Over a year of non-use. FW and Bat Questions

[Gary in NJ]

I purchased a Phantom 2+ Vision in the summer of 2014. I flew the crap out of that thing that summer and then put it away for the winter - and haven't flown it since.

Back when I was flying it there were many Firmware releases that gave people all sorts of trouble. I never updated my firmware because I wasn't having any issues. Now over a year later I want to fly my Phantom and I'm sure I will need a new battery. Will I need to update my firmware to use a new battery or can I simply charge the battery and use it?

I know thee have been may updates to the software since I last flew and it seems as each release has its issues. I'd rather keep what I have because I know its reliable.

Is there a way to use a new battery without a software change or should I just update the Phantom and not worry?

 

[bernek]

I use the latest firmware on P2V and I have no problems at all. All my batteries are updated also and no problems there either. Did you store the battery ar 40-50% charge ? Did you charged it during this time and discharged it again to 50% ? How many lights does it have when you press the button on it to check % left ?

You can try push and HOLD the button for more than 5 seconds until the red light on the button flashes and the lights with should you battery life left so you know what condition its in.

If its bad I would recommend buying 2-3 new batteries (original would be a good idea) if not get some aftermarket ones but fly them carefully until you know they can be "thrusted". For example I have 3 original ones and buying now an aftermarket one (cheaper) with 5400 mAh to see how it is.

If the GoolRC one that I've got proves to be stable and nice I can get a sweet deal for 10 pieces maybe around 40-50 USD/piece and split them with a friend.

 

[Gary in NJ]

Interesting.

I searched this forum yesterday to learn how to recondition my batteries after 18-20 months of disuse. I certainly didn't put them away are store them properly, so after a few minutes of reading I was convinced that the batteries must be toast.

So last night I retrieved my P2V+ and its two battery backs from the closet. A visual inspection didn't show any signs of damage such as being swollen. Just for fun I hit the power meter...and got 4 bars...on both packs. So I'm thinking "ok, but they probably will tank as soon as they see a load". I charged each (which only took about 15 minutes each) battery and installed it into the P2V+. I connected the P2V+ to Assistant and to my surprise I saw the following (after about 5 minutes if idling):

Both batteries were in the same exact condition. Perfect. I ran both down by running without the props to about 70% while I re-read the manual and got familiar with the machine again.

I am running firmware version 3.04 in the controller. This was the first time I connected the P2V+ to Assistant since the day I got it. I panicked when the software appeared to be doing an automatic firmware change, and then I realized it was just reviewing my current configuration.

Question. What is the P330CB software and should I upgrade it? I believe that the ZEN IMU is the camera. Should this be upgraded?

 

[bernek]

I'm glad you batteries are in good condition. If I was to make the choice I would upgrade everything and make sure to upgrade the batteries aswell. They just need to be in the Phantom when Assistant is open. Also the remote control needs to be updated separately with the RC Assistant (you connect it to PC the same way as the Phantom with the micro usb cable).

I don't want to push you into updating anything if everything works fine for you ! you might do something or get into a firmware flashing problem you never know.

Just charge the batteries and go have a few flights. The first ones should be close to the ground and don't push it too hard to see if the batteries are really in that mint condition. After you discharged them all to 10-15% you charge again and then you are sure you can fly faster and further away. (this is just what I would do).

 

[bernek]

Not sure if the camera is updated from Assistant or you need to copy the new firmware on the Mini SD card. I don't see it in that list of upgrades so I think its separate (just like my P2V).

ZEN IMU is the gimbal not the camera.

 

[Gary in NJ]

I updated every bit of software this evening and went flying. Everything worked perfectly. Once the batteries dropped below 60% they tanked fairly quickly. Hopefully a few complete discharge cycles will help stabilize them.

Thanks for the help and advice.

 

[bernek]

I updated every bit of software this evening and went flying. Everything worked perfectly. Once the batteries dropped below 60% they tanked fairly quickly. Hopefully a few complete discharge cycles will help stabilize them.

Thanks for the help and advice.

The discharge curve might be worse during the first few cycles but I'm pretty sure after 5-10 discharges they will be better. The intelligent part on the battery just needs to store and learn a discharging curve that is actual on the real battery. Then the % showed in app will be more linear with the actual voltage drop when discharging.

Have fun flying ! Great to hear when someone gets back into the hobby

 

[toegema]

I ran both down by running without the props to about 70% while I re-read the manual and got familiar with the machine again.

Just a little comment on the side here, which you probably already know: if you run the motors without props, just let them spin idle, don't give any throttle. I tried that once to let the battery empty faster, but (luckily) when I turned on the Go App while doing it to check batt percent there was a big fat warning that the motors were overspeeding (and most likely overheating) because there was no load on the engines). Luckily I didn't do that very long... [emoji2]


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[Gary in NJ]

The discharge curve might be worse during the first few cycles but I'm pretty sure after 5-10 discharges they will be better. The intelligent part on the battery just needs to store and learn a discharging curve that is actual on the real battery. Then the % showed in app will be more linear with the actual voltage drop when discharging.

Have fun flying ! Great to hear when someone gets back into the hobby

Last night I flew both batteries and both lasted just 9 minutes. Same pattern as the previous night, the battery pack tanked quickly after reaching 60%. With the PV2+ safely on the ground I decided to run it at a high idle so I could completely drain the battery. It stayed at 8% for 5 minutes and then I got tired of waiting for the battery to die. So I left the battery power on and brought the quad inside figuring it would run out of juice in short order. It took over 2 hours for the battery to finally give up.

So I think you are correct, the battery needs to relearn its charge curve. The percent shown is not the percent available. The fact that I went from 60% to 8% in one minute, and then ran at 8% for five minutes tells me the power curve isn't right. Hopefully I'll have a longer lasting battery in a few more power cycles.

 

[bernek]

Last night I flew both batteries and both lasted just 9 minutes. Same pattern as the previous night, the battery pack tanked quickly after reaching 60%. With the PV2+ safely on the ground I decided to run it at a high idle so I could completely drain the battery. It stayed at 8% for 5 minutes and then I got tired of waiting for the battery to die. So I left the battery power on and brought the quad inside figuring it would run out of juice in short order. It took over 2 hours for the battery to finally give up.

So I think you are correct, the battery needs to relearn its charge curve. The percent shown is not the percent available. The fact that I went from 60% to 8% in one minute, and then ran at 8% for five minutes tells me the power curve isn't right. Hopefully I'll have a longer lasting battery in a few more power cycles.

Yes I hope you will ! Either way fly with caution until you know the batteries can be thrusted. Small accidents may happen or might even lose your Phantom in a harder crash.

Keep me updated with the battery life ! I'm curious how it will eventually turn out

 

[general01]

I hope I don't have this issue(though I stored my packs at half charge when I stored them in my carry case for the quad)

I haven't had much time to fly it but plan on getting it back out soon so I can check on property

 

[Gary in NJ]

So my batteries aren't perfect. I can get about 13 minutes of flight out of them. Upon closer inspection they are slightly swollen. I've used each about 5 times now and the percentage used is linear and reliable. I'll continue to use them for short flights, but I'm gonna purchase a new pack from DJI for longer flights or any flight off of my property.