Car charger for the Phantom 4 Pro?

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I was wondering which car charger people are generally using for the 4 pro? Does the one that is being sold for the 4 work fine or is there a special one for the pro that is yet to come out? I'm wary about using third party stuff but if anyone else has a recommendation would be good. I just need to charge the thing while I'm in the middle of nowhere in my camper van.
 
I was wondering which car charger people are generally using for the 4 pro? Does the one that is being sold for the 4 work fine or is there a special one for the pro that is yet to come out? I'm wary about using third party stuff but if anyone else has a recommendation would be good. I just need to charge the thing while I'm in the middle of nowhere in my camper van.
In my experience 12 VDC chargers generally don't supply enough current for fast charge times, especially for a big battery like the P4P. The best/most flexible option is probably a 12 VDC/120 VAC inverter and then use your AC charger, or if you want you can use one of the multi-chargers if you want to charge multiple batteries at once. You will need at least a 300 watt unit for a single (or 600 watt unit for a multi charger) and this might require a direct wire to your battery as cigarette lighter plugs often can't supply enough current (one of the reasons that DC chargers are so limited.) You can use a modified square wave inverter (which is much less expensive than a pure sine wave) since the switching power supplies in the OEM or multi-charger units will eat most anything and don't mind MSW at all.

Edit: I just looked at the DJI P4 DC charger and actually it's unusually good with a 90 watt output so for simple charging of a single battery it should do (the one thing that concerns me is the 12.3-16 Volt input spec, since once you include voltage drop through the cigarette lighter plug at high current draw you may easily be flirting with 12.3 volts or less if the engine isn't running.) If you want to charge multiple batteries at once or need absolute maximum charging speed an inverter is another option, and they are often designed to work down to 11 volts input.
 
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Yeah multiple batteries may definitely need to be charged and time is somewhat of a factor. I may think about an inverter. Cheers for the input. I'll take a look around.


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I just looked at the DJI P4 DC charger and actually it's unusually good with a 90 watt output so for simple charging of a single battery it should do (the one thing that concerns me is the 12.3-16 Volt input spec, since once you include voltage drop through the cigarette lighter plug at high current draw you may easily be flirting with 12.3 volts or less if the engine isn't running.) If you want to charge multiple batteries at once or need absolute maximum charging speed an inverter is another option, and they are often designed to work down to 11 volts input.

I have the DJI car charger and it works quite well, even with the multi-battery hub. Yes, it's 10% less output than the AC unit when you compare the spec, but keep in mind these intelligent batteries don't always consume the full 100W charger output, so a 90W charger is hardly noticeable for a longer charge time. I find it convenient the DC charger fits into my backpack while on travel, this far outweighs the added bulk and weight of an inverter, but to each his own.


DJI car charger spec:

upload_2017-2-6_20-20-50.png
 
The DJI mobile charger isn't very expensive and would make for a better travel accessory than an inverter, but I wanted to be able to charge multiple batteries simultaneously instead of sequentially, and the larger form factor is insignificant for my typical outings since I'm in a car anyway. But the DJI unit would be good to have for an application where the need for portability outweighs maximum power and I might pick one up.
 
The DJI mobile charger isn't very expensive and would make for a better travel accessory than an inverter, but I wanted to be able to charge multiple batteries simultaneously instead of sequentially, and the larger form factor is insignificant for my typical outings since I'm in a car anyway.
Yes, if you don't have to tote the charger and inverter around, keeping the inverter and a 3X simultaneous charger in the car would be the ticket to maximize flight times. This would need ~300W inverter though to power the 3X charger adequately. Keep in mind the 3X simultaneous chargers provide only 70W to charge each battery branch, so it's longer for a single battery versus 90W charge from the DJI charger, but the advantage is you can do 3 at a time with a 3X charger. Even though it's bulkier and heavier for both devices, it's great to leave in the car. But be careful, charging 3 batteries could be a ~20amp draw on your car battery. If you do that for 90min you might run the car battery down and get stranded.

$60 Charger Specifications:
- Input: 110-240V
- Output: 17.5V 12A, Branch: 17.5V 4A
- Plug Type: US Standard
- Charging time: 70-90 minutes (whether charging 1 battery or 3 batteries together)

51DPEbI-UeL.jpg




$25 Inverter Product Specification
Input: DC 12V/20A (Max)
AC Output: AC 110V
USB Output: DC 5V/2.4A+2.4A
Total Power: 300W
Low Voltage: ≤9.6V
Over Voltage: ≥15.6V
Size: 5.9* 3.1* 1.8 inch
Product Weight :575g
71jK7Swe8dL._SL1500_.jpg
 
The best/most flexible option is probably a 12 VDC/120 VAC inverter and then use your AC charger, or if you want you can use one of the multi-chargers if you want to charge multiple batteries at once. You will need at least a 300 watt unit for a single (or 600 watt unit for a multi charger) and this might require a direct wire to your battery as cigarette lighter plugs often can't supply enough current (one of the reasons that DC chargers are so limited.)

