Battery Mod Info
- Thread starter damoncooper
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Well, I think I'll let someone much more in tune with electronics figure this one out. I was really hoping the charging cable to the remote controller would clear things up with a nice and simple circuit, but it does not. Plugging the cable into the battery immediately turns on the battery. I took my multimeter out and measured the voltage at the end that plugs into the controller. 22.5V with a half charge. That's good news. Now to see if I can go backwards on this cable and send a current through it to charge the battery. Nope. It won't do it. Something is blocking the current going back into the battery. Took me about an hour, but I was able to dremel away the hard, rubber outer casing of the end of the charging cable that goes into the battery. It's another circuit board. That must be why the battery turns on when the cable is plugged into it. I couldn't follow that circuit board either. DJI is really doing their best to keep people from making the I2 more customized. My only hope is that the P4 battery setup is like the I2. I see all sorts of parallel battery charging stations online for the P4, so obviously someone has figured out the pin out for those batteries. I'm hoping someone does the same for the I2 so that I can make my own charger and add auxiliary batteries.
Well, it worked!!!! Better than I expected as well. I have two different sets of batteries to try out. I have two 3S 4000mah LiHV batts wired in series (then parallel with the I2) and I have four 6S 1300mah LiHV batts. Neither of these situations are exactly ideal, but finding different sized batteries in LiHV is tough. Not too many manufacturers. I could have done the same thing as I did with the I1 and have a huge 6S 6600mah LiHV hanging off the back, but I don't want to hinder any of the I2 features with all of the vision sensors. Today was just a test. I'll spend some time to come up with a more elegant way of attaching the batteries now that I know this works.
First things first: I went 24 minutes, 13 seconds down to 10%. I added 4000mah extra to the I2 using two 4000mah 3S LiHV batts in series. This is with a steady 15mph wind with 21mph gusts the entire time.
My I2 was constantly hovering at an angle. I'd say I hovered for about 70% of the time and spent the other time flying around to feel the difference with the added weight. Not much changed in flight characteristics as the I2 is pretty powerful.
Here is how I did it.
I soldered leads onto the gold colored plugs that connect to the motors.
[URL='https://flic.kr/p/TnJbvX']
I wanted to be as minimally invasive as possible. I used my dremel to cut in channels on the plastic plug holder to fit in some 14 gauge wire.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/TmJwMm]
I then increased the size of the open hole on the bottom of the chassis with a 15/64" bit to easily fit the 14 gauge wire through. I think the hole is there to mess with the center screw jack. I don't know. I'll have to look it up sometime. I just know you can see the flathead screw to the center screw jack through that hole.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/TmJwSS]
Thread the wires through.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Tp7Cbv]
Kinda tight fit in the plastic housing for the motor plugs, but it worked. No stripped out screws.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Tp7C9g]
Finished product (for now).
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Sj2Esq]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/TmJwyq]
LoL. Look at that estimated flight time in the app! Speaking of the app, it didn't like the extra source of power. Kept saying my batteries were connected incorrectly, but clicking on the actual battery menu showed both batteries as per usual.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/TmJwjC]
Almost 6 minutes in and still at 82%. As you can see, the Inspire 2 still reads all important information on the DJI batteries regardless of the error on the main screen.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/TmJwaj]
Proof of the 24 minute flight.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/TmJwtW]
[/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url]
First things first: I went 24 minutes, 13 seconds down to 10%. I added 4000mah extra to the I2 using two 4000mah 3S LiHV batts in series. This is with a steady 15mph wind with 21mph gusts the entire time.
My I2 was constantly hovering at an angle. I'd say I hovered for about 70% of the time and spent the other time flying around to feel the difference with the added weight. Not much changed in flight characteristics as the I2 is pretty powerful.
Here is how I did it.
I soldered leads onto the gold colored plugs that connect to the motors.
[URL='https://flic.kr/p/TnJbvX']
I wanted to be as minimally invasive as possible. I used my dremel to cut in channels on the plastic plug holder to fit in some 14 gauge wire.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/TmJwMm]
I then increased the size of the open hole on the bottom of the chassis with a 15/64" bit to easily fit the 14 gauge wire through. I think the hole is there to mess with the center screw jack. I don't know. I'll have to look it up sometime. I just know you can see the flathead screw to the center screw jack through that hole.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/TmJwSS]
Thread the wires through.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Tp7Cbv]
Kinda tight fit in the plastic housing for the motor plugs, but it worked. No stripped out screws.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Tp7C9g]
Finished product (for now).
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Sj2Esq]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/TmJwyq]
LoL. Look at that estimated flight time in the app! Speaking of the app, it didn't like the extra source of power. Kept saying my batteries were connected incorrectly, but clicking on the actual battery menu showed both batteries as per usual.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/TmJwjC]
Almost 6 minutes in and still at 82%. As you can see, the Inspire 2 still reads all important information on the DJI batteries regardless of the error on the main screen.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/TmJwaj]
Proof of the 24 minute flight.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/TmJwtW]
[/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url]not cool starting a whole new thread elsewhere, not liking it at all.
