Dual battery charger refuses to fully-charge sometimes (batteries stuck in discharge mode?)

[scrampker]

I'm seeing randomly when some of my batteries go into discharge mode, simply throwing them on the dual charger before I go out doesn't work. It's happened about 3 times in the last few months, and I have to put the battery in the drone and charge it that way. Pretty annoying. AFAIK I have the lastest update on the charger, which required plugging it into the drone, and watching the colors change.

When the batteries fail to charge, the light up for a moment when placed in the charger, (showing 50% or whatever,) then it just turns back off. Using stock wall wart, cable, etc. Odd behavior.

 

[Ridefreak]

I've noticed that sometimes one of the batteries won't fully charge (only up to 3 bars) on the charger but will top off when charged through the drone. Doesn't always do that, just occasionally. I usually run them all the way down (1 bar) when flying and it's never an issue then, only when they've been sitting and done the auto 50% discharge after sitting 2 weeks. Something I'd try if I were you is power up the drone in the house on the battery in question, let it sit there powered up or fly it so it discharges some and try charging it again. It seems to be a quirk but so far it's been easy to overcome for me.

 

[Skyking]

I'm seeing randomly when some of my batteries go into discharge mode, simply throwing them on the dual charger before I go out doesn't work. It's happened about 3 times in the last few months, and I have to put the battery in the drone and charge it that way. Pretty annoying. AFAIK I have the lastest update on the charger, which required plugging it into the drone, and watching the colors change.

When the batteries fail to charge, the light up for a moment when placed in the charger, (showing 50% or whatever,) then it just turns back off. Using stock wall wart, cable, etc. Odd behavior.

I had batter luck using 100 watt type C chargers

 

[DrKnome]

I have this problem too. Repeatedly. A battery will self-discharge to the 60% state. Put it in the charger accesory and it will charge a little then stop, staying at that level. I thought the battery was defective and labeled it. This morning (a few weeks) later that battery charged fine and another battery did the same thing.

 

[scrampker]

I have this problem too. Repeatedly. A battery will self-discharge to the 60% state. Put it in the charger accesory and it will charge a little then stop, staying at that level. I thought the battery was defective and labeled it. This morning (a few weeks) later that battery charged fine and another battery did the same thing.

Yeah I'm seeing this more and more.

I'm starting to think I should only use two of my 4 batteries regularly, then if something big comes up, charge the other two as well.

This whole discharge thing is a disaster. Ironically they are causing more damage by creating extra cycles. I'd guestimate that about 80% of my battery cycles overall have been self-discharge. Kind of dumb. My other lithium devices don't do this and the batteries still last for years. Only reason this would make sense is if they were attempting to over-charge these cells, so they need to drain back down to prevent explosions.

 

[PA452]

I just got my SD2 last week. I'm already seeing this issue as well. Had my first flights with it last night, stopped a flight early with like 65% on the battery. I couldn't get that one to charge at all today. So at lunch, I took it out and flew it again. I forget what percentage I got it down to on the app, but I want to stay I stopped in the 30s. I don't have my batteries marked, so I can't say for sure, but I have one again now that doesn't seem to want to charge and I'm guessing it's the same one.

ETA: Tried charging it in the drone and that seemed to work.

 

[scrampker]

Yeah I have to charge it in the drone when it doesn't work...but that's just stupid. I think this is a result of that battery firmware they pushed a few months back.

 

[scrampker]

This is driving me crazy. Finally emailed Skydio. Surprised so many people put up with this stuff and don't complain.

 

[DrKnome]

Yeah I have to charge it in the drone when it doesn't work...but that's just stupid. I think this is a result of that battery firmware they pushed a few months back.

I have now found, twice, that this solution works. Charing the stuck battery in the drone somehow resets whatever faulty internal battery logic was causing it to not charge.

 

[scrampker]

I have now found, twice, that this solution works. Charing the stuck battery in the drone somehow resets whatever faulty internal battery logic was causing it to not charge.

I have to do this all the time, but I let my batteries drain for at least a week between flights, almost exclusively. Just coincidence.

 

[VEGASROBBI]

So my batteries discharged to 50% since I missed a test drive.

I put both batteries on the charger, one fully charged and the other stayed at 50% no matter what I did.

I installed the 50% battery in my S2 and charged it for only a minute then put it back on the charger. The battery then fully charged on the charger.

It's like the S2 got it out of the discharge mode and allowed it to charge.

 

[Lifeisfun]

So my batteries discharged to 50% since I missed a test drive.

I put both batteries on the charger, one fully charged and the other stayed at 50% no matter what I did.

I installed the 50% battery in my S2 and charged it for only a minute then put it back on the charger. The battery then fully charged on the charger.

It's like the S2 got it out of the discharge mode and allowed it to charge.

Seen same complaints on FB

 

[scrampker]

I have an ongoing inquiry with SD engineering via support. I have two problems:
1) "Charging forever," and
2) Not charging at all.

In both cases, it's after a self-discharge. Plainly obvious that there's something wrong with the algorithm. My theory is that if you catch the battery at the wrong drain % during the process, it's stuck until it either finishes, or the drone resets it. I seem to be fine if I let the battery keep draining longer.

Either way, unacceptable, and Skydio is well aware of the issue. I do recommend everyone contact them, so they give it some level of priority.

 

[Lifeisfun]

I have an ongoing inquiry with SD engineering via support. I have two problems:
1) "Charging forever," and
2) Not charging at all.

..... I do recommend everyone contact them, so they give it some level of priority.

Definitely, this is the only way to get any traction

 

[scrampker]

I'm seeing this more and more lately. I went out and flew with all 4 batteries until I got the landing alert. Now the dual charger just blinks forever on the first blue bar, never incrementing. I was able to get one of them to charge by putting in the drone, but even then I had to fight with it and reboot the drone a few times. These batteries are very problematic ever since that firmware update.

I'm other news, my 5 year old Mavic Pro Platinum batteries never have this issue.