You will almost certainly require a direct line to the battery for a muti-battery charger. The amp draw for 3 batteries will blow the fuse on most power sockets (I speak from experience). I wired straight to the battery for that reason. I am not at home and so I can't get the actual current draw right now, but 1 battery was - if I recall correctly - drawing 6a or so, so I would guess 18a for 3 - and most outlets are fused at 15a.
 
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Oh yes, if you are going to use a multi-charger then you will need a direct connection for sure. Even single chargers can be marginal for some wimpy cigarette lighter circuits. 90 watts is about 8 amps at 12 volts.

Keep in mind the 3X simultaneous chargers provide only 70W to charge each battery branch ...
Keep in mind that's only true for the model you quoted.
 
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That's the most current I gave seen so far for a 3X charger. Have you found a model that provides more current to charge three Phantom 4 batteries simultaneously? Please let me know, as I'm in the market for one.
Normally I don't Google for people but here's one I found almost right away Amazon.com: Venom DJI Phantom 4 Venom Pro Charger for Drone: Toys & Games , and there are more.

Another easy option for someone who wants maximum charge rate and has the typical 3 batteries is to just buy another DJI AC charger to add to the one you have now, which will allow you to charge two batteries at once while the third is flying your drone. That's one advantage of an inverter, lots of options.
 
You can pick up a 150w power inverter off Amazon for $16 and use your normal AC charger instead of buying a $62 DJI car charger. A typical cigarette lighter socket is good for 180w. If your car manual specifically lists it as a "power port" it'll likely be good for even more. If you're looking to charge more than one battery, you're going to need an inverter wired directly to your car battery.

Also, you need to be careful charging multiple times or multiple batteries off a non-running car's battery. You will kill it much faster than you might realize. If you're in the boonies and need to charge up a few batteries, best bet is to keep the vehicle running.
 
Also, you need to be careful charging multiple times or multiple batteries off a non-running car's battery. You will kill it much faster than you might realize. If you're in the boonies and need to charge up a few batteries, best bet is to keep the vehicle running.
Well that depends on the battery of course. A full-size automotive battery should be able to charge a couple of Phantom batteries with no problem, but if you intend on charging batteries all day long or have a small car with a girlie battery then yes, you might want to calculate in advance.
 
Normally I don't Google for people but here's one I found almost right away Amazon.com: Venom DJI Phantom 4 Venom Pro Charger for Drone: Toys & Games , and there are more.

Another easy option for someone who wants maximum charge rate and has the typical 3 batteries is to just buy another DJI AC charger to add to the one you have now, which will allow you to charge two batteries at once while the third is flying your drone. That's one advantage of an inverter, lots of options.
Sorry, but I did search for better ones a couple months ago with no joy, but that's a nice 4X charger you found. However to use it mobile you'd need a 500W inverter, and like AyeYo mentioned, you'd need to be diligent about monitoring the car battery level, pulling 30A @12VDC from the battery for an hour, and don't forget the hassle of connecting direct to the battery

The other option you mentioned is something I have been considering. When I buy a P4P this Spring I would have two of the P4 chargers by default, since I don't plan to sell my P4, keeping it for backup. Given the size and power draw, I think the 4X charger would only be appropriate for home use. Unless something changed, I wouldn't use it in the field often enough to justify storing such a large device in my trunk. Since I have 5 of the P4/P4P batteries, a second charger may suffice with a 300w inverter for the car, not to mention the DC 90W charger I have. However, car charging usually always requires the motor or ignition accessory to be on to enable power to the cigarette lighter. Portable generators are nice, but that's not in the cards for me.
 
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Can't do anything about size but regarding power draw, you won't (or at least I wouldn't) usually be charging four empty batteries in the field so power requirements would be much less than at full output if only charging two for instance. But probably the best/simplest/cheapest solution for a couple of batteries would be an inverter and a pair of AC chargers (if you can get over your invertaphobia ;) ) Also many vehicles have a lighter plug that is not ignition switched, although I'd recommend wiring a direct connection for any inverter over 150 watts so it's pretty much moot anyway.
 
Can't do anything about size but regarding power draw, you won't (or at least I wouldn't) usually be charging four empty batteries in the field so power requirements would be much less than at full output if only charging two for instance. But probably the best/simplest/cheapest solution for a couple of batteries would be an inverter and a pair of AC chargers (if you can get over your invertaphobia ;) )
Agreed, a second AC charger should suffice, along with my DJI DC charger. I'm more comfortable with a 300W inverter than a monster 500W inverter. And the seldom use, my practical side of me says the X4 is overkill, unless something changes with my use case.
 
My 'monster' 800 watt inverter is all of 6.5 x 2.5". A 500 watt model would be smaller still. Hardly an issue.
Sorry to mislead, I was referring to the monster current draw, not size. I have a 650W inverter in my RV, I'm familiar with the battery loading over time with certain appliances and power draw after 15yrs of camping with DishNetwork, TV, CD/Blueray player, etc. 400 watts is a lot for an hour on a signal car battery, so given the alternatives I would prefer a more modest approach, given the infrequent need for charging multiple batteries. But someday that might change if business picks up to the point that I can't go home to recharge.
 
Got it. But remember regardless of its capacity an inverter only draws current based on load so charging 4 batteries at once, a lot. 1 or 2 batteries, not as much.
 

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