Let us diagnose. Let us charge. Let Us Drone. You likely stumbled upon this blog post because your DJI Phantom 4 battery won't charge or you're receiving some kind of battery error. I'm going to walk you through the 11 most common problems with the Phantom 4 batteries, along with troubleshooting steps on how to fix them.
This post is applicable for owners of the P4, P4 Pro, P4 Advanced, and P4 Pro V2.0. The original P4 came with a 5350 mAh capacity battery, whereas the other three Phantom 4's (Pro, Advanced, Pro V2.10) came with a higher 5870 mAh capacity battery, but both batteries are compatible with each drone in the Phantom 4 series. Aside from the mAh capacity difference, the batteries are identical.
#1 Inconsistent firmware
You may get an “inconsistent firmware” notification in the DJI GO 4 app if the firmware on the battery needs to be updated. You will likely still be able to use the battery if the inconsistent firmware notification is present, but flight times may be drastically decreased.
There is no procedure to solely update the firmware on the battery as this process is completed by updating the aircraft firmware. Update the aircraft firmware using the DJI GO 4 app or by using DJI Assistant 2 and the inconsistent firmware notification should disappear.
If you own two different models from the Phantom 4 series and you use their batteries interchangeably, you will likely get an inconsistent firmware notification each time you switch a battery from the one drone to the other.
For example, if you take the battery that you were using in your Phantom 4 Pro and proceed to use it with your Phantom 4 Pro V2.0, you will probably get an inconsistent firmware notification. It's a hassle, but you will need to update the aircraft firmware to eradicate the notification. Either that or you can have batteries that you keep separate for each drone and you label them accordingly.
Related post: DJI Assistant 2 For Phantom 4 Pro: Setup & Walkthrough – Learn how to download DJI Assistant 2 onto your Mac or PC and how to use the software to refresh or update your aircraft firmware.
#2 Battery is in hibernation mode
If your batteries have been in storage for a few months, there is a good chance they have entered hibernation mode. It is very bad for LiPo batteries to be discharged to 0% as this greatly reduces their life so DJI drone batteries enter a hibernation mode to keep them from discharging completely.
If you attempt to charge a battery that has been sitting for a few months and none of the LED lights are illuminated when you plug in the battery, here are the steps to take to get the Phantom 4 battery out of hibernation mode.
- If you try to power on a battery that is in hibernation mode a solid red light will be displayed.
- Wait for the red light to go off (should take about 5 minutes) and proceed to plug in the battery. Let it sit while plugged in for a couple of hours and the battery should come out of hibernation mode.
It is recommended that you store the Phantom 4 batteries between 40%-65%. If you plan on storing the batteries for an extended period of time I highly recommend that you look into getting a charging hub which keeps the batteries at 50% at all times in storage mode.
Check out the Phantom 4 charging hub here at the DJI store.
Related post: DJI Drone Battery Maintenance and Tips – Here in this post, I walk you through everything you need to know about DJI's intelligent flight batteries; from how to store them, to what signs to look for if you suspect a battery may be bad, and much more!
#3 Temperature of the battery is too hot to charge
If the batteries have been sitting in the sun or you just removed them from the drone, there's a good chance that the battery will not charge until it has cooled down.
Alternatively, if you live in a place where it gets cold and the batteries are stored in a room that is not temperature regulated, the batteries may be too cold to charge.
The batteries will only charge when the temperature is between 5°C (41°F) and 40°C (104°F).
If you plug in the battery and the #4 LED is flashing twice per second, the charging temperature is too low.
If the #4 LED is blinking three times per second, the charging temperature is too high.
If the charging temperature is either too low or too high, place the battery in a room temperature environment until the battery either cools down or warms up.
Lastly, the charger will stop charging the battery if it's not within the operating range of 0°C – 40°C. Always charge the batteries in a room temperature environment. The batteries will commence charging again when they return to a range within the operating temperatures.
#4 High amperage detection
The battery will stop charging if an overcurrent is detected. When a high amperage (over 8 A) is detected, the battery will stop charging and the #2 LED will blink twice per second.
Unplug the battery from the charger and plug it back in to see if that amperage regulates. If high amperage continues to be a problem, try a different charger/outlet.
#5 Short circuit detection
The charger will stop charging the battery if a short circuit is detected. You will know that a short circuit is the cause of this if the #2 LED blinks three times per second.
