Dual Battery Mod

[Ed209]

The way the battery learns and approximates % & flight time is by how much is put in. Or at least was with the p2. If you reset the smart cap it will clear any cycle / life memory and possibly help with flight times. I know it sounds silly but I think you would be pleasantly surprised


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How do you reset the smart cap?

 

[KyleMaxxUAV]

Steps to Reset the Smart Battery board:
1. Push and hold the buttom
2. Connect the LiPo Balance cable
3. Disconnect the LiPo Balance cable and release the buttom

Do that, then charge the the entire battery array together (original DJI battery with the split DJI battery attached like they show in the horizon video )


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[Ed209]

Steps to Reset the Smart Battery board:
1. Push and hold the buttom
2. Connect the LiPo Balance cable
3. Disconnect the LiPo Balance cable and release the buttom

Do that, then charge the the entire battery array together (original DJI battery with the split DJI battery attached like they show in the horizon video )


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Thanks but I'm running the dji pack split and charging on a SkyRC D100. Charging them full 4.35v. Not charging with the Horizon custom setup with balance connection to dji charger.

 

[Ed209]

Just flew 27 min to 22% with the G6 2400s. Same main battery as when I was using the split 2x2S DJI packs.

 

[KyleMaxxUAV]

Just flew 27 min to 22% with the G6 2400s. Same main battery as when I was using the split 2x2S DJI packs.

If you are up for it , connect the packs together charged outside of the bird and do the reset !! See if that changes anything !!

I'm assuming all the power is being run through the master battery right !!


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[Ed209]

If you are up for it , connect the packs together charged outside of the bird and do the reset !! See if that changes anything !!

I'm assuming all the power is being run through the master battery right !!


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Yes but without the balancing lead going to the other (external cells) then the external packs wont be balanced. I think I'm getting a good charge using my other charger for the external packs. And I just proved that with the last flight using the G6 2400s.

The Horizon lead that they made is basically just an adaptor to bring the balancing leads from the smart cap to the externals.

 

[KyleMaxxUAV]

Yes but without the balancing lead going to the other (external cells) then the external packs wont be balanced. I think I'm getting a good charge using my other charger for the external packs. And I just proved that with the last flight using the G6 2400s.

The Horizon lead that they made is basically just an adaptor to bring the balancing leads from the smart cap to the externals.

Yes exactly !! The balance leads are what I believe will help teach the smart cap how much it actually "has in the tank" but if you reset the cap even without the balance leads it will forget all total capacity #s and charge cycles it once had and give you a fresh start. The numbers we see in the app are approximations not live true voltages & mah #s (this is why DJI was able to fix the cold battery issue causing birds to fall out of the sky running 1.5 with a software upgrade to 1.6) they further fixed it by reducing motor output in cold weather.


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[Ed209]

Yes exactly !! The balance leads are what I believe will help teach the smart cap how much it actually "has in the tank" but if you reset the cap even without the balance leads it will forget all total capacity #s and charge cycles it once had and give you a fresh start. The numbers we see in the app are approximations not live true voltages & mah #s (this is why DJI was able to fix the cold battery issue causing birds to fall out of the sky running 1.5 with a software upgrade to 1.6) they further fixed it by reducing motor output in cold weather.


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Hmmm. I'm not sure. I'm assuming the Horizon balance leads are just split "Y" for each of the 4 cells. So in reality, it's not balancing 8 cells. I don't know how smart this smart cap is to recognize 8 cells. Think of it this way: The smart cap has the 4 wires for balancing the 4 cells in the DJI battery. You tap into those 4 wires to make essentially the horizon adaptor. When charging, and discharging, I don't think it's seeing 8 cells. How is it able to balance 8 cells? Maybe I'm wrong. But regardless, I think using an external charger that you know for sure is balancing the cells on the external batteries is fine. Why would there be such a difference between me using my DJI 2x2S split packs vs G6 2400s? I did nothing different. Charged the main DJI battery and topped off. Charged the externals to 4.35v.

