Battery storage and management?

[Ray Dunakin]

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]

It’s surely a pile of bits and chargers and friends relatives if you can’t do it?

[Larrie Easterly]

If they are smart batteries you can leave them on the charger with no problems.

[Christopher Young]

Originally Posted by Ray Dunakin

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/articl...ased-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]

Thanks Chris, a great link to pass on to my grandsons who treat batteries like they grow on trees.

Cheers.

[Seth Bloombaum]

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]

Thanks guys!

[Christopher Young]

Originally Posted by Seth Bloombaum

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]

Passing along some good thoughts and warm wished to you and your wife.