Battery Care

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I read the DJI tips for cold weather battery operations that were "pushed" via the Go app a few days ago, and realized I've been doing a number of things wrong, and was wondering if someone here had an explanation as why some of these tips are necessary?

One tip was to not discharge new batteries below 50% before recharging for the first 10 cycles. I hadn't seen that in the manuals for both the aircraft or the batteries when I first got my P3P in June--so now I'm wondering if I've ruined the three batteries I have (or at least decreased their potential)?

Another tip was to not fly on batteries that are not fully charged. However, don't these batteries automatically discharge from the moment they stop charging? I do have a pure-sine-wave-inverter in my car now, but even so, it's not always possible to charge my batteries right before flight--especially since my inverter only works with the engine running. Also, how can it make logical sense that you can't make a second flight after flying a short previous one (that drains the battery down to say 80%), when you can continue a flight at 80%? Is there something that confuses the available power when the battery is turned off and back on between charges?

Another tip says to discharge a battery to at least 90% before re-charging it if it sat for more than 24 hours. I assume this means hovering your phantom till you drain this amount of power? In any case, why is this necessary? I realize lipo batteries' remaining power is not directly proportional to remaining voltage; but can someone explain to me why this is necessary?

All this time, I've been flying with partially charged batteries (when I've gone more than 24 hours since last charge); and have flown multiple flights on one battery charge. I haven't had any issues, until last week when I was flying over 7,000' MSL at 15F; but I assumed that was due to the cold weather, and the thinner air requiring more amps to maneuver.

From this point on, I plan to abide by these tips (just wish I had known earlier); but am also curious what the reasoning is behind them...
 
I read the DJI tips for cold weather battery operations that were "pushed" via the Go app a few days ago, and realized I've been doing a number of things wrong, and was wondering if someone here had an explanation as why some of these tips are necessary?

One tip was to not discharge new batteries below 50% before recharging for the first 10 cycles. I hadn't seen that in the manuals for both the aircraft or the batteries when I first got my P3P in June--so now I'm wondering if I've ruined the three batteries I have (or at least decreased their potential)?

Another tip was to not fly on batteries that are not fully charged. However, don't these batteries automatically discharge from the moment they stop charging? I do have a pure-sine-wave-inverter in my car now, but even so, it's not always possible to charge my batteries right before flight--especially since my inverter only works with the engine running. Also, how can it make logical sense that you can't make a second flight after flying a short previous one (that drains the battery down to say 80%), when you can continue a flight at 80%? Is there something that confuses the available power when the battery is turned off and back on between charges?

Another tip says to discharge a battery to at least 90% before re-charging it if it sat for more than 24 hours. I assume this means hovering your phantom till you drain this amount of power? In any case, why is this necessary? I realize lipo batteries' remaining power is not directly proportional to remaining voltage; but can someone explain to me why this is necessary?

All this time, I've been flying with partially charged batteries (when I've gone more than 24 hours since last charge); and have flown multiple flights on one battery charge. I haven't had any issues, until last week when I was flying over 7,000' MSL at 15F; but I assumed that was due to the cold weather, and the thinner air requiring more amps to maneuver.

From this point on, I plan to abide by these tips (just wish I had known earlier); but am also curious what the reasoning is behind them...
Some of them are based on experience and actual usage, and some have battery science to back them up and some don't.

Reasons you didn't know about them:
Most folks take the P3 out of the box and start flying it without reading the battery recommendations that DJI puts out. Most folks don't join a forum such as this one until they have an issue or problem and may times that is too late after the P3 has bit the dust.
Most folks don't even read the P3 manual before trying to fly.

These recommendations should all be followed out of common sense-- but some folks have an issue with doing anything that is recommended. A common human trait.:D

I will tell you that they all are good recommendations and you will be ahead of the game if you follow them.

No don't trash those batteries that you didn't fly to 50% the first 10 flights. They may not last as long, but they may well last a good while. Still a great recommendation.

Don't fly on batteries that are not fully charged and have set over 24 hours. The Smart Battery reads voltage based on a 100% charged battery.

There are a lot of great threads on the forum re batteries and a plethora of Videos on You Tube about the batteries.
 

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