Holding P3 Battery In Solution

A Phantom 2 battery but this is how I hold it in solution. :p
IMG_3168s2_zps6shij5zr.jpg

Edit. Well somebody had to do it. Apologies to the OP.
 
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Good point. I will cut out a slot around the tab. Others have stated that they want the battery to stay in the unit in order to continue to send location data to the map as well as to flash the lights to make it easier to locate. It's my understanding that the lights will continue to flash even when it's under water :)

Ok, cut out a slot for the tab, no pressure on it now :)
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I have 3 batteries total and they all have the same clicking sound when seating them. I must have done it numerous times listening for a difference, but nope could not find anything. I suppose I could record the sound of each battery being inserted, send the audio file through Adobe Audition and verify each waveform, but I'm going to go with my gut and say they are all the same. :)
 
In order to make sure the battery doesn't back out and cause a crash I have attached several pieces of Velcro to both the battery and body of the quad to which I attach the matching Velcro to help keep the battery installed.

The battery will not come out if it is fully inserted properly. Slot it half way in and then give it a decent shove so it fully snaps into position. You won't need to worry.

You want it to pop it out on hard impacts. Helps to diffuse energy.

I agree 100% with ianwood ("taco wrangler")

I did a simple test...I depressed only the top locking tab and tried to remove the battery.......it did not come out, however it does separate away from the battery housing (at the top) on the Phantom. I measured that space/gap and it varies from 0.015625" - 0.03125" +/- 0.001" (approximately 1/64" - 1/32") .

I tried the same depressing just the bottom locking tab on the battery and there was no separation. Hence, the 2 clicks you sometimes hear (or rather should hear or feel) when locking the battery into place - the bottom tab clicks into position first then the top one.

If you see a slight gap after inserting your battery - it is very likely the top tab has not fitted properly into the battery locking groove of the battery housing. There is (what I think) an intentional "offset" in the location of the top and bottom locking tabs on the battery - hence one click when the bottom is seated --- then a second one when the top is seated.

It is hard to hear or feel those two separate "clicks" when it locks into place - but due to the offset in the battery locking clips (allowing the bottom to lock first then the top) - it does happen (unless there is an issue with how the tabs meet or lock so to speak). Which I mention further down in this post.

I'm thinking that offset is by design so the battery will "pop" out on a collision to prevent further damage to the Phantom or whatever it may have collided with.

Not the greatest example - however, if I can relate this to another safety measure regarding the intentional "popping out" of the Phantom battery (IMO) ........ it would be "sheer pins" used in many applications (like the auger on a snow blower) that are intentionally engineered to break under high load or obstructions in order to avoid consequential damage to other rotating elements (auger, shaft, gears, bearings). The sheer pins break and that particular auger stops rotating.

It wouldn't take much of "bump" or "force" if you like, to distort the Phantom body/shell.....which could easily eject the battery considering the fix used to secure it.

If you do suspect a particular battery is not fitting/seat well enough (you can see a slight gap)..............there is IMO a proper/better fix (other than Velcro).

One of my P3A batteries did not fit as well as 2 others I have (had that small gap I mentioned earlier) - I used a small knife edge file and filed away a very small amount of the plastic from the face of the angular locking tabs on the battery to allow it to connect with the tabs on the Phantom battery housing. I took great care when filing to make sure I had the files cutting edge on the same angle as the battery tab so as not to change the angle of same and also most importantly, not to remove too much plastic (filed a little then tried it). It worked great - that little extra plastic I removed allowed for the tab on the battery to seat properly with (over) the tab on the battery housing - I could hear/feel the "clicking" sound as they locked/seated into place and no gap.

I thought about doing the same to my other batteries tabs (since while depressing the top tab the battery does separate slightly as mentioned).....but since I did not see any gap after installing them I thought otherwise - and also since I believe that is due to the offset of the battery locking clips where one releases (removal) and/or seats (insertion) prior to the other - so I just left them "as is".

Note: before I did any filing on the tab - I checked to make sure the opening on the battery housing was square enough to allow the battery housing face to fit flush when inserted. I also made sure there were no plastic "burs/bumps" on either the face of the battery housing itself and the face of the Phantom battery housing that might prevent a nice flush fit and/or allow for a gap.

IMO - it is not a very good idea at all to further secure the battery in position using external locking (Velcro or tape etc.) - if it is inserted correctly prior to flight (no gaps) it should not "pop" out unless there is a collision that forces it out (intentionally).

The only adjustment I would suggest is what I mentioned as to filing and in applying that, I would use extreme caution as to retaining the same angle the tab is on and also the amount of plastic removed via filing (I checked a couple of times while removing some plastic and it only took a couple of strokes with the file to remove what was needed). Also,checking to see if there are any burs/bumps restricting a proper flush fit.

Only my opinion guys - you are obviously free to do whatever you think is best for you!
 
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