Field charging the P4P + charger

[AlanTheBeast]

Is there a straight 12VDC to Phantom 4 battery charger option?

I want to avoid an inverter is possible.

I figure a DC-DC converter ( 1 @ 13.8V for the MP and one at 17.4V for the P4P) would be a nice field solution to keep the batts up. Connect to a deep discharge batt. Mount all on a sheet of plywood and throw that into the trunk of the car...

 

[smiller]

You could rig up a DC-DC converter although finding one at the right voltage and current rating for P4P batteries might be a bit challenging, and pricey. There is also the DJI DC charger, only flaw with that route is lower charge rate.

I'm not sure why so many seem to have an allergy to inverters, if you choose one of the appropriate rating you should see 90%+ efficiency. It's true it's not the most elegant solution, but it's easy, cost effective and you don't really waste all that much power.

 

[AeroMirage]

Buy Phantom 4 Series - Car Charger

 

[AlanTheBeast]

Buy Phantom 4 Series - Car Charger
View attachment 82233

I looked on P4P site at DJI and there is no car charger. I assume this charger works with the P4P batteries?

 

[AlanTheBeast]

I'm less and less opposed to an inverter as I think of all the things I may want to charge. Maybe I should just get a Honda 1000W generator instead....

 

[andy_k]

If you run an inverter regularly, the best way to do it to install a second battery and a split charge relay/battery isolator system - that way you never come back to a flat starter battery

Ideally the second battery should be a marine/leisure battery as they are better to deep cycling.

We have a 500watt inverter in our Previa and a 150amp marine battery which powers 4 mains sockets for chargers, lighting etc when we go out working or camping

 

[AeroMirage]

I looked on P4P site at DJI and there is no car charger. I assume this charger works with the P4P batteries?

The link I posted is from the DJI website.
It is a DJI product made specifically for P4 batteries.
It will work on both the standard and the high capacity batteries.

 

[AlanTheBeast]

If you run an inverter regularly, the best way to do it to install a second battery and a split charge relay/battery isolator system - that way you never come back to a flat starter battery

Ideally the second battery should be a marine/leisure battery as they are better to deep cycling.

We have a 500watt inverter in our Previa and a 150amp marine battery which powers 4 mains sockets for chargers, lighting etc when we go out working or camping

I'd definitely be adding a battery (or two) to the car and optionally a switch and diode isolated car to batt circuit to charge while changing locations. The other side is whether to custom add various DC-DC converters or to simply use an inverter. Found a nice 300W inverter which would probably cover most cases.

 

[andy_k]

I'd definitely be adding a battery (or two) to the car and optionally a switch and diode isolated car to batt circuit to charge while changing locations. The other side is whether to custom add various DC-DC converters or to simply use an inverter. Found a nice 300W inverter which would probably cover most cases.

300 watt is generally fine - just beware of some devices that claim 200watt consumption may need up to 400watts to start so they just won't work. Keep the feed from the battery to the inverter short (or you will lose output) and use good quality, heavy duty cable.

 

[Erised]

For the price the Phantom car charger will do the job. I am also considering the Honda 1000w generator, I could charge my 4 batteries at the same time, 3 on my P4 Yx battery charger and the other with my OEM charger. The generator would also be good for other things around the house and camping. Cheap inverters' work but the modified sine wave causes the chargers (rectifiers) to heat up much more than with a pure sine wave. I used to have cheapo modified sine wave chargers in my motorhome and I can confirm that all my chargers (P4, cell, laptop, tablet, etc) are now running much cooler with my new 2000w pure sine wave unit.

 

[romix]

I have reserved a RIVER for this purpose. But it's not available immediately, actually not until September here in Europe. Sooner (July) in the US.

 

[andy_k]

I have reserved a RIVER for this purpose. But it's not available immediately, actually not until September here in Europe. Sooner (July) in the US.

building a system yourself that fits into your car/van gives you more power and costs a lot less than that. River is nothing new - there are loads of portable power packs on the market that will do the job perfectly well for 25% of the price

 

[AlanTheBeast]

I have reserved a RIVER for this purpose. But it's not available immediately, actually not until September here in Europe. Sooner (July) in the US.

412 Wh! Wooh! Should be able to to re-charge a car battery. $500. Ah... er, ...

 

[andy_k]

kickstarter is perfect for projects that overcharge (pun intended) for re-inventing the wheel for people too lazy to actually go to the shops or do a bit of research online

 

[John Locke]

For the price the Phantom car charger will do the job. I am also considering the Honda 1000w generator, I could charge my 4 batteries at the same time, 3 on my P4 Yx battery charger and the other with my OEM charger. The generator would also be good for other things around the house and camping. Cheap inverters' work but the modified sine wave causes the chargers (rectifiers) to heat up much more than with a pure sine wave. I used to have cheapo modified sine wave chargers in my motorhome and I can confirm that all my chargers (P4, cell, laptop, tablet, etc) are now running much cooler with my new 2000w pure sine wave unit.

Today, most of the new generators under 2500w are inverter based anyway, no different than using an inverter from a battery.
True sine wave inverters way are more expensive, and most are larger and heavier, it's a matter of cost and convenience.

 

[AlanTheBeast]

The link I posted is from the DJI website.
It is a DJI product made specifically for P4 batteries.
It will work on both the standard and the high capacity batteries.

Nice to know it works on both. WRT their site, however, if you go under Phantom 4 Pro, it is not listed in the accessories offered. A search for car charger on their site came up with no products. Great site if it would work.

 

[smiller]

Cheap inverters' work but the modified sine wave causes the chargers (rectifiers) to heat up much more than with a pure sine wave.

Switching power supplies (as in all DJI chargers) do not have transformers or rectifiers and are very tolerant of the input waveform. Modified sine wave inverters work fine for this purpose.

 

[AeroMirage]

Nice to know it works on both. WRT their site, however, if you go under Phantom 4 Pro, it is not listed in the accessories offered. A search for car charger on their site came up with no products. Great site if it would work.

Stuff is often difficult to find on the DJI site.
In the store, under Phantom 4 accessories, this page appears:

 

[Erised]

Today, most of the new generators under 2500w are inverter based anyway, no different than using an inverter from a battery.
True sine wave inverters way are more expensive, and most are larger and heavier, it's a matter of cost and convenience.

Switching power supplies (as in all DJI chargers) do not have transformers or rectifiers and are very tolerant of the input waveform. Modified sine wave inverters work fine for this purpose.

I agree John that true sine wave inverters' are bulky and lugging around deep cycle batteries would be no fun, and further more my 2000 watt pure unit is about 85% efficient, no big deal in a motorhome with a pair of deep cycles, but I would not want to lug that in my pick up every time I am going to a site plus then you have to charge them. As Smiller said, most chargers are tolerant to modified sine waves and that's why I was considering a 1000w Honda. I just wanted to mention that have noticed that chargers run hotter using modified sine wave (all mine at least). The one that really got my attention was my dell laptop charger, I was rendering 4K to 1080 and it was very very hot and on pure sine wave it just get's hot.

 

[John Locke]

I have reserved a RIVER for this purpose. But it's not available immediately, actually not until September here in Europe. Sooner (July) in the US.

At 412Wh for $500, that would get you about 4 charges when charging P4 batteries. The 50W solar panel for $250 would help, maybe extend that to 6 charges, but it's kinda big to be toting around, and it only works well on sunny days. Or you can buy a honda EU1000i and get 1000W for $800 and charge all day and all night long. Just add gas every 6hrs.