Definitely not chasing info on 2 different threads. Played that silliness on RCGroups.
Definitely not chasing info on 2 different threads. Played that silliness on RCGroups.
Super Nick H! So I suppose splicing the wires outside and soldering on to them would have the same effect? So solder on all 4 wires. Or just 2...
Definitely try a bigger battery, like a 8000 or 10000 Multistar 6S. Always better to use one battery...
Definitely try a bigger battery, like a 8000 or 10000 Multistar 6S. Always better to use one battery...
Last edited:
Hi guys, i have been reading this thread with great interest, at one moment Damoncopter suggested the best battery combination;
"So far the best is TB48 + 2 x 2200mah 6S nano-techs.
It was about 55F during the test."
I am looking for max airtime and wondered if this is still the best combination?
I am flying an x5R
Could you please give me advise?
Kind regards
"So far the best is TB48 + 2 x 2200mah 6S nano-techs.
It was about 55F during the test."
I am looking for max airtime and wondered if this is still the best combination?
I am flying an x5R
Could you please give me advise?
Kind regards
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Damon is definitely on track. He is very knowledgeable in the battery mod world. I personally use dual 1850's but 2200's will work as well. Weight is a big issue you want to stay away from. Battery mods actually be detrimental and not helpful if done incorrectly or the wrong combos are used. Feel free to reach out to me personally if I can help with any info. My name is Ralph and I'm the owner of FlyHighUSA. 270-473-1409
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Still finding the best combo. Just a little more testing and I will be ready to release the info. The I2 is a different beast all together. A little more challenging to get perfect. I don't want to post the final until I'm 100 percent t sure it's solid. Will be soon. I'm in Texas this week at a DJI Expo testing the M210. Will be back on Friday.
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I meant more the way to connect the aux batts. Any progress on that. Best combo thereafter is a matter of try and error I guess.
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Fine tuning and testing that as well. I'm trying a couple different options to find the best solution.
Hey Nick, I am looking to charge the I2 batts without the need for a charge hub. I have the Battery-to-transmitter charge cable, but have not opened it up yet. I believe the outermost 2-pins on the I2's 12-pin battery connector are "communication" of some type, where the cable tells the battery to turn on -- and the Charge Hub tells the battery to accept power down the other + and - pins.
I was wondering if anyone has figured out the pinout for the I2 batteries yet and knows how to make an I2 battery accept a charge without the use of a charge hub.
Thanks all!
--Geoff
I have been experimenting with different battery configurations and have achieved the following with my Inspire 1 v1 with X3 camera. TB48 plus 2 Turnigy Bolt 1300mah 6s in parallel, 20 mins to 30%discharge. With just the TB48 I get 15 mins maximum to 30%.
I then tried 2 Turnigy 6s in parallel nano tech 1550 mah and got the approximately the same duration as the 1300. Obliviously the extra weight of the 1500s out wade the slight increase in capacity. I then tried 2 Turnigy nano tech 2200man (6s) in parallel, a lot heavier system and recorded 23 mins to 30%. What I really wanted was higher flight times with the X5 camera an 17 mm lens. This is where the 2200 really score. With the TB48 and the X5 12 mins to 30% was maximum. Fitted with the 2x2200 I recorded 20 mins, even though this configuration is on the heavy side. Have'nt weighed it yet but it must be at least 1kg over the weight of the basic inspire 1 with X3.
20 mins to 30% with the X5 and lens is fine for my needs, so the Turnigy 2x2200 nano tech is optimum.
Hopes this helps, I have not tried to squeeze longer flights by going down to 10% discharge, possibly could get 30 mins but I doubt it.
John Waddington
I then tried 2 Turnigy 6s in parallel nano tech 1550 mah and got the approximately the same duration as the 1300. Obliviously the extra weight of the 1500s out wade the slight increase in capacity. I then tried 2 Turnigy nano tech 2200man (6s) in parallel, a lot heavier system and recorded 23 mins to 30%. What I really wanted was higher flight times with the X5 camera an 17 mm lens. This is where the 2200 really score. With the TB48 and the X5 12 mins to 30% was maximum. Fitted with the 2x2200 I recorded 20 mins, even though this configuration is on the heavy side. Have'nt weighed it yet but it must be at least 1kg over the weight of the basic inspire 1 with X3.
20 mins to 30% with the X5 and lens is fine for my needs, so the Turnigy 2x2200 nano tech is optimum.
Hopes this helps, I have not tried to squeeze longer flights by going down to 10% discharge, possibly could get 30 mins but I doubt it.
John Waddington
Thanks John for the detailed explanation of what worked for you! It answers some questions that I haven't asked yet!!
John,
I can buy a Nano Tech 2200 6S Battery with all of the same specs you've shown above as your final choice but with 45-90C. From your experience how would that work with my TB48 Main Battery in my I1V2 with an X3 and/or Z3 Camera. Is the Discharge Rate of 45C too high to work with a much lower C TB48 Battery?
Thanks, Jim Larsen
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