery per cent of the controller. Or at least I Don't remember. I haven't flown much lately. I did charge it up yesterday and went to fly. When I turned everything own I noticed I only had 49 per cent power on the controller and 99 per cent on the drone. I was thinking about trying to check the voltage on the battery on the controller with a volt meter but I assume the reading it shows on the app is correct.
I recharged everything this morning. It charged for about 30 minutes and cut off. Then I turned everything on and checked the voltage. Just checked it again. When I turn the controller on my red light is blinking and beeping. I have two solid lights and the third one is blinking and the controller shows 52 per cent. I am going to recharge it again in a little while.
I recharged it again. When I plugged it in I had three blinking lights. t I charged for about 10 minutes and then cut off. I turned everything on. It shows 52% battery on the controller. Does anyone have any suggestions. Thanks

Drone Freedom27 · Mar 19, 2020

Okay here's a video please watch the whole thing and always be careful when repairing things yourself. I am currently watching several videos to try and pin point what could be the issue.

bullerman1946 · Mar 19, 2020

Thanks. I will do what you showed removing the battery and try it. If it doesn't show four lights with the battery removed then there is something wrong with the board in the controller is what I am seeing. If I don't get the four lights should I send it back to DJI and let them try and fix it or would you do what you did. I don't have a heat gun like that. I have one of the blow dryer type guns that gets very hot. Looked like you had around 300 degrees on yours.
I do feel like there is nothing wrong with the battery since it was doing the same thing with the old one. I will take the battery out, try it and post what I have. Thanks

bullerman1946 · Mar 19, 2020

I got it fixed. The heat did it. I got three lights and finally got the fourth one. Had to put a but if heat to it. I used my infrared heat gun to keep a check on the heat part. Now if I can just get it back together.

Drone Freedom27 · Mar 19, 2020

Nice man I knew YouTube could help it solves alot of issues cheers safe flying.

bullerman1946 · Mar 19, 2020

Thanks again.

cneedelman · Mar 20, 2020

Hopefully the repair will last. I've reflowed my RC a number of times and it reverts back. I now get about a 76% charge showing, but only able to fly 4 batts before the controller is dead.

bullerman1946 · Mar 22, 2020

Hopefully mine holds up. I have never flown more than two batteries so I should be good. I wonder why you have to reflow it? I thought maybe when you flow it you were redoing a cold solder connection but I don't know. I guess time will tell.

cneedelman · Mar 22, 2020

Apparently from what I've read it's a regulator component on the main board that is bad and heating it up does something to it, but in my case it reverts back to its bad self.

Bearded2304 · May 5, 2020

Are there replacement boards you can buy? Ive taken apart and "reflowed" mine several times....im over it

cneedelman · May 5, 2020

I have seen replacement boards on eBay and at Cloud City Drones. $200-$250. For that much it might be worth it to see if DJI will fix it. I've heard of people getting it fixed for $89 through DJI. Let me know how it goes, as I might have to do it myself.

bullerman1946 · May 7, 2020

Mine reverted back to about where it was. Charges up to about 80%. When I fly it doesn't take long for it to get to 50% or so but I still have two good lights. Don't know if I should reheat the board again or not.

cneedelman · May 7, 2020

bullerman1946 said:
Mine reverted back to about where it was. Charges up to about 80%. When I fly it doesn't take long for it to get to 50% or so but I still have two good lights. Don't know if I should reheat the board again or not.

Mine reverts also, I keep doing it thinking I haven't heated it enough to stay. It now charges to 100%, I haven't used it for a month or 2. I'll have to see how it goes, it does seem to drop just turning it on, it went down to 96% just sitting there.

bullerman1946 · May 8, 2020

Cneedelman. It sounds like we are in the same boat. I wouldn't mind sending it back to DJI if I could get if fixed for a 100.00 or so. I may reheat it again. I am like you. Mine shows to drop fast. When it started this I put in a new battery thinking that was what was wrong. May do it today. Thanks

cneedelman · May 8, 2020

bullerman, yesterday I charged up my RC and 1 battery and took it outside. The RC showed 93% after fully charging showing 4 lights. I flew my P4p battery down to 50% and the RC battery was at 83% when I shut it off. Not a great test, flying in my backyard surrounded by trees I got bored so I stopped at 50%. I should have flown the full battery to see where the RC wound up. I thought about contacting DJI yesterday to see if they could estimate a repair charge, went to the website but didn't go any further. Let me know if you try DJI.

bullerman1946 · May 9, 2020

Ok. I will let you know. Mine seems kind of just backwards. About 80% is all I can get out of the RC and it seems to go down fast. I have three P4 batteries and they all seem to be good. I may reheat my board one more time. Now when I am charging I am not getting four lights flashing but I did after heating the board. Wish there was someone else that works on them besides DJI. I will let you know.

Droneted · Nov 8, 2020

I found a place in California that replace a chip to fix the board. I sent a GL300E last week. I will let you know if they actually fix it. The "E" is the one with the built in screen. $139 to fix it. The "F" is cheaper. I may have wasted $139 but it was worth a try. I can always file a claim.
If this works I will post on the forum.
I did try heating the chip but it failed every time. There was even a resister method but that gave it 4 lights forever even when it was discharged.

cneedelman · Nov 8, 2020

I finally sent my controller back to DJI and got back a new controller within 2 weeks for $90. It works and charges perfectly.

peegee5344 · Dec 1, 2020

cneedelman said:
I finally sent my controller back to DJI and got back a new controller within 2 weeks for $90. It works and charges perfectly.

Where did you find the info to return your controller to??
in the same boat and getting tired of taking the controller apart,,afraid I’m going to fry something one of these times.
Thanks!

cneedelman · Dec 1, 2020

Go to DJI
Start a repair ticket and you can print a shipping label and send it back to DJI. I'm on the east coast and I sent it to DJI in California. There are approved vendors for repair, I believe, but I'm not sure you can get the same deal. I would send it back to DJI in California.