life of a lipo battery in charge cycles

[Monte55]

I have a Phantom that I got in April 2014. It uses the 11.1v 2200 ma battery. When I bought the quad from Bh photo, it came with 1 dji battery and 1 free Watson battery with same specs. If I remember correctly I could get around 12 min with a bare Phantom 1. Now with the oem battery, the times have dropped to about 8 minutes. I don't record the amount of flights on a particular battery. Do they just loose their punch which I'm sure they do. At what point do you just retire a battery. I have my batteries numbered as I have bought 3 more dji batteries after I had the quad for a short time. I have a battery checker thing that gives total voltage of pack, voltage of each cell, and power left in percentage. It's called a Capacity Controller. Anyway, when I check each cell, they vary much in percentage. If I have had a fully charged pack laying around for a week and not use, I will do a discharge with a TB6b charger, then do a storage charge. I will charge it up to full if I plan to fly soon. What else can I do. I'm not going to sleep with these batteries. I like to think I have more in life to do.

 

[PhantomFanatic]

Hi,

I could give you some facts about batteries, in general, but since I haven't flown the original phantom, I have no experience with them.

You might try the "Original Phantom" forum. There might be more who are experienced with the Phantom 1 there.

 

[Monte55]

It doesn't make any difference about which model of Phantom it is. It's a lipo battery question. Thanks for the reply though.

 

[PhantomFanatic]

It doesn't make any difference about which model of Phantom it is. It's a lipo battery question. Thanks for the reply though.

O-K-A-Y !

I was trying to help, since no one had. Excuse the heck out of me! Yes, I can give you general Lipo battery information, but not now. I'm taking my toys and going home... By the way, you made two identical posts about this topic.

 

[Monte55]

I only see one post on this. If you don't have any useful info then don't bother.

 

[PhantomFanatic]

I only see one post on this. If you don't have any useful info then don't bother.

Look again. You posted at 2:16 and at 2:21.

I do have a lot of useful information and I won't bother. (Thanks for that suggestion, but I thought I made it clear I wouldn't bother.)

Geez, I was only suggesting that P1 users might know the life cycle of THAT battery, how their flight times vary over the life of THAT battery and when they decide THAT battery is no longer useful, to them. That seemed to be what your were asking and that takes experience with that type of battery. At least I replied. I see now, why others didn't reply to your two posts.

Santa must have brought you coal, to put you in such a mood. Cheer up as it tis the season to be jolly! I'm the one laid up in bed, in excruitiating pain, from 3 ruptured discs in my back, 2 in my neck and 3 surgeries to remove ruptured discs in my neck. All from a drunk driver who hit me doing 50mph while I was the only one at the red light and I had leaned forward to adjust the radio. That put my head between the headrests. That and a muscle disease brought on by a 100,000 volt shock, led to my not being able to work in 1994. And no, I didn't get any money from him. My very active life was ruined. No women want a disabled guy.

Yet, I responded to your post and tried to help. If I can endure all those decades of constant severe to excruitiating pain, you can certaintly treat people better.

Sincerely, I wish you the best in the New Year.

 

[Monte55]

I posted the question once. I have no idea what you're talking about. Btw the type of battery is lipo. I thought that was a given.

 

[Monte55]

I finally did find the second post..Don't know why it double posted...it's deleted. That must be why I can't get an answer. Can't figure which post to answer

 

[Buckaye]

I have a Phantom that I got in April 2014. It uses the 11.1v 2200 ma battery. When I bought the quad from Bh photo, it came with 1 dji battery and 1 free Watson battery with same specs. If I remember correctly I could get around 12 min with a bare Phantom 1. Now with the oem battery, the times have dropped to about 8 minutes. I don't record the amount of flights on a particular battery. Do they just loose their punch which I'm sure they do. At what point do you just retire a battery. I have my batteries numbered as I have bought 3 more dji batteries after I had the quad for a short time. I have a battery checker thing that gives total voltage of pack, voltage of each cell, and power left in percentage. It's called a Capacity Controller. Anyway, when I check each cell, they vary much in percentage. If I have had a fully charged pack laying around for a week and not use, I will do a discharge with a TB6b charger, then do a storage charge. I will charge it up to full if I plan to fly soon. What else can I do. I'm not going to sleep with these batteries. I like to think I have more in life to do.

Yeah as you use the batteries they begin to lose their ability to hold a full charge and the flight time shortens. Because you don't know how many flights you have on the batteries, it's hard to tell if it's premature or just normal. But say if you've flown 50% of the battery lifetime... A 25% drop in flight times would not surprise me.

Don't know if that helps.

 

[Monte55]

Thanks, that helps. When the battery starts to weaken, can that cause any other problems with the battery or just shorter flight times? Eventually the time will be too short to bother with but the battery could still be used for testing, starting up before first full flight or to keep things warm in cold weather when not actually flying. It's my first battery and has been used more than the others by a long shot.

 

[Narrator]

In my log book, I record flight time per battery so I can track their usage.
I've seen several posts here about battery life, so I decided to record it from the get-go.

In 21 uses over 3 batteries, mine seem to be getting better. They started with about 14 min and now I get about 16-17 min.

 

[Buckaye]

Thanks, that helps. When the battery starts to weaken, can that cause any other problems with the battery or just shorter flight times? Eventually the time will be too short to bother with but the battery could still be used for testing, starting up before first full flight or to keep things warm in cold weather when not actually flying. It's my first battery and has been used more than the others by a long shot.

Generally if things start to go really bad... The battery will begin to puff as you lose cells etc.

You can use them until they look damaged or won't charge anymore..... But as you said... I'd stop relying on them for flights.