View Full Version : Battery storage and management?


Ray Dunakin
May 26th, 2022, 11:40 PM
I have a fairly extensive set of photography-related equipment -- a pair of drones, two DSLRs, two gimbals, a motorized slider, some GoPros, etc. Due to my wife's deteriorating health, and now some major health issues of my own, I will likely be unable to use most of this stuff for a year or more. All these gadgets have multiple batteries. From past experience I know that lithium ion batteries won't hold a charge that long, and usually go bad if they're allowed to drain completely.

Does anyone have any suggestions for maintaining all these batteries for such a long period of time?

Paul R Johnson
May 27th, 2022, 12:21 AM
It’s surely a pile of bits and chargers and friends relatives if you can’t do it?

Larrie Easterly
May 27th, 2022, 09:38 AM
If they are smart batteries you can leave them on the charger with no problems.

Christopher Young
May 28th, 2022, 07:25 AM
Does anyone have any suggestions for maintaining all these batteries for such a long period of time?

For some good pointers, you would go a long way to find any better advice on maintaining and ensuring maximum life from your batteries than to go to Battery University.

https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-808-how-to-prolong-lithium-based-batteries

These guys in conjunction with Cadex
https://www.cadex.com/products/battery-chargers
https://batteryuniversity.com/

were the people who totally optimised the way the US Navy ran, maintained and rejuvenated the batteries on their ships. I can't remember how many thousand batteries there are on an aircraft carrier but it was a staggering number. The USN improved their battery budget by about sixty per cent by increasing the life of its batteries. Everything from walkie-talkie comms to aircraft mission-critical batteries to backup battery systems to power tools.

Chris Young

Allan Black
May 28th, 2022, 03:24 PM
Thanks Chris, a great link to pass on to my grandsons who treat batteries like they grow on trees.

Cheers.

Seth Bloombaum
May 30th, 2022, 09:06 AM
It’s likely that your most expensive batts are the lithiums in the drones.

Many drone batteries have built in management that will discharge them to storage levels after a few days. That includes all DJI drones.

Best to charge them to storage levels every 2 to 4 months. If your batts don’t have management it may be that your charger has a storage setting. Manufacturers and drone forums will have the best guidance for your specific batteries.

I think you can fully charge Nicad and NiMH every couple months.

Any lead-acid should be on a smart charger.

Ray Dunakin
May 30th, 2022, 01:01 PM
Thanks guys!

Christopher Young
May 30th, 2022, 09:02 PM
It’s likely that your most expensive batts are the lithiums in the drones.

Many drone batteries have built in management that will discharge them to storage levels after a few days. That includes all DJI drones.

Thanks for reminding me. My DJI battery charger bank thing has a storage mode. I forget to use it! Better go do it as they haven't been used for a few weeks.

Chris Young

Vince Pachiano
June 1st, 2022, 07:32 PM
Passing along some good thoughts and warm wished to you and your wife.