My first flight was a disaster!

[Mitchell1990]

This time last week I ordered a P3S which was delivered Friday. Never owned a a drone before but thought it would be fun, and it was, for 30 minutes. Long story short it decided to take a quick dip in the sea and I got just as wet retrieving it. I threw the battery in the nearest bin and rushed home to dry it off and sit in rice for a few days. I've since learned I should have rinsed off the sea water to prevent corrosion.

I've just tried my new battery and on turning the battery on I just get a quiet click before it turns off.

What I want to ask is could this be a simple fix or should I sell the control and battery and cut my losses? Also is there any way to test camera function through connecting to my laptop?

Please help!!!

 

[kookboy]

I threw the battery in the nearest bin

you realize that it can explode and cause a fire if it ruptures ?

 

[Mitchell1990]

you realize that it can explode and cause a fire if it ruptures ?

Oh really?! I just searched online to see if it would be usable and the threads just said it was useless and might as well throw in the bin so I did...

 

[Prairie Pyro]

Lithium reacts with water. That property is used to power navy torpedoes. Most recycling centers, Best Buy stores etc have bins for proper disposal.

 

[kookboy]

Lipo batteries are hazardous and can cause explosions/off gassing of chemicals harmful to breath. They have voltage protection, however inside the plastic casing lies the same lithium polymer battery that has been around for a long time in the RC world.

Please treat your DJI batteries with care and don't just dump them anywhere.

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[Mitchell1990]

Oh lord now I'm praying I'm not responsible for a fire somewhere! We live and learn I suppose, I was so angry at wasting £550 I didn't read anymore once I realised it was useless

 

[Mitchell1990]

Lesson learnt guys I feel bad!! Any ideas on whether I can salvage what's left?

 

[kookboy]

So that you don't cause a lipo fire inside your P3, I would have it looked at by a professional shop to determine there is something worth keeping and/or it won't short circuit and cause a fire when you plug in a new battery.

This happens and it's more common than people think. The P3 looks like a toy but it can burn down a building with a lipo fire in the worst of circumstances.

DJI Battery Self Combusting

Hopefully you can salvage something off it.

 

[ChrisW]

Hi. Sorry for your loss but at least you have learnt many lessons so that if you are able to fly again you'll be better equipped. Do you know that the swim was due to your inexperience or a fault in the phantom?

I don't know about the fault but I would doubt that if the P3 is switching off shortly after switching on that you'll be able to test camera function. Are you getting anything to view through the DJI go app before it switches off - I don't know about P3s's so this last bit might not be applicable

Perhaps contacting DJI or one of the authorised repairers might be useful. Heliguy are one such company here in the UK who might be able to help?

Don't forget that you have a working controller, batteries and stuff so buying a new P3 by itself might be cheaper and easier than repair.

 

[FrequentFlyer]

I find it perplexing to why one would be anywhere near water on your first flight. Very brave.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[RocketBrew]

Have you uploaded the log to HealthyDrones? Please post the link here.
Also, upload your TXT flight log here and post the link back here.

 

[RodPad]

This time last week I ordered a P3S which was delivered Friday. Never owned a a drone before but thought it would be fun, and it was, for 30 minutes. Long story short it decided to take a quick dip in the sea and I got just as wet retrieving it. I threw the battery in the nearest bin and rushed home to dry it off and sit in rice for a few days. I've since learned I should have rinsed off the sea water to prevent corrosion.

I've just tried my new battery and on turning the battery on I just get a quiet click before it turns off.

What I want to ask is could this be a simple fix or should I sell the control and battery and cut my losses? Also is there any way to test camera function through connecting to my laptop?

Please help!!!

If you didn't rinse the sea water off, and didn't take the top off to speed up the drying, and only let it set for a few days, Sorry I think its a goner.

Anybody else?

I think he gets the battery part.

 

[Wolfiesden]

This time last week I ordered a P3S which was delivered Friday. Never owned a a drone before but thought it would be fun, and it was, for 30 minutes. Long story short it decided to take a quick dip in the sea and I got just as wet retrieving it.

Aaaand why were you anywhere near water on your first flight?

I threw the battery in the nearest bin

+1 for getting rid of a dangerous battery. -2 for not thinking it all the way through.

and rushed home to dry it off and sit in rice for a few days. I've since learned I should have rinsed off the sea water to prevent corrosion.

Rice is a myth. Its dust is highly abrasive as well.

Clean filtered water (if possible) followed by a rinse of distilled water.

Then pack it in Fresh Step Gel crystals cat litter (its 100% silica gel which is a commercial desiccant).

If you didn't do those things, I am pretty sure its RIP for the Phantom. Especially if you powered it up.

Salt is conductive and corrosive. There are other minerals (also conductive and corrosive) in seawater as well. They don't evaporate. Water does. When the water evaporates, it leaves those salts and minerals behind to destroy things.

I mean worst case if it don't work now is to try rinsing it VERY well in luke warm water to try to remove those salts and minerals and then re-pack it in the cat litter followed by trips to church on a Sunday or two for some assistance. At this point you got nothing to loose trying to clean it.

Its a tough lesson I am sure. Sorry for your loss.

 

[Mitchell1990]

All these smart *** comments are exactly the reason I didn't come here sooner. Forums seem to be a breeding ground for people that relish in trying to make people look/ feel stupid.

 

[Wolfiesden]

This is the cat litter.
Fresh Step Crystals, Premium Cat Litter, 8 lb Bag - Walmart.com

And yes I am serious about the cat litter being a smarter choice than rice.
Water-Damaged Smartphone: Rice no longer the best trying agent

 

[RodPad]

All these smart *** comments are exactly the reason I didn't come here sooner. Forums seem to be a breeding ground for people that relish in trying to make people look/ feel stupid.

Yeah, I thought they hitting your hard on the battery thing.
I was trying to change the focus..

 

[RodPad]

This is the cat litter.
Fresh Step Crystals, Premium Cat Litter, 8 lb Bag - Walmart.com

And yes I am serious about the cat litter being a smarter choice than rice.
Water-Damaged Smartphone: Rice no longer the best trying agent

Sorry, I am sticking with rice, I don't want my cat taking a wiz on my Phantom.

 

[Mitchell1990]

Yeah, I thought they hitting your hard on the battery thing.
I was trying to change the focus..

I did appreciate that thank you! I'm not shying from the fact I just wanted a new toy to play with and didn't have a clue what I was doing but when someone asks for help adding insult to injury isn't really the way forward lol

 

[RodPad]

I did appreciate that thank you! I'm not shying from the fact I just wanted a new toy to play with and didn't have a clue what I was doing but when someone asks for help adding insult to injury isn't really the way forward lol

Yeah, I was kind of in a hurry when I made that post, are you going to continue, a lot of us what to know what happened. If you want to know how to look at your logs and not post here send me a PM.

 

[Wolfiesden]

Sorry, I am sticking with rice, I don't want my cat taking a wiz on my Phantom.

I can solve the problem with the cat. And I will give him a 100yd head start before I chamber the round.

Sorry, not a cat lover (or even liker). The cat litter is the cheapest source I have found for silica gel. Its the same stuff thats in those small packets and also in the packs for gun safes and electronics bags. And as cat litter its about 1/10th or less the price.

I pack it between two large paper coffee filters that I staple the edges together. I use these sachets in ammo cans, safes, electronics cabinets and for keeping my filament for my printer dry. I have also used them to rescue a laptop that took a dip in the pool.

Nice part about the silica gel sachets is that they don't leave rice in the shell you have to try to clean out.