One main challenge with the DJI Goggles 2 for me had been its battery life. With the original design, you’re stuck with the relatively small Li-ion battery included in the package, which only gives you a rather limited 2 hours of operation per charge.
Well, here comes the solution! SpeedyBee recently unveiled their Goggles BEC, a small device that gives you the freedom to power the DJI Goggles 2 with a 3S, 4S, or even a 6S LiPo or Li-ion battery. This small voltage regulator drastically increases the flexibility and versatility of the DJI Goggles 2, ensuring your FPV adventures can last much, much longer.
Table of Contents
Where To Buy?
The SpeedyBee Goggles BEC is available through these vendors:
- Speedybee: https://oscarliang.com/product-1rm9
- AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DkCYsav
Please note, there are two options available based on the type of your DJI Goggles. If you have the Goggles 2 (G2), you’ll need a 4530 connector. On the other hand, if you’re using the Goggles V2, you’ll want the 5521 connector.
Left: G2 4530 Connector; Right: V2 5521 Connector
Specs and Features
The SpeedyBee Goggles BEC is a compact device, primarily designed to power the DJI FPV Goggles 2 and V2. But, this isn’t all it can do. It’s a multi-functional gadget, boasting several interesting features:
- Fast Charging USB Devices: The BEC supports the popular PD3 and QC4 protocols (and a few others)
- Voltage Checker: The BEC also acts as a voltage checker for your 3S to 6S LiPo batteries. If your battery’s voltage falls below a certain threshold, the LED on the BEC starts flashing as a warning sign.
The detailed specifications of the SpeedyBee Goggles BEC are as follows:
- Input Voltage: 3-6S
- Input Connector: XT60-Male
- Output Interface: USB-C
- Supported Fast Charging Protocol: PD3.0/QC4+/PPS/AFC/FCP/SCP/PE2.0/SFCP
- Fast Charging Max Power: 20W
- Cable length: 1.1m
- Dimension (Main Body): 21*21*72mm
- Weight: 25g
The device uses error codes to indicate potential issues:
- Er1: Short circuit, power off
- Er2: Overheated, power off
- Er3: Overheated
- Er4: Overvoltage, power off (>26V)
- Er5: Low power voltage, power off (<10.5V)
Additionally, it includes a low voltage warning with the screen blinking when the voltage drops to a certain level:
- 3S Lipo ≤11.1V
- 4S Lipo ≤14.8V
- 6S Lipo ≤22.2V
A Close Look at the Speedybee Goggles BEC
It’s equipped with a simple yet bright 3-digit LED display, designed to provide clear readings even under direct sunlight. This is especially helpful when you’re out flying on a bright day and need to check your voltage quickly.
There’s also a button that lets you toggle through various types of information displayed: the input voltage, the output voltage, and the output current. This simple feature lets you monitor the key parameters easily and in real-time.
The BEC features an XT60 input connector, which is the most common connector in LiPo batteries.
On the output side, you’ll find a USB-C connector.
The SpeedyBee Goggles BEC comes with a cable, which you can use to power the DJI Goggles 2 or Goggles V2.
Testing
Let’s move on to testing the SpeedyBee Goggles BEC.
I noticed that the input voltage reading seems to be 0.1-0.2V higher than the actual value reported by my multimeter and power supply (P200). For instance, with an input of 11.0V, the BEC would read between 11.1V and 11.2V. While this may not be a significant deviation, it’s worth noting for those concerned about precise measurements.
Similarly, the output voltage reading appeared to be 0.1V lower than the actual value. So, when the BEC displayed 9.0V, my multimeter showed 9.1V. Again, this is a minor difference and shouldn’t cause any real-world problems.
The device consistently output 9.11V, regardless of the input voltage (from 3S to 6S).
During testing, the BEC responded to variations in input voltage as follows:
- At 10.9V, a low voltage warning triggered, indicated by the flashing of the BEC LED.
- As voltage decreased to 10.3V and 10.1V, the BEC displayed an ER5 warning and eventually shut down. Restarting it only led to subsequent shutdowns.
- Between 12.9V and 14.7V, the BEC flashed its low voltage alarm, presuming a 4S battery source. If I reduced the supply to 12.8V and cycled the power, the device correctly identified a 3S source, stopping the flashing.
- In the range of 17.9V to 22.1V, the LED continued to flash. The BEC seems to disregard 5S batteries, defaulting any voltage higher than 4S to be from a 6S battery. This makes sense to me, as a 5S battery setup is pretty uncommon unless custom built.
- Even at 25.9V, which is higher than a fully charged 6S LiPo battery’s 25.2V, the BEC performed as expected, outputting 9.11V. However, at 26.0V, the device presented an ER4 warning before shutting down, presumably as a protective measure against overvoltage.
In my experience, the BEC held up well to various voltage levels and showed reasonable safety features. These tests showed the device to work as expected for the voltage range it’s designed for.
