Hi All, I am looking for clarification on the charging specs (more than provided on the FAQ's page). Freefly takes no responsibility if the battery is charged using a non-Freefly charger.... Is there a Freefly charger available or recommended? The included USB to MCR cable used with a laptop USB port seems to charge rather slow. Can a separate wall wart charger be used, say an Apple Charger? What maximum current/amp rating is acceptable? Other recommendations appreciated. Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Hi Steve: You might want to check out FAQs #2, #4, and #5 on the FAQ Page. These go part way to answer your questions, but I don't know whether there is an FF-approved external charger. The 18650 Li-Ion batteries are pretty much industry standard. EDIT: I forgot to add that most USB ports limit the charging current to 0.5 Amps (USB 1.0 and 2.0), 0.9 Amps (USB 3.0), but dedicated chargers can often provide 1.5 Amps. Hope this helps. Andy Forensic Software & sUAV / Drone Analyst : Photographer : Videographer : Pilot (Portland, Oregon, USA): Trees=2, Ground=1, Props=11. The Ground Is The Limitâ„¢ ---------- Forensic Drone Analyst : Forensic sUAV Analyst : Forensic Unmanned Aircraft Analyst : Forensic Drone Expert
Yikes. I charged it with my 30W MacBook USB-C charger. Seems okay. Guess I'll stick to USB-A power from now on.
I'm not quite sure what current the USB-C charger would permit -- the charger at 30 watts might be able to provide 6 Amps, but there's no guarantee that the Movi would actually allow that much current. I infer that it charged the Movi much faster? Did the batteries glow cherry-red? (That's a really bad sign if they do! ) Cheers Andy Forensic Software & sUAV / Drone Analyst : Photographer : Videographer : Pilot (Portland, Oregon, USA): Trees=2, Ground=1, Props=11. The Ground Is The Limitâ„¢ ---------- Forensic Drone Analyst : Forensic sUAV Analyst : Forensic Unmanned Aircraft Analyst : Forensic Drone Expert
It seemed to charge at a normal speed. I checked the batteries and they never felt warmer than room temperature. I'm guessing that the charging circuit can regulate the power supplied quite well.
The MCR, or any USB charing device, will only draw as much amperage as it is designed for so charging it off a higher amperage charger won't cause any problems.