Before attempting to charge the battery again, it is very important that you closely inspect the charger adapter and cord for fraying or exposed wires as this is what could have caused the short circuit.
If the charger and cord appear to be in good working order, unplug and plug in the battery to continue charging. If the short circuit persists, try a different charger/outlet.
#6 Over-discharge protection
When the battery voltage reaches 12 V, discharging automatically stops to prevent over-discharge. You may get a “battery overcurrent discharge” notification in the DJI GO 4 app while flying.
One of the most common instances where the over-current discharge warning will appear is if you are in Sport mode being aggressive with your stick movements.
If this warning appears, don't ignore it! There have been people that have lost their drones because of over-current discharge. It is recommended that you check to see if there is a firmware update available for the AC. If no update is available, refresh your current version and the error should be gone.
There have been people that have lost their drones because of over-current discharge
#7 Faulty or damaged charger
If your battery isn't charging it may be because of a bad charger. Closely inspect every part of the charger you are using for signs of loose wiring or other damage.
If you have another charger, try using it to see if the battery begins to charge. Try using a different battery if you only have the one charger to narrow down the problem, as a charger that charges one battery but not another would indicate that the problem lies with the battery, not the charger.
Check out the chargers I recommend for each drone here on my recommended gear page.
#8 Corroded or bent pins
There are pins on the charger and there are pins on the drone itself. If one of the pins is corroded or bent on the charger there is a good chance the battery will not charge at all.
If the battery charges just fine but acts funny when you insert it into the drone you should inspect the pins on the drone that insert into the battery.
#9 Loose connection
Have you ever had a charging port on your smartphone that charges intermittently because of a loose connection? The same problem can happen with your Phantom 4 battery.
When you plug the charger into the battery there should be a firm connection without anything feeling like it could wiggle loose at any moment. A loose connection between the charger and the battery could very well be the reason why your battery isn't charging.
Check to see if the battery fits more snuggly into another charger if you have one or try another battery with the same charger to identify the weak link.
If it's the charger that is bad, I'd recommend getting a new charger and using your current one as a backup (if it works at all). If it's the battery that has the loose connection, you're likely going to need to purchase another one as there isn't much you can do to fix the charging port on the battery.
Does your battery fit securely inside the drone? The two clips on the battery ensure that constant contact is made between the battery and the drone. If one of those clips gets bent or damaged you will likely have serious in-flight problems as a drone that loses battery power, even if just for a moment, will fall out of the sky.
A drone that loses battery power, even if just for a moment, will fall out of the sky.
#10 Non-DJI battery
There are knock-off products literally everywhere. I once bought a $500 knock-off Samsung phone on accident…ouch. For something as crucial as the battery, it's incredibly important that you don't risk using a battery that isn't made by DJI for your expensive Phantom 4 Pro.
A battery that isn't made by DJI can show its true colors in a variety of ways; from not charging correctly to battery errors while in-flight to losing battery life quicker than usual, it's just not worth it to use a knock-off DJI battery.
To ensure that you are buying an authentic DJI battery be sure to purchase it from the DJI online store, or from an authorized dealer which you can find on the DJI website here.
#11 Bad battery cell
A bad battery cell could cause some serious problems. Fortunately, we can check the health of each cell in the DJI GO 4 app. To check the battery cell health on your Phantom 4, open up the GO 4 app, go to settings > battery settings. The green bars should be very close across the four cells and the volts should be close to the same as well.
If you scroll to the bottom of the battery settings page you will see the option to display the voltage of the cell with the lowest volts on the main screen. It would be wise to have this enabled if you suspect that one of the four cells is bad as you can get a live reading of voltage as you fly.
Lastly, we have the option to assign “battery info” to either C1 or C2, which would allow you to quickly pull up the battery settings to get a quick look at what's going on with the battery.
Related post: DJI Controller C1 and C2 Button Customization – This post will walk you through the process of assigning shortcuts to the C1 and C2 buttons on your remote controller.
Is your battery under warranty?
If after troubleshooting the battery you determine that the battery is faulty, there is a chance that the battery is still under warranty.
Every Phantom 4 battery comes with a 6 month or 200 charge cycle limited warranty. If you crash the drone and there is physical damage to the battery then DJI will likely not replace your battery, even if the battery is less than 6 months old with a charge cycle of less than 200. Think “manufacturer defects” when you read “limited warranty”, which does not include user-inflicted damage.
