Out of the Box the battery is dead

RSGification · Dec 17, 2016

Just got mine and out of the box the battery is dead. Totally no light when pressing the button. Charger is working because it's working on the RC. Left it for an hour on the charger and it's still dead. Will return this unit back to Best Buy. Is this is a common issue? Very disappointing.

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flyboy73 · Dec 17, 2016

When you first plugged it in did you get any lights at all? You're sure you plugged it in properly, right?

RSGification · Dec 17, 2016

Yes I'm sure it's properly plugged in to the P4. Out of the box I Pressed the button before removing it from the P4 and no light. Did several times of re seating the battery in the P4 and still no light after leaving it charging for about an hour. Thanks.

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flyboy73 · Dec 17, 2016

So, when you plugged the charger into the P4 battery, no lights were flashing on the battery at all during the hour it was charging?

RSGification · Dec 17, 2016

Totally no lights.

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flyboy73 · Dec 17, 2016

At least with the P3, as soon as you plug the battery into the charger the battery starts to blink. If you didn't get any blinking while charging I expect you didn't have it plugged in to the charger correctly. Check it.

msinger · Dec 18, 2016

RSGification said:
Is this is a common issue?

It's a known issue. You should definitely return it or just swap out the battery if that's an option.

RSGification · Dec 18, 2016

Went to Best Buy and got it replaced. It's ok now. Thanks guys for the inputs.

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jwt873 · Dec 18, 2016

Yes, that happened to me with the last battery I bought a few months ago. It was absolutely dead.

I bought it at the local Apple store. They took it back next day and provided a replacement with no questions asked.

Wing Pilot · Dec 18, 2016

I had a dud battery in my new Phantom 4 right out of the box. Not a light on it. Returned it and the replacement had about 50% in it which was great. My buddy had a battery bad out of the box as well. It's common.

outlaw704 · Dec 18, 2016

2 out of 3 dead. Sending them back.

ugp · Dec 18, 2016

I just had this happened yesterday. Bought a battery from Best Buy to have as a 3rd and no lights out of the box. I left the battery plugged in over night since I had read that batteries can enter a hibernation state after so many months of storage without use. And still nothing. Best Buy swapped out the battery with no issues. I brought my charge with to the store to ensure the new one would take a charge.

AWD · Dec 19, 2016

I've also had the DOA battery and after doing the DJI video schtick, they are replacing it under warranty. (Should be delivered today. Woo-Hoo!)

I'm still puzzled why there are so many DOA batteries out in the system. I could see one or two but just from the amount talked about here in this forum, it could almost be called an epidemic of DOA batteries!

Luckily they do usually get replaced but I still wonder how some many get out in the distribution channel.

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GMack · Dec 19, 2016

AWD said:
I've also had the DOA battery and after doing the DJI video schtick, they are replacing it under warranty. (Should be delivered today. Woo-Hoo!)

I'm still puzzled why there are so many DOA batteries out in the system. I could see one or two but just from the amount talked about here in this forum, it could almost be called an epidemic of DOA batteries!

Luckily they do usually get replaced but I still wonder how some many get out in the distribution channel.

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Chances are the battery was good when made, but they just drain to the point the charger doesn't see it when plugged in. May as well wave the charger cord around in the air if it's that dead.

It's just a bad design that came back to bite them. The charger should be able to apply a charge to the battery somehow, but if the "intelligent circuitry" (ahem!) is blocking that, and the battery is zeroed chances are it will not charge. Same goes for new cellphones that sit too long where they pop in a SIM card to sell it, and the thing is flat dead and has to go back if the charger doesn't link up to it.

Probably best to charge these things once a month and cycle through the pack if you have a lot of them. Sitting for three months could spell the end of them - at least with the current design.

Dome · Dec 19, 2016

I got a doa battery too... no way to revive for the moment! I'll send back! Too much time of storage without maintenance make them dead.

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AWD · Dec 20, 2016

Just got my replacement battery for the original one that was DOA from day one.

Uh, this one is dead too!

I thought it might charge during the day, but it's not to be. No lights with any button push.

Called DJI support and we're sending it back for another one.

Hopefully the third one is the charm.

Luckily I have 4 other batteries that DO work just fine.

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zifonex · Feb 18, 2017

Very helpful thread. Just bought my first drone, battery dead. Refurb from DJI, will have to call them tomorrow. Hope they replace it... Thanks

baker745 · Feb 18, 2017

I have had this twice. Brand new birds with dead batteries.

AWD · Feb 18, 2017

AWD said:
Just got my replacement battery for the original one that was DOA from day one.

Uh, this one is dead too!

I thought it might charge during the day, but it's not to be. No lights with any button push.

Called DJI support and we're sending it back for another one.

Hopefully the third one is the charm.

Luckily I have 4 other batteries that DO work just fine.

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As an update, DJI did replace the "replacement" dead battery with no questions asked, just send it back with the prepaid envelope.

The third time was the charm. All 5 batteries are flying and charging just fine now.

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Ty Durden · Feb 23, 2017

Had this happen to me when purchasing P4 batteries at Best Buy. Got it home, opened it, pushed the button and got nothing. Put it on the charger for an hour with no result. It was a dead soldier.

If you have a bit of time to kill, Best Buy is very easy to deal with as long as you understand their requirements. I went back to the store to get a replacement that worked. I was either going to leave the store with a working battery or a refund.

Logic would say, let's open some batteries and see which ones work and I'll take one of those. Store policy dictates one cannot open a new box unless they officially own it with a fresh receipt.

So, I returned by first bad battery and they gave me a new one with a new receipt. I stood there at the counter and opened it and the replacement was a dud too. So, I returned the replacement and bought a third battery.After I was issued a receipt, I opened it up and got lights. Finally I could go home. The Best Buy people were pleasant throughout.

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