Has anyone else had their DJI Smart Battery Destroyed by DJI's Old VERSION 3.2 assistant?

3.2 Assistant totally destroyed my battery!

Now, the dealer, (UAV Direct) refuses to replace the battery, claiming that it is not covered under warranty, (Batteries are only warranted for 3 months)

I have tried to explain to this Dealer that this is not a Warranty issue, the Battery was destroyed by DJI's software upgrade!

Anyone else having these problems, trying to get a Battery replaced, please post your reply here.

Thank you.

Jeff

Hi Jeff,
May i know more details about the problem?
What did you tried with 3.2 assistant software?
What happened to the battery after that?

Hi Jeff,
May i know more details about the problem?
What did you try with 3.2 assistant software?
What happened to the battery after that?

DJI-Blair Posted at 2014-11-6 15:27
Hi Jeff,
May i know more details about the problem?
What did you try with 3.2 assistant software?

I upgraded to the 3.2 Assistant, 3.4 was not out yet.

In my upgrade section it gave me the new 3.08 firmware upgrade, which installed fine.

It also indicated there was a Battery Firmware Upgrade, which I proceeded to do.  About half way through the upgrade, the software gave me an error message and stopped.  When I shut down the Assistant Software and Removed the battery, the Battery would not even show any Green Lights and was apparently DEAD!  Placing it back in the Phantom, the battery was still DEAD and would not work.

Figuring I might have damaged something in the Phantom itself, I removed the DEAD Battery and replaced with a NOT YET Upgraded Battery.  Fortunately, the Battery worked fine and the Phantom worked fine.

So, it was a problem in the 3.2 Assistant that caused the Battery to be DESTROYED or At Least the Battery Firmware.

That's about it.

Jeff,

Try to use the newest Phantom Assistant v3.6 to upgrade your battery.

DJI-Bruce Posted at 2014-11-7 01:11
Jeff,

Try to use the newest Phantom Assistant v3.6 to upgrade your battery.

You can't use the assistant since the battery doesn't even Fire Up.  No Lights. Nothing!  So, you can't upgrade it or even try.

The BATTERY HAS BEEN TURNED INTO A "BRICK" OR LARGE PAPER WEIGHT"!!!!

DJI-Bruce Posted at 2014-11-7 01:11
Jeff,

Try to use the newest Phantom Assistant v3.6 to upgrade your battery.

So is there a way to somehow reset this battery so it powers up again? This way it can be used to power up the phantom, get to the assistant and redo the firmware?

jfftorsrud Posted at 2014-11-7 05:24
You can't use the assistant since the battery doesn't even Fire Up.  No Lights. Nothing!  So, you  ...

I feel you.. These batteries are not cheap!

roelperalta@yah Posted at 2014-11-7 05:47
I feel you.. These batteries are not cheap!

I have a request in to DJI support, don't know if I will hear from them.

It was their Assistant Software that screwed something up.  I wanted it replaced.  This was a DJI Software problem.  They knew about it, and there have been others who have had the same problem.

You will notice that the Assistant version 3.2 is no longer on their website!  All they have on the website is 3.4 and 3.6 and 3.4 did not even recognize any battery update.

As far as I'm concerned, DJI OWES ME A NEW BATTERY!

To update the battery,please use the V3.6 assistant software.
You can check the note in the below link:
http://download.dji-innovations. ... elease_Notes_en.pdf

For your case, it's recommended to ask for dealer and send it back for maintenance to our repair center.
Here is our support center info: http://www.dji.com/support

When you try to charge it, is there any reflection on the battery?
Here is the details about update the battery firmware with V3.6 software:
http://download.dji-innovations. ... elease_Notes_en.pdf

For your case, it's recommended to ask for dealer and send it back for maintenance to our repair center.
Here is our support center info: http://www.dji.com/support

DJI-Blair Posted at 2014-11-7 15:07
When you try to charge it, is there any reflection on the battery?
Here is the details about update  ...

Unfortunately, I have sent the battery into one of your support dealers, (UAV Direct).  UAV Direct refused to repair or replace the battery, stating that it was more than 3 months old and therefore IS NOT covered under the DJI Warranty.

The DJI Warranty does not apply in this case, since it was the DJI Software that caused the Battery to Fail.  

