How do you store your battery?

[cdusher]

I've been searching around and I'm seeing that even if not using for a week or two you should bring the charge level down to about 50 percent.
If so, I'm wonder what the best method of accomplishing this would be.
I don't see where the charger has the capability unless you're charging a batter and stopped the charging by watching the lights.

 

[Visioneer]

I've been searching around and I'm seeing that even if not using for a week or two you should bring the charge level down to about 50 percent.

That seems to be the consensus of most sources who apparently have some credentials on the matter. I typically leave mine at 50% even if I think I'll be flying again soon ... life has a way of altering one's plans.

If so, I'm wonder what the best method of accomplishing this would be.

The only effective way I've found to discharge is flying. Simply running the motors at idle speed takes a long, LONG time ... and you need to be there monitoring them anyway. I suppose one could do some research regards proper discharge rate and build a resistive load that would work, but that may cause other problems, and you'd still need to monitor it - better to be flying.

I don't see where the charger has the capability unless you're charging a batter and stopped the charging by watching the lights.

I've done that as well ... typically post flight while I'm loading/watching my flights' pics/vids to a PC and fiddling with them there.

 

[cdusher]

Ok, great.
That's pretty much what I was guessing.
Well, guess I'll just have to go out and fly.
Not all bad.
Thanks much!

 

[Visioneer]

Ok, great.
That's pretty much what I was guessing.
Well, guess I'll just have to go out and fly.
Not all bad.
Thanks much!

But do stay tuned here. There are some pretty creative folks and someone may well have a better answer.

 

[Pull_Up]

I think that's pretty much the two simple options... Fly it down to storage level or charge it up to the same. I tend to run both my batts down to about 18 to 20% to max my airtime, then at home just charge until I've got 2 bars.

 

[Mossie]

Ok , so I've been doing it completely wrong. I've been flying , then when I get home charging back up to 100% and storing the battery fully charged. Better change my ways !

 

[AnselA]

Transferring image files wireless would be convinient way to consume the battery down to 50% or so. If the transfer of DNGs would work...

 

[iResq]

Transferring image files takes very little juice. Like most, I try to fly below 50 and charge up. I've have tried idle but it takes forever and usually leads to thoughts of flying indoors. If you walk it around at idle with props on it will try to level itself. That runs batteries quicker but will blow papers off of desks and stuff off your fridge. That hasn't worked well for me. One guy posted that he uses an automotive headlight to run his batteries down.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

 

[Sledge]

Ok, great.
That's pretty much what I was guessing.
Well, guess I'll just have to go out and fly.
Not all bad.
Thanks much!

But do stay tuned here. There are some pretty creative folks and someone may well have a better answer.

How about strapping the PVC to your case with bungee cords and running it at 50-75 power til battery runs down to adequate level?

 

[ericdes]

I grab a leg, start it up in manual mode, alternate full and half throttle. 4-5 minutes and it does the trick.

MAKE SURE YOU HOLD IT, MANUAL MODE REALLY HAS TORQUE.

 

[Sledge]

I grab a leg, start it up in manual mode, alternate full and half throttle. 4-5 minutes and it does the trick.

MAKE SURE YOU HOLD IT, MANUAL MODE REALLY HAS TORQUE.

Why manual mode?

 

[ResevorDG]

Speaking of storage, I see the manual says not to keep the battery in the phantom when not in use. Is it so bad to have the battery in when not flying? I don't see why. If the battery is turned off, how does it matter?
Or is this more about the pins in the Phantom?

 

[Pull_Up]

For one thing it is keeping the little data pins in a compressed state it's much better for their longevity to keep their springs relaxed. If they start to stick a bit you may get intermittent contacts which will result in "invalid battery" errors... Plus there's only a very thin contact coating on the little contact pads on the battery so good to keep those guys clean and not too worn.

 

[ericdes]

I grab a leg, start it up in manual mode, alternate full and half throttle. 4-5 minutes and it does the trick.

MAKE SURE YOU HOLD IT, MANUAL MODE REALLY HAS TORQUE.

Why manual mode?

I has more power. Try it while holding it, or on takeoff from the ground.

 

[cavaleiro01]

Ok , so I've been doing it completely wrong. I've been flying , then when I get home charging back up to 100% and storing the battery fully charged. Better change my ways !

I have 3 batteries and I always store them 100% charged, also!
Shouldn't I? Why, exactly?

 

[Visioneer]

Ok , so I've been doing it completely wrong. I've been flying , then when I get home charging back up to 100% and storing the battery fully charged. Better change my ways !

I have 3 batteries and I always store them 100% charged, also!
Shouldn't I? Why, exactly?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7FFHKsuJHs

This may be TMI but it answers your question. The storage time limit is not exact but a week is quoted herein as the limit at full charge, but then that statement is modified by the comment that some degradation can actually begin in 24 to 48 hours. Absent a better credentialed "expert", I'm going with this.

If I don't get all the way down to 50% for a couple days, I don't worry about it. But getting up to 50% is pretty simple post flight ... just plug in the charger and watch it while I'm doing something else (like processing the video/pictures I just shot).

 

[MikeySoft]

The video talks about balancing the cells. The P2V charger only has two contacts. Does each P2V battery pack have internal electronic to insure the cells are balanced?

 

[Pull_Up]

Yes. It's the main reason it's called a "Smart Battery". It handles balance, voltage protection, overheat protection, etc, all internally.