Check to see how many times your Phantom 4 battery has been charged by opening the GO 4 app and going to settings > battery settings > advanced settings.
If you don't want to go through the process of packaging and sending your battery to DJI, I'd suggest returning the battery to the store you bought it from (if local, of course). Most stores have a good return policy if you have the receipt, which is my recommended method of returning the battery due to the hassle and time expense that accompanies any interaction with DJI.
FAQ
Check that the outlet that you are using works. Check to see if the charger you are using works to charge other batteries. Check to see if there is a battery error notification in the GO 4 app (if the battery has enough juice to power on). If the battery has been in storage for a few months it may be in hibernation mode. Refer to the post to find out how to get out of hibernation.
No.
Updating the aircraft firmware will also update the battery firmware. You can not solely update the firmware on the battery.
Only experienced professionals should disassemble the battery. Dealing with LiPo batteries can be a fire hazard and taking apart the battery will void your warranty.
There is a section of the manual that describes what the blinking lights mean.
You need to update the Phantom 4 firmware. This error often appears if you use a battery that you have used previously in a different drone.
DJI does not recommend it, but I have done this many times with no adverse effects.
Yes. Although smaller in mAh, you can use the P4 batteries in the P4 Pro, Advanced, and Pro V2.0, and vice versa.
4.
Under battery settings, you can see the cell health. You can also enable the voltage to be displayed on the main screen or assign “battery info” to either C1 or C2.
No. Although cheaper, risking the life of your $1,000 drone isn't worth the few bucks you'll save buying a knock-off battery.
Yes. LiPo batteries should never be completely depleted as this greatly reduces their life and you could damage one of the battery cells.
Trevor's Take
There you have it, 11 of the most common problems people encounter with their Phantom 4 batteries. Whether it be that you are unable to charge it or that there are errors while using it, there is a lot that goes into making these batteries “intelligent”, which means that there is also a lot that can go wrong. The battery in the old Nokia cell phones is to the 1967 Ford Mustang, as the battery in the Phantom 4 is to the Tesla Model 3. Advancements in technology have allowed for incredible leaps in efficiency and performance, but not without its fair share of frustrating errors.
What are some of the problems you've had with your Phantom 4 batteries?
Long shot here, but maybe you have some ideas you could shoot me. I just received my new Phantom 4 pro and a recent crash with my last one (firmware issue I believe to be the cause since it flew fine for over 2 years then crashed right after the update), but anyway. Right out of the box the battery would not charge on my old charging hub, even though all my other batteries still do. The LED goes yellow and even after sitting all night it stays yellow. The battery will not turn on and will not power up the drone. If I push the power button, the first bar will flash a few time and go off. If I remove the hub and plug directly into the battery, it will cycle from off to the first bar and power button every 5 or so seconds. I cant, (but wont anyway) do a firmware update. My old batteries in the new drone arent telling me I need one anyway. I still need to double check the contacts on the battery when I get home, but nothing stuck out as abnormal when I looked at it was night. Are there any ways to resolve this like pressing the power button three times while rubbing my chest and sticking out my tongue?
John,
I don’t see why pressing the power button three times while rubbing your chest and sticking out your tongue wouldn’t work 😉
Well, that sounds like a frustrating situation. I have a couple of questions that will help me better understand your situation.
1- The battery that isn’t working is the one that came with your new P4 Pro, correct? If so, did you get the P4 Pro as a replacement under a warranty or Care Refresh? I’m just trying to get an idea if the new P4 Pro is really “new”.
2- Is your charging made by DJI?
3- Have you tried charging that battery with any other chargers?
Trevor
Exact same symptoms here. 1 of 3 batteries stays solid yellow in the hub and alternates on/off about every 5 seconds when connected directly to the charger with 1st (4th?) green LED flashing about 15 times.
what happens when battery fw desired is lower fw than drone’s fw that can’t be downgraded?
Hi Curtis, thanks for the comment. I’m not sure I understand the question. Are you wanting to downgrade the battery firmware?
Trevor
Hi,
Drone battery won’t charge.. when “charging” starts first two lights flash 1-2-1-2-1-2-1-1-1-1-1-. Then they both stop.. Drone has been stationary since the summer.
No red light?? Any ideas?
Hi Phil,
Although the lights aren’t red as they usually are when coming out of hibernation mode, I’m inclined to think that your battery really was in hibernation mode. Although the lights turn off as you mentioned, I would leave the battery plugged in for an hour or two and see if anything happens. Do you have other batteries for the drone? If so, are they charging fine?