UAV Direct is sending the DAMAGED BATTERY / BRICK back to me.  Thanks for your support UAV Direct!

There is really nothing I can do to this BATTERY, it does not work! DJI Assistant 3.2 was responsible for Destroying this Battery.

I am still waiting to hear from DJI Support.  I sent them an extensive Email concerning the problem.  I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THEM!

This whole problem can be easily resolved if someone at DJI would stand up and simply send me a new Battery!  I will be glad to return the PAPER WEIGHT I currently have.

roelperalta@yah Posted at 2014-11-7 05:46
So is there a way to somehow reset this battery so it powers up again? This way it can be used to  ...

I wish there was a way to reset it.

I sent the battery into UAV Direct, one of DJI's support companies.  UAV Direct even determined it was your basic BRICK/Paperweight.  They are sending the Brick Back!  Thanks for your support UAV DIRECT, NOT!

Very frustrating!  Hope they send you a new battery!

I wish we knew what the secret is to resetting the "smart" in these batteries.  Last summer I had a perfectly good four month old battery basically disable itself, because, I believe, the battery "thinks" it has over 700 charge cycles.  I'd say I got about half of its useful life, so that's $80 lost.

Good luck!

away-point Posted at 2014-11-7 22:08
Very frustrating!  Hope they send you a new battery!

I wish we knew what the secret is to resetting ...

The Reset process could probably be easily done, BUT only by DJI.  They would probably have to either replace the Smart Circuit Board in the Battery or Have a Software program that can RE-FLASH the Firmware Chip.  And I doubt anyone of the US Dealers have the ability to do this.  (They just sell the products and provide very little support)  Kind of goes on the premise, "Once they have your Money, that's it!"  SO Sorry Charlie!  Now get lost!.

I haven't even come close to 700 cycles, but I had heard that 300 cycles was about Normal for these batteries.

I can only hope that DJI Steps up and just replaces the Battery!

I hope they step up for you too!  Seems to me they are making a killing on the P2 batteries.  

In my own experience, 75 to 100 cycles is the useful life of P2 batteries.  I had one (as best I can recall, with something like 80 cycles) cost me my whole rig by landing itself at 60% charge.  The battery reporting over 700 cycles actually has somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 or 40 cycles.

I have the same problem

how can i reset it and i use firmware V3.6

Hello Jfftorsrud&gsm.robin.dp,
For your situation, it's recommended to contact our local support center directly.
Below is the support center info:
http://www.dji.com/support

When i was updating my battery i saw that i had forgotted to turn on my remote, so i did that,  and it interrupted the update halfway thru.
I got a little nervous, but i just restarted everything and i got the question to update again, and i did and it worked.

Yes I have the same problem. Battery upgrade failure and now only LED 2 & 3 (the two middle ones) light up and the battery is useless.

Curious if there is a fix to this or if I simply need to buy a new battery (or 2 or 3) as is seems a major time suck if you're not under the three month warranty. Just sucks that the upgrade was from DJI and I have to pay for their mistake!!!

I don't know if this has any bearing on any of your issues but the new assistant bricked my battery (only second and third light lit) but I persisted and continued updating it.  It errored out twice or three times more then magically finished and came back to life.  I even got the NOT an intellegent DJI battery warning and got them all to go away.  Just keep at it it will get a lil further each time thru until it finishes up  

Ok I had similar problem with a battery with only the middle two bars on, BUT after another upgrade it worked fine !!!

If the battery fails during upgrade, you can always repeat the upgrade process to successfully upgrade the battery to v2.6.0.0

DJI-Blair Posted at 2014-11-11 15:22
Hello Jfftorsrud&gsm.robin.dp,
For your situation, it's recommended to contact our local support cen ...

Contacting the local support people is TOTALLY USELESS!

I tried that avenue, sent my BRICK into UAV Direct in Texas after they sent me a RMA number.  After they received the information, they said it was a DEAD Battery and they could not fix it.  The would not replace the battery since they said it was more than 3 months old and out of warranty.  I tried explaining to these BOOBS, it was not a Warranty Issue, since DJI's own Software Assistant 3.2 destroyed the battery.  They sent the battery back.  I WILL NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH UAV DIRECT again!

jfftorsrud Posted at 2014-11-7 22:55
The Reset process could probably be easily done, BUT only by DJI.  They would probably have to eit ...