 

[Phantom751874]

Steps to Reset the Smart Battery board:
1. Push and hold the buttom
2. Connect the LiPo Balance cable
3. Disconnect the LiPo Balance cable and release the buttom

Do that, then charge the the entire battery array together (original DJI battery with the split DJI battery attached like they show in the horizon video )


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Huh? So anyone can take a DJi battery and use the process you noted about to reset the cycle count on the battery and resell it as new? Please confirm.

 

[KyleMaxxUAV]

Hmmm. I'm not sure. I'm assuming the Horizon balance leads are just split "Y" for each of the 4 cells. So in reality, it's not balancing 8 cells. I don't know how smart this smart cap is to recognize 8 cells. Think of it this way: The smart cap has the 4 wires for balancing the 4 cells in the DJI battery. You tap into those 4 wires to make essentially the horizon adaptor. When charging, and discharging, I don't think it's seeing 8 cells. How is it able to balance 8 cells? Maybe I'm wrong. But regardless, I think using an external charger that you know for sure is balancing the cells on the external batteries is fine. Why would there be such a difference between me using my DJI 2x2S split packs vs G6 2400s? I did nothing different. Charged the main DJI battery and topped off. Charged the externals to 4.35v.

It balances them as 4 cells where Each cell is made up of 2 cells in parallel. The phantom 2 battery was a 3s but actually had 6 cells inside (in parallel packs of 2)


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[KyleMaxxUAV]

Huh? So anyone can take a DJi battery and use the process you noted about to reset the cycle count on the battery and resell it as new? Please confirm.

Essentially yes but the capacity would be all messed up. But the charge cycles would be back to 0


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[Phantom751874]

Essentially yes but the capacity would be all messed up. But the charge cycles would be back to 0


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Hmm, this would explain what I saw with a supposedly "new" battery I purchased that was modded. Very unfortunate for me.

 

[KyleMaxxUAV]

Really ?? That's not good


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[FredzMaxxUAV]

Ed209, I'll soon do the following tests:
- Discharge both main and split pack, and charge both together using the DJI charger instead of the D100 charger. Then connect as usual and fly.
- Charge everything up, and connect the split pack WITHOUT connecting the balance lead and fly. (do this twice, once charged using DJI charger, once charged using D100).

Maybe this will somehow make a difference. Though I am a big fan of the D100 charger, and I don't think charging using DJI stock charger should make any difference.

Maybe you can try the same and report results.

 

[Ed209]

I would do the same test but I don't have the horizon mod. I split the packs myself and added regular 2S balance plugs. If I plug the split packs into the DJI battery and charge with the DJI charger, I don't think I would get a good charge since there is no balance leads going from the DJI battery to the split packs. Once I get the Horizon mod I'll be able to compare and they will be brand new batteries as well.

 

[FredzMaxxUAV]

Steps to Reset the Smart Battery board:
1. Push and hold the buttom
2. Connect the LiPo Balance cable
3. Disconnect the LiPo Balance cable and release the buttom

Do that, then charge the the entire battery array together (original DJI battery with the split DJI battery attached like they show in the horizon video )

Seems you found this in an old (and short) 2014 rcgroups thread about the P2. DJI Phantom 2 Battery Mod - RC Groups
It's also unclear what is meant by "the lipo balance cable". I doubt this will work at all for the P3.

 

[FredzMaxxUAV]

I would do the same test but I don't have the horizon mod. I split the packs myself and added regular 2S balance plugs. If I plug the split packs into the DJI battery and charge with the DJI charger, I don't think I would get a good charge since there is no balance leads going from the DJI battery to the split packs. Once I get the Horizon mod I'll be able to compare and they will be brand new batteries as well.

Oh ok so you are flying without balance lead connected to stock? Then test number 2 is already done, and your results are the same as mine with the balance lead.

 

[Ed209]

Oh ok so you are flying without balance lead connected to stock? Then test number 2 is already done, and your results are the same as mine with the balance lead.

Yup. And I know my DJI battery is good because I had normal flight times when using G6 2400s.

 

[Ed209]

Oh ok so you are flying without balance lead connected to stock? Then test number 2 is already done, and your results are the same as mine with the balance lead.

Wait, so when you're flying with the mod, you have the custom balance connector hooked up? Is that per instruction?

 

[dirtybum]

Wait, so when you're flying with the mod, you have the custom balance connector hooked up? Is that per instruction?

???