Is it OK to hover drain the batteries in the garden?

[The Editor]

Could someone who is wiser than me clarify best practice?

What I tend to do with my (TB47) batteries is as follows:

1. After use, I fully charge them to 100% and then allow them to do an auto discharge over 3 days. This, I believe, takes them down to the 'safe' storage level of around 60%.

2. Recharge to 100% before use (obviously).

3. Every 20 or so charging cycles, completely discharge and then recharge to 100%.

However, on the Phantom Angel web site that The Editor kindly pointed to, it says: "Manufacturers (including DJI) state that LiPo batteries should be stored at ~50% charge if left for more than 24 hours. DJI’s auto-discharge function takes at least 3 days to discharge - that’s not good enough."

So, am I doing the wrong thing in recharging after use and allowing my batts to auto-discharge? Would it be better to leave them at whatever level they're at after use (typically around 20%)? Or is it bad to store them at that low a level?

Is the best thing to in fact invest in a Phantom Angel?

Obviously, given the cost of them, I want them to last as long as possible!

Thank you.

Somewhere between 50-60% is fine or near to 3.86v per cell.
You do not have to charge them up to 100% on return back to base.
Just charge them until the 3rd led starts to flash. After about a minute and a half it will be pretty much bang on 3.86v-3.89v per cell. Just unplug it then and store until you are ready to fly again. Then charge it up from there.

 

[offshorecl1]

Yes thanks Ed., that's the one I've purchased but it takes a month or so for delivery. (I thing someone in this forum recommended it to me a while ago).
I did send a request to DJI for their recommendations but also suggested that in view of the importance of battery maintenance, that they make a version of their multi charger that also discharges. They have not responded. Seems weird to me that they don't offer this. Bigger fish to fry I guess.

Now they deliver. This week I received and it's TOP! Work perfect!

 

[Yellow Fellow]

Somewhere between 50-60% is fine or near to 3.86v per cell.
You do not have to charge them up to 100% on return back to base.
Just charge them until the 3rd led starts to flash. After about a minute and a half it will be pretty much bang on 3.86v-3.89v per cell. Just unplug it then and store until you are ready to fly again. Then charge it up from there.

Thanks for the tip, Ed - much appreciated.

 

[Steve Bunch]

I hover mine. The challenge is that it's an X5R and they're loud. But no worries and it seems to work. I fly it high enough that it's not created a dust cloud.

 

[RaptorMan]

I'm building a battery drainer that has a secondary purpose. I saw a neat idea for a LED light panel for video work and the one I'm building will eat through 100W give or take so a fully charged battery will be drained in less about 75 minutes +/- a few minutes. A fully charged battery can be drained to storage in about 30 minutes.

So, just about the time I need to fully drain some batteries I should be good to go. And, I have a nice battery powered LED light for video. Actually, I'm building two of them so I can do two batteries at once or have twice the light for video.

Maybe I'll make a video of me making it or explain how it was made...


Brian