I just came back from a a month trip and found I had left two Batteries on the DJI quad charger.  The TB 47 is dead and the brand new TB48 is swelled up and dead.  There is no warning on leaving them on the charger for any length of time so its a mystery to me why this happened.  Has anyone experienced this. Has DJI issued a warning?

I just cant believe that it didnt start a fire.   It could have been a power surge or power blinking.  Or they went into discharge mode and then the charger kicked in thus eventually frying them.

The battery status lights on the quad charger were green.  This all seems impossible with the DJI Smart Battery system.

eggbeater Posted at 2015-8-25 01:45
The battery status lights on the quad charger were green.  This all seems impossible with the DJI Sm ...

In anything electronic failure is always possible.  Thats why you never charge while you are away....I know you forgot. Things could have been really bad.

I agree, you are lucky that you did not burn down the building.

DJI-Dave Posted at 2015-8-25 02:37
I agree, you are lucky that you did not burn down the building.

edited for content.  needed clarification from moderator.

Boogieman Posted at 2015-8-25 07:16
Dave cant add you as friend.  You should be able to see my email mind contacting me please.

Thanks Boogieman. I can tell you are a good guy and normally I would love to be your friend.
I have been advised by DJI not to add anyone to my friends list. For various reasons I can not discuss.

Thanks for asking though.

I cant believe you guys!!! Can you for once read the manual?? ?

DJI intelligent battery is designed to stop charging when it is full. However it is good practice to monitor charging progress and disconnect the batteries when fully charged

I thought these chargers worked on the principal of charging by priority in relation to charge remaining in the battery.  Once one battery is charged it then moves on to another battery until all the batteries are charged.  I don't therefore understand how this could happen.  This is obviously a safety concern, perhaps it should be returned to DJI for replacement and analysis.  
Try contacting DJI Ed or contacting the DJI help line for a returns number

Skywolf007 Posted at 2015-8-25 19:54
I cant believe you guys!!! Can you for once read the manual?? ?

DJI intelligent battery is designed ...

As I stated never leave a battery.  How can DJI be held liable for something he left for weeks.  No telling what happened.  Better be glad he didnt lose his home.

DJI-Dave Posted at 2015-8-25 08:05
Thanks Boogieman. I can tell you are a good guy and normally I would love to be your friend.
I ha ...

And it wasnt for friend just needed to pm for some further clarification on some matters.

Had the same issue with ours..
Had the quad charger, used it once, came back a day later and 3 of the 4 batteries attached were swollen.  Waiting on a repair / replacement for all batteries and chargers.
Not a pleasant experience so far.

aaronhucker Posted at 2015-8-26 01:30
Had the same issue with ours..
Had the quad charger, used it once, came back a day later and 3 of t ...

So it was 1 day or less?

I believe the quad charger was marketed as a fire and forget charger capable of safe automatic switching (disconecting) between up to four batteries based on a handshake from the smart battery circuitry on board each flight battery assembly.  As with most prosumer equipment lithium batteries systems have to evolve to this professional level of safety.   How many garden and shop power tools are powered by this type of battery system and in charging results in a fire?  The only battery fire Ive heard of was in the passenger compartment of an aircraft and the battery was left in the Inspire.  How many times have we plugged in an Inspire battery into a single charger and come back the next day to find a puffed dead battery or forbid a fire that evening?  Should we stand a fire watch or charge the batteries in a fireproof case and how would that work for heat dissipation.  Needless to say I won't be using the DJI quad charger until this is worked out and it appears that would be sound advice for anyone either owning one of these or considering the purchase.  

eggbeater Posted at 2015-8-26 08:11
I believe the quad charger was marketed as a fire and forget charger capable of safe automatic switc ...

And by no means am I starting a flame with you.  But under no circumstances should any type of battery be left charging unattended.  The matter of the fact is as I said you were gone for 2 weeks and most likely the batteries went into discharge mode(Which is what they are supposed to do) the charger kicked back in and the Batteries didnt know what to think.  again the way its all supposed to work.  

The DJI quad charger automatically disconnects the charged battery and connects to the next battery and so on so that at the end of the cycle all four batteries are charged and disconnected from the charging circuit automatically.   They don't remain charging so the batteries are therefore never left in a charging state unattended after the last battery is automatically disconnected from the charging power supply.  What would the purpose be to manufacture a product that cycle charges through four batteries but must be attended to during each charging cycle of each battery attached to the DJI quad charger.   At 90 + minutes per battery I would need to observe the entire charging process for 4 batteries for up to 6 hours.  These are supposed to be plug and play unlike the high capacity hobby batteries with leads and balancing connectors that would most certainly need attendance.  I understand you are being constructive Bman and have followed the advice in the past, It just doesn't seem to be supported by the DJI manufactures descriptions or safety precautions for the DJI TB quad charger.

Hi, I think you are telling something not true. Could you please upload the photos showing that the batteries are swollen up after using the quad charge?