Trevor
I haven’t flown my Phantom 4 for about 6 months. The batteries seem to get fully charged as indicated by 4 solid green lights. When I try to power up the drone, all 4 lights are solid green, then the power button flashes green and then the battery just shuts down. The drone makes no sounds and I can not get it to connect to my computer with usb cable for any updates.
I would appreciate your help.
Thanks
Hi Daren,
I’m not sure what could be causing this. Were you ever able to get it powered on? Do you have other batteries for your P4 – if so, do they power up? Also, I would try powering up the battery when it’s inserted into the drone and again when it’s out of the drone and see if there’s a difference. I’m thinking that if the battery power’s up when it’s out of the drone, there could be a problem with the battery/drone contacts. Let me know what you discover!
Trevor
hey! first of all great tut.
didnt had the same issue but still u mights saved someone 180$.
my drone battery been sitting for long time now and when it finally was the time that i wanted to flew it the battery just died.
i didnt manage to find any tut that suit my situation so i gave up 6 month later came back with power to see what can i do and i found nothing i mean its like this unfixable problem hope you would help: drone showing no green lights or any other living proff.. do u have any idea what happend? tnx a head. nehoray
Hi Nehoray, thanks for the comment and feedback. It sounds like the battery is in hibernation mode. I know in the post that I mentioned a red light would appear if in hibernation mode, but I’ve heard of instances where no lights show up when you plug in a battery that’s in hibernation mode. I would try plugging it in and leaving it for a couple of hours. Let me know if that worked 👍🏻
Trevor
Hi,
My phantom 4 pro battery sometimes charges and sometimes not. I think due to inconsistent power supply as I live on a small island with only generator power. There are no problems with the battery, charger or drone pins and the charger works fine to charge the RC. When it does charge only the first two lights will flash, though it does charge to 100% and all four cells are healthy when I check them on the app. Only the first two lights light up when it is in the drone. I am nervous of flying it although I have no battery errors on the app. I hope to do a low altitude test flight today… Could it just be a problem with the lights themselves and the battery is fine or should I be concerned?
Thanks!
Hi Adrienne,
Thanks for the comment, and sorry for the delayed response! I haven’t heard of the issue you’re describing. When you insert the battery into the drone, will the battery show 100% in the flight app? I suppose the indicator lights could be bad on the battery, but I kind of doubt it. Also, if the battery is less than 6 months old with less than 200 charge cycles, it’s still under warranty.
I’m always a little leery to fly with a battery that shows any signs of possible malfunction…
Trevor
Hi Trevor,
Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, the battery is no longer under warranty. It has some problems charging, I need to push the button on the battery a few times and then it will finally start to charge. Only the first two lights become lit, but once they stop flashing and I put it in the drone it appears to be at 100% on the app and all four cells show normal voltage. I have flown it in this condition at low altitude, not over water, and fairly close so I can fly it by sight only if necessary. I am also nervous of flying it in this condition but wondered if there was something I could do to fix it. The firmware on both RC and drone appears to be up to date and so is the app, and I tried to update the no fly zones but had issues doing that (though possibly due to a poor internet connection).
I am open to suggestions, though I realise I may just need to buy a new battery 🙁
Thanks for your help.
Adrienne
My phantom 4 battery has 60% or so charge in it. It has one light flashing slowly and two other lights on solid along with the power button light on solid, when powered up. The problem I have is, it won’t charge and it won’t power up the drone. Everything is a few years old but my other battery is working fine and so is my charger working fine. All has been in storage for a long time, but the drone works well and the firmware is updated. Any ideas please? Can you buy parts for the battery? Thanks
Hi Joseph,
Hmm, I would try to try to do a deep battery discharge cycle, which would entail running the battery down to around 10% and then charging it back up. It’s my understanding that performing a deep battery discharge cycle re-initializes the battery’s software, which may work to fix your problem. I realize that it will be difficult running your battery from 60% to 10% if it won’t power up the drone, but maybe you could just leave the battery on for a while and power it off when there is only one light left. Then, try charging it up. I don’t know if this will work or not, but that’s the course of action I would take if it was my battery.
You could also upload some of that battery’s more recent flights to AirData UAV to see its trends and if there were any deviations with the battery. If there were major deviations, then you’d likely want to stop using that battery anyway as flying with a bad battery cell could be risky.
Hope this helps!
Trevor