Does anybody know where I can source 4x Movi Pro batteries ASAP? I'm in Southern California, most of the dealers on Freefly's site don't have products in stock, or the companies are out of business/have disconnected numbers. I would prefer to purchase but can rent if needed.
Might be worth contacting FF directly, Ryan -- under the circumstances they might sell direct (I'm not sure, but it's worth a try). Andy Forensic Software & sUAV / Drone Analyst : Photographer : Videographer : Pilot (Portland, Oregon, USA): Trees=2, Ground=1, Props=11. The Ground Is The Limit™ ---------- Forensic Drone Analyst : Forensic sUAV Analyst : Forensic Unmanned Aircraft Analyst : Forensic Drone Expert
Yeah - I contacted FF right away, first thing. Support was not helpful at all, told me I would need to order batteries if mine weren't working, which I did. I selected next day AM via UPS and asked support if they could make sure they went out today. I was told that they wouldn't guarantee when they would go out and that batteries only went out ground. Then they cancelled my order and told me to try their distributors. After calling all their distributors in California and a bunch of people on Sharegrid, I was able to find Cine Sauce in Phoenix (near where my shoot will be). Curt went out of his way to help me. If anyone is in the Phoenix area, I would highly recommend them. Now I need to find a reliable backup plan for Movi batteries failing without any warning. Looks like I'll be strongly considering that Ignite Digi AC Adapter.
I'm not sure what the FAA regulations are now for LiPo's being shipped -- I don't think they can go via air though. I ordered some for another aircraft and they had to come via UPS Ground. Out of curiosity, at what voltage/number of LEDs had you stored the batteries? I'm just curious as to whether they were "telegraphing" that they were not long for this world.... Andy Forensic Software & sUAV / Drone Analyst : Photographer : Videographer : Pilot (Portland, Oregon, USA): Trees=2, Ground=1, Props=11. The Ground Is The Limit™ ---------- Forensic Drone Analyst : Forensic sUAV Analyst : Forensic Unmanned Aircraft Analyst : Forensic Drone Expert
I charged all and used two of them last Monday with no issues. I only used two that day and those started the day at 100%. I never checked the other two. Then I went to charge all of them last night. One charged fine, the other three were slowly blinking between Red and Green. I looked at the forum and that seemed to indicate that the cells were balancing. Then this AM, they were still completely dead. I wasn't aware of the need to discharge them below 50% or to not store them on the Movi so I'm sure I caused the issue. It just seemed to happen without warning. I'll be sure to be more aware of battery levels when storing from now on.
Ouch. How frustrating. And just to be sure, do store them at around 50%, the so-called "storage voltage" is mid-way between fully charged and the minimum charge. Technically, the voltage per cell should be around 3.6 volts per cell -- which is mid-way between 4.2 volts (fully charged) and 3.0 volts (minimum voltage). Some chargers that have a "take to storage charge" will go to 3.8 volts -- and that's fine too. The MoVI battery is a 6S (six cell), hence the nominal voltage on the label of 22.2 (3.7 volts per cell). You're right not to leave the batts on the MoVI too -- that will drop the voltage down too low even if the MoVI is powered off. Hope that helps. Andy Forensic Software & sUAV / Drone Analyst : Photographer : Videographer : Pilot (Portland, Oregon, USA): Trees=2, Ground=1, Props=11. The Ground Is The Limit™ ---------- Forensic Drone Analyst : Forensic sUAV Analyst : Forensic Unmanned Aircraft Analyst : Forensic Drone Expert
I believe there needs to be some clarification and transparency, so as to help others when they need batteries, especially on such short notice as Ryan did when he contact us at Freefly, informing us that he needed the batteries " for tomorrow AM delivery" Please understand that Freefly has no control or influence over the laws and regulations set by IATA and DOT. The below information is clearly listed on the Freefly online store, when purchasing LiPo batteries. Due to IATA and DOT regulations, batteries must be placed on a separate order without additional items. Batteries cannot be shipped internationally via UPS. FedEx only. (While UPS and other shipping agencies do ship Lipo batteries & dangerous goods, Freefly only has a dangerous goods shipping contract with FedEx) Due to extra processing time at FedEx, shipping times are not guaranteed for hazardous goods. All shipping companies have to abide by the laws and regulations set by IATA and DOT, not just FedEx. This applies to all LiPo batteries, not just Freefly MoVI LiPo batteries. If anyone has any other questions or concerns, please contact us at support@freeflysystems.com