We have thoroughly tested the quad charger. And the battery is designed and protected from being over-charged. It has overcharge protection. What you claim here is very misleading.

eggbeater press and hold the button for 5 seconds on Battery and see if it turns ON?

DJI-Bruce Posted at 2015-8-26 12:49
Hi, I think you are telling something not true. Could you please upload the photos showing that the  ...

Bruce  Could it be that when he left the charger for so long that the batteries went into discharge. When the charger sinced voltage drop went to charging and possible got "confused" on what to do from there. I'm like you also would like to see pics.

My thoughts as with Boogieman,  if some one did not follow DJI instructions and left them on would each pack fully charge, then when the preset time  reached enter self discharge then when done go back into charge again in a never ending loop?

BUT even if this did happen it would only simulate the packs in use and no reason for them to swell,

something seems off with this.

Eggbeater,
I'd like to get your charger serial number, photo or video of broken batteries as well as your contacts, so we can help you with this problem. Thank you

DJI-Tim Posted at 2015-9-7 06:00
Eggbeater,
I'd like to get your charger serial number, photo or video of broken batteries as well as ...

Yea.  I hope DJI will also update this thread when they have found out what happened.

I don't like coming to this site because it fills me with fears.  $1M house and exploding batteries don't mix.  Sure... State Farm will cover the loss but what a nightmare.  There are TONS of Boogiemen out there telling wild tales such as this -- its akin to yelling fire in a crowded theater.  And I find it very hard to believe.  A half dozen $1M houses burned down and State Farm is going to go after DJI and DJI will fold its tents and go home.  I very much doubt that is going to happen -- why?  Because I basically don't believe the stories.  Either the stories are wives tells or DJI is wildly exposing itself to massive lawsuits.

Anyone that has swollen or dead batteries due to charging over night or for two weeks should return batteries, charging port , power supply and aircraft to DJI immediately as a safety precaution until they become sensible enough to follow instructions.

It is grossly stupid to leave batteries charging overnight........ nobody is suggesting you have to stand next to them watching intently without blinking........ but you need to be in close proximity checking periodically........ certainly after the charge period is up..... once charged batteries must be removed from the power supply. That goes for ALL rechargeable batteries. in the event of a fire caused by over charging or leaving unattended charging batteries may well invalidate insurance due to willful neglect.

''There is no warning on leaving them on the charger for any length of time so its a mystery to me why this happened''

Why the hell do you think the batteries discharge themselves after as short as few days. Yes everyone is right, the cell was forced to stay at 100% Literally frying it.

GazFromBrum Posted at 2015-9-7 18:28
Anyone that has swollen or dead batteries due to charging over night or for two weeks should return  ...

What instructions are you referring to exactly?  Show me where it says that the charger must be unplugged after X amount of time.

pedz Posted at 2015-9-9 19:11
What instructions are you referring to exactly?  Show me where it says that the charger must be un ...

Maybe a read of the Intelligent Flight Battery Safety Guidelines v1.4 might be an idea or page 3 of the Charging Hub instructions..... both found on the download page.


....... please don't tell me your not aware that over charging any battery is going to cause issues with heating and cell damage. ??

Items replaced, faith restored.

i have a really really bad habit of forgetting to unplug the battery after charging; sometimes by merely 5-30 min (mostly)  , sometimes by a few hours , and have also had a full overnight a couple of times.  now i am not pointing any finger at anyone. i think that although these so-called smart / intelligent chargers are quite good, but they are still not good enough.  if the chargers are smart and the batteries are intelligent ... then WHY do you 'have to' keep a regular eye on the charging timings to begin with ? if the charger completely cuts of the charge when battery is full, then why do the batteries swell from overcharge ? why do i have to be made to sit and watch my batteries so they they don't go into flames IF the chargers are THAT good.

i am just an ordinary guy who thinks that the inspire 1 should have come with the x5 attachment to begin with (rather than with a lousy noisefull 12mp camera) , because for a price that is twice as much as the phantom 3 there is simply no point in investing into this drone that should have come at least with batteries of either double flight time or a built in 2 batteries compartment.

p.s. i have created quite a stir in my part of the world with this attached image. an 8 sec exposure [ that was full of noise and a view with tilted gimbal (that i spotted later and had to fix in post). don't get me wrong. i love flying my inspire, but i just wish that i'd got much more (especially in batteries & camera department) for spending around 4500$ (including extra batteries & memory cards & chargers) despite the fact that the company now expects me to upgrade by spending another minimum $2200

You are under no obligation to upgrade.  The Inspire is still the best  machine for the money.  While you think the flight times are short and by doubling up you could achieve longer flights the additional weight would affect the balance and increase the damage to the machine, people  and property on the ground.  I have several commercial flights under my belt and never found flight time to be a factor in achieving the clients vision.  If you like longer flight times attach some helium balloons  to the inspire to provide lift.  Respectfully.