Powering the Goggles 2
Now, let’s discuss using the SpeedyBee BEC to power the DJI Goggles 2. It’s straightforward really, essentially plug-and-play. As soon as you connect the battery, the BEC starts to power the Goggles.
One thing I notice was a minor voltage drop when the goggles were switched on. The output voltage decreased from 9.1V to a range of 8.7V-8.8V. This voltage drop is due the goggles drawing current.
The goggles drew 0.72A at 9V, equating to a power consumption of 6.5W. The input power was 0.29A at 24V, corresponding to 6.97W. Based on these readings, the power efficiency of the BEC was approximately 93%, which, in my opinion, is quite good.
I originally have my stock battery installed in a 3D printed holder and strapped to the back of the headstrap. But with the BEC and a potentially larger battery, I’d probably have to put it in my pocket.
Powering the Goggles V2
Moving onto the DJI FPV V2 Goggles, these require a cable with 5521 connector, which you will get when selecting V2 goggles on the product page so make sure to keep that in mind.
Much like with the Goggles 2, the voltage output saw a slight drop from 9.1V down to a range between 8.8V – 8.9V due to the power demand of the goggles.
The Goggles V2 takes 2S to 6S input, so when it detects 9V, it will assume it’s a 3S (as it’s higher than 8.4V – the voltage of a fully charged 2S). And because with 9V, it’s below 3.5V for a 3S battery, it results in a red low voltage warning being displayed on screen. However, Speedybee assures users that this is to be expected and should not impact the overall performance and usage.
Room for Improvement
While the SpeedyBee Goggles BEC stands out as a promising solution to extending the battery life of our DJI Goggles, there are a few areas where I see potential for improvement.
Firstly, I’d love to see a built-in audible buzzer for voltage warnings. This would serve as a convenient, immediate alert for users. Of course, there should be an option to disable this in the settings, as per the user’s preference.
Secondly, I would welcome the ability to calibrate voltage readings. This feature could further enhance the precision of the device.
Lastly, considering the input side of the device, adding an XT30 connector could enhance the versatility of the BEC. This would broaden the range of batteries compatible with the device, thereby making it more accessible and flexible for different setups.
Does It Work with the Integra?
Unfortunately it does not according to the specs. The DJI Goggles Integra takes 5.6V – 8.4V, while this BEC outputs slightly over 9V.
Conclusion
If you are a DJI Goggles 2 owner, and you are not happy with the short operation time provided by the stock battery, the SpeedyBee Goggles BEC might be a compelling addition to your toolkit. It allows you to use any 3S, 4S, or 6S batteries with larger capacities than the stock DJI battery to power your DJI DJI Goggles 2, effectively addresses power limitations.
For those using DJI Goggles V2, though, the SpeedyBee BEC might not be as meaningful. The V2 can already draw power directly from any 4S or 6S battery without the need for an additional device.
21 comments
do you think this product can power the goggles 2 ?
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004150068091.html
Without testing I can’t be certain. I’d probably get the Speedybee, I’ve been using it and it works well so far. Price difference is negligible.
Hi, does this only do step down, or can we use it with a 2S lion pack also ?
It says in the Specs, only support 3S to 6S batteries.
I am a novice on batteries for Goggles 2. What is the length of usage time for the various batteries? Which batteries can I order? I would like 4 hours or more of usage. Is that possible?
Sure, using this BEC, to get 4 hours of usage, one of these batteries should work:
4S 2000mAh (or bigger)
6S 1400mAh (or bigger)
You can use either LiPo or Li-ion battery, C rating doesn’t matter.
Thank you for your reply. When you say “4s 2000mAh” what does “or bigger”mean? What would be the longest lasting battery and do you have a brand recommendation? Can I purchase from you?
By longest lasting, I mean longest run time. For example, I want to run my Goggles 2 for 6-8 hours without recharging. What battery do I use? Finally, which of your battery chargers do I use?
Something like this would work great: https://oscarliang.com/product-l8h0
This should give you more than 6 hours of run time, possibly more.
Thank you
is there any diy solution for G2 ? matek 9v bec and cable maybe.. will this work ?
how long is the g2 power cable
about 1.1 meter
also works on Integra ? It should, I expect
Unfortunately it does not according to the specs. The Integra is rated up to 8.4V only. This BEC outputs 9V.
Nice detailed review. Wouldn’t expect anything less from you. Thanks for all the great content Oscar! Would a 9.9v life battery be a good option for the stock battery? I have a few lying around and would just need the connector.
Thanks man. The goggles 2 is rated for 7V to 9V, so 9.9V is probably a bit too much for it.
I tried it at with a half charged 3s life battery at 9.5V and the goggles displayed a red voltage warning of 9.5V.
Will this work also on Googles v2?
Could this also be used to power Fatsharks?
If your fatshark supports 9.1V, then yes.