Problems charging batteries with a 300W inverter while travelling
- Thread starter Rene Thalmann
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I'm glad I checked here when I did since I'm traveling to Ireland & the UK next week.
Would something like this work out OK over there?
Would something like this work out OK over there?
The DJI charger will work just fine with 240 V and 50 Hz, so all you need is a plug adapter like the one you linked to.
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Best way to go is to not use an inverter at all - P3 charger from DJI store - $85.00 us
I wouldn't even consider using an inverter in my vehicle for operating a charger that re-charges batteries - makes no sense!
FYI: Using an inverter to charge your Phantom batteries..........think about the process here. First off you are taking dc power from the car battery to the inverter which converts that to ac power in the inverter - then the Phantom battery charger is converting that back to dc power to charge the battery (dc - ac - dc). The true intent of the inverter is to power ac equipment from a dc source
There is an argument for using "clean power" (pure sine wave) versus "modified sine wave" (square sine) inverters. It doesn't really matter IMO whether it is a "pure or modified" sine wave inverter for charging the "smart battery" since the batteries accomplish control of charging rates etc. via its own internal power management.
Most common inverters produce a "modified sine wave" (square) and are fine for most applications and are also the most economical. Pure/True sine wave inverters are used for powering up sensitive electrical or electronic items like a laptop computers, stereos, etc.
For charging the battery that extra step doesn't make sense and is more of a drain on the car battery IMO, not to mention more heat created in the process. For me, the P3 charger from DJI store seems like the best way to go (if you must re-charge while out in your vehicle). Best and safest choice for me however....is to carry a couple of extra batteries and re-charge back at your home or hotel (when travelling).
CAUTION: What is of most importance here is..........if you are going to be re-charging in your car immediately after flying.....the LiPo battery is going to be hot before you charge and it is not a good idea safety wise to re-charge a LiPo battery until it has had a chance to cool down somewhat no matter what you are using to charge it up. Placing the LiPo into a LiPo battery safety bag when charging in the field is a good idea. Keep the battery and charger away from direct sunlight (like don't place them on your dash) when re-charging in your vehicle.
I have no knowledge really of this. However I use one of these occasionally, is this ok to use? Just wanna be sure. Thanks Amazon.com: BESTEK 300W Dual 110V AC Outlets Power Inverter DC 12V to 110V AC Car Adapter with 3.1A Dual USB Charging Ports for Laptop, Smartphones and Tablets: Car Electronics
Best way to go is to not use an inverter at all - P3 charger from DJI store - $85.00 us
I wouldn't even consider using an inverter in my vehicle for operating a charger that re-charges batteries - makes no sense!
FYI: Using an inverter to charge your Phantom batteries..........think about the process here. First off you are taking dc power from the car battery to the inverter which converts that to ac power in the inverter - then the Phantom battery charger is converting that back to dc power to charge the battery (dc - ac - dc). The true intent of the inverter is to power ac equipment from a dc source
There is an argument for using "clean power" (pure sine wave) versus "modified sine wave" (square sine) inverters. It doesn't really matter IMO whether it is a "pure or modified" sine wave inverter for charging the "smart battery" since the batteries accomplish control of charging rates etc. via its own internal power management.
Most common inverters produce a "modified sine wave" (square) and are fine for most applications and are also the most economical. Pure/True sine wave inverters are used for powering up sensitive electrical or electronic items like a laptop computers, stereos, etc.
For charging the battery that extra step doesn't make sense and is more of a drain on the car battery IMO, not to mention more heat created in the process. For me, the P3 charger from DJI store seems like the best way to go (if you must re-charge while out in your vehicle). Best and safest choice for me however....is to carry a couple of extra batteries and re-charge back at your home or hotel (when travelling).
CAUTION: What is of most importance here is..........if you are going to be re-charging in your car immediately after flying.....the LiPo battery is going to be hot before you charge and it is not a good idea safety wise to re-charge a LiPo battery until it has had a chance to cool down somewhat no matter what you are using to charge it up. Placing the LiPo into a LiPo battery safety bag when charging in the field is a good idea. Keep the battery and charger away from direct sunlight (like don't place them on your dash) when re-charging in your vehicle.
I would suggest that you are partially correct. Certainly in the case of DC applications requiring 12 V, it is clearly better not to go via an inverter. However, the Phantom batteries require 17.5 V, and so voltage conversion is required anyway, and the overhead with DC - AC - DC is not that much greater than using a DC - DC converter. Additionally, many people already have inverters that will work with their existing AC battery charger, whereas your solution requires buying another $85 charger. Both solutions are reasonable.
On the issue of pure versus modified sine wave - it is the charger, not the inverter, that is charging the battery, so the fact that the battery is smart makes no difference. It doesn't see a sine wave of any kind - it expects DC. It is the charger than may not be able to function properly with some modified sine wave inputs.
I use that one with the 57W P3A charger no problem. Also use to charge my laptop if necessary.
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If you are plugging the inverter into a cigarette lighter socket in your vehicle maybe consider......can it handle the load? Check the fuse for the cigarette lighter in your vehicle.
e.g. 10amp fuse will handle inverter load up to 120w.........15amp fuse, up to 180w.......and a 20amp fuse up to 240w. So if you have a 20amp fuse for the cigarette lighter you should be ok since you are around using 220w load for the Phantom charger and the inverter itself. Depending on the inverter load you might get away with a 15amp fuse.
Before you ask.....LOL......the answer is....NO....do not replace a lower amp fuse with a higher one. For example if you bumped up a 10amp fuse to a 20amp fuse - the wiring will overheat and possibly burn up!
If that inverter has a fan.........and if the fan runs continually plus combined with the internals of inverter - it alone will suck up about 25% of the rated output wattage before you even plug anything into it. So you might have to keep your vehicle running to keep a charge going to your vehicle 12v battery. Car batteries are not 'deep cycle" batteries and as such require a constant recharge while in use (i.e. alternator charging it). A Marine battery is a deep cycle battery and will operate all day without constant or continuous recharging.
If you are using your inverter off the 12v battery in your car - the amp hours for the battery will dictate how long you can use it (engine off) before you drain it - of course also depends on the load (the inverter itself and whatever is plugged into it). I think the average car battery is around 80 amp hours and as such if you had a load of say 200w it might last 3-4 hours without a recharge (starting your vehicle).
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