Need to charge multiple batteries in one go, take a look at the Smatree 3 Channel Charger for the DJI Phantom 3 range.
I’ve had my DJI Phantom 3 Professional since launch now and have slowly been getting more batteries and I’m currently up to four in total.
It’s very simple to just use the included charger to charge batteries and then switch batteries every 45-60 minutes, so whilst its not exactly a pain, you need to be home whilst the batteries are charging to be able to get all done in the allotted time. With LiPos, you can’t leave them charged for days though, so they generally want to be charged on the day of use or the night before at the earliest.
So what’s needed is a charger that will allow you to charge multiple batteries. There are a few options on the market but here I am reviewing the option I purchased, the Smatree’s DJI Phantom 3 Battery Charger.
So what’s so great about this charger, well first and foremost, it lets you charge multiple batteries without having to switch batteries over at the end of each charging cycle.
I actually have mine connected to a Wemo Switch which I am just using as a glorified timer plug I guess…but the nice thing is, if it I have a clear day the next day, I set the Wemo Plug to check the weather…if its going to be a nice day with no wind and not wet, then I set the plug to turn on the charge at 5am, then when I wake up all batteries are charged and ready to go….and I haven’t charged them for no reason. But if you wait till you wake up and check the weather, then you still have a few hours to wait before you are up and flying.
Don’t forget this can charge three items at once, and one of those can be the RC unit a well…cleverly Smatree have made one of the connectors a plug and play affair so you can choose what you want to use it for…so if just charging a battery, leave the plug connected. Or disconnect it and then charge the RC instead.
A point of note is that this charger doesn’t charge all batteries at the same time i.e. in parallel. It actually charges them in sequence, so its no quicker than charging three batteries individually like you would normally, you just don’t need to be on hand to switch each battery out in turn. This might be an issue if you are in a hurry, but as long as you are planning your flights well, this should allow you to get all of your batteries charged in good time.
Just like the original charger, there is no fan or bulky unit, just a power brick with the relevant cables, and after charging 3 batteries, there is not really much in the way of heat coming off of this thing, so you can feel comfortable leaving it on charge…just be safe and charge in a sensible well ventilated place…so don’t cover it up or chuck anything on top of it when its being used.
If you want to be able to charge all batteries at the same time, this is NOT the charger for you…but if you want to be able to charge 3 items safely and aren’t in a major hurry, then this will be perfect, Don’t forget even if you want to be able to turn around the batteries quickly, and use and charge, use and charge, they still need to be given time to cool down each time before charging anyway, so if you want to prolong the life of your LiPos I wouldn’t advise charging that quick anyway.
I love this product and it fits in my DJI Hardshell backpack as well…I expect to get years of use out of this…and if I get more batteries, I’ll just grab another one.
Final point…price….RRP puts it closer to DJI official charger but at the current price (which is close to what I paid) its a no brainer. Smatree are proving time and time again that they produce great quality products at a fantastic price point that just WORK….
Highly recommended from me
You can order it here from Amazon.co.uk
You can order it here from Amazon.com (USA)
Jonno's Reviews 