Connect the battery to the charger, then turn the battery on as if you should fly, now it should charge.

Happens the same with me... My Battery is DEAD, no LED, nothing... I can't connect to the assistent, because the Phantom do not turn on with this dead battery... Tanks DJI

The P330CB Firmware 1.0.2.8 blocks the old 1.6.0.0 lipos from beeing used.

nickotter@yahoo Posted at 2014-11-12 17:56
Ok I had similar problem with a battery with only the middle two bars on, BUT after another upgrade  ...

I have that problem right now... two middle lights on ... but no upgrade available.

g.james@magma.c Posted at 2014-12-30 21:12
I have that problem right now... two middle lights on ... but no upgrade available.

It happened after updating?

DJI-Autumn Posted at 2014-12-31 09:38
It happened after updating?

No, I havent updated anything.. I only downloaded the dji assistant to try to repair the battery

jfftorsrud Posted at 2014-11-13 00:29
Contacting the local support people is TOTALLY USELESS!

I tried that avenue, sent my BRICK into U ...

I've had nothing but bad experiences as well from DJI support. I'm trying to figure out an issue with one of my "Smart" batteries which appears fine in all aspects voltage wise however the voltage drops like a rock after 90 seconds of flight. After trying to resolve the issue with DJI support and explaining this battery is part of a rotation and has been charged 11 times they fell back to the it's over 3 months old. Granted DJI has the best consumer drones on the market and I love them, I would jump ship in a heartbeat due to the horrible support of there products. I would expect them to read this and go jump ship, we have 9 million other customers. Gateway, Micron computers, and Blockbuster Video thought the same thing; wouldn't supporting your product like LL Bean be amazing!

Wahapainan Posted at 2015-5-11 00:16
I've had nothing but bad experiences as well from DJI support. I'm trying to figure out an issue w ...

Yep. Another member of the bricked battery fan club.  Mine was also in a rotation and died upon charging the 8th time.  Doesn't matter to DJI, it's almost 6 months old so it's not their problem.  I've worked with LiPos in other RC equipment and have never seen the kinds of spontaneous death that the DJI batteries are flawed with.

I see the writing on the wall, and I don't believe I'm up for buying a new battery every six months simply because DJI has issues with quality control.

I am trying to get some of these "bad" batteries to test and try to find out why these issues.  if you have a bad one and are willing to send it to me for testing, we may find some solutions to these premature failures.   let me know if you are willing to send me your bad battery.

yorlik Posted at 2015-5-12 07:02
I am trying to get some of these "bad" batteries to test and try to find out why these issues.  if y ...

I don't believe the battery is bad, I believe it's a malfunction of the "smart" controller. I'm holding out for a bit on my battery, I know if I was running a company in the forefront of technology I'd like to know what bugs my beta-testing customers were finding and attempt to help them.

Wahapainan Posted at 2015-5-14 06:28
I don't believe the battery is bad, I believe it's a malfunction of the "smart" controller. I'm ho ...

that is why I put "bad" in quotes - I totally agree.

Thats how I ever felt every time I needed help from DJI support. Another Brick in the wall. I am having the same problem. My battery turns on with only one press and stay with the 2 middle leds on. When I plug to software to try to update the firmware it displays over 5000 cycles to this battery and pop up a window saying that there is not a DJI smart battery. But I purchased this battery in BH and I am so sure that there is no more than 10 cycles on this battery. Its brand new if you look at it. No stewed. Its a shame to see all my batteries completely swollen and this brand new useless. To make matters worst I live in Brazil and the dollars is 4x1 at this moment. Whem I buy one battery here I pay the equivalent of US$ 500. If some angel find the solution for this I will apreciate so much.

have you found the solution mate? Mine is exactly the same as yours.

I have this problem, did you find a solution?

So my P2V+ battery just stopped outputting voltage.  This was after a charge cycle from my car battery (14V).  The 5 sec test shows fully charged.  It turns on normal, then shows only 1 LED.
I can't power up the Phantom, so no USB troubleshooting.
I pulled the plastic outside apart, and 1 of the cells shows no voltage.  Al the the others are around 4.2V.
The bad cell has some white thing next to one of the leads, I'm guessing that's the thermocouple for the temp sensor.
So, I might buy a raw cell for a few dollars and solder it up.  Or mod it for an off the shelf lipo pack.