Batteries Losing Charge at DVinfo.net

Travis Cossel · September 12th, 2008, 10:50 AM

I upgraded to A1's from GL2's earlier this summer. With my GL2's, I could charge the camera batteries after shooting a wedding, and a month later they would still have a full charge. However, with my A1 batteries, I can charge them and by the next weekend they've lost charge and have to be recharged. Is this strange to anyone else?

Bill Watson · September 12th, 2008, 02:41 PM

Doesn't sound right to me.

I have two batteries for my A1.

One lasts me usually a month (I'm not filming long sequences) before it's half drained.

The spare (after being charged) has been in the bag for a month after charging and still shows as full when I fit it in the camera.

Travis Cossel · September 12th, 2008, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Watson

Doesn't sound right to me.

I have two batteries for my A1.

One lasts me usually a month (I'm not filming long sequences) before it's half drained.

The spare (after being charged) has been in the bag for a month after charging and still shows as full when I fit it in the camera.

That's odd then. I bought two A1's, and both of their batteries seem to do this. I also bought 2 larger batteries and they seem to do it as well.

Bill Pryor · September 12th, 2008, 03:44 PM

Both my batteries hold a charge for many weeks. I have one that's not been used for about a month and a half now and it's still fully charged. Both of mine are the standard size, not the bigger ones. You may have some defective batteries, or it could be the charger not charging them fully. The fact that both batteries are doing the same thing makes me suspect the charger.

Travis Cossel · September 12th, 2008, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Pryor

Both my batteries hold a charge for many weeks. I have one that's not been used for about a month and a half now and it's still fully charged. Both of mine are the standard size, not the bigger ones. You may have some defective batteries, or it could be the charger not charging them fully. The fact that both batteries are doing the same thing makes me suspect the charger.

Yeah, I actually have 4 batteries doing this, and I have 2 chargers. I did notice that the non-Canon batteries don't quite trigger the charging of the charger (if that makes sense). I have to place a rubberband around the battery/charger to get them to contact fully and thus charge. But the Canon batteries fit the charger perfectly. They certainly don't hold a full charge for weeks. I guess maybe I need to contact Canon.

Tripp Woelfel · September 12th, 2008, 06:21 PM

Just adding to the consensus. I've not had this problem. I have the stock Canon battery and the high capacity Impact brand. If I shoot a race on Saturday, I'll sink the Impact by about half. I recharge it Saturday night or Sunday and it's still topped up on the next Saturday's race.

As an aside, it used to take batteries a few charge cycles to get to their full capacity and capability. Don't know if this happens with L-ion but it was common Nimh and especially so with Ni-Cad. You might give it a half-dozen charge cycles to see if they come around.

Travis Cossel · September 12th, 2008, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tripp Woelfel

Just adding to the consensus. I've not had this problem. I have the stock Canon battery and the high capacity Impact brand. If I shoot a race on Saturday, I'll sink the Impact by about half. I recharge it Saturday night or Sunday and it's still topped up on the next Saturday's race.

As an aside, it used to take batteries a few charge cycles to get to their full capacity and capability. Don't know if this happens with L-ion but it was common Nimh and especially so with Ni-Cad. You might give it a half-dozen charge cycles to see if they come around.

Good thoughts. I've used/charged the batteries at least a dozen times now, so I don't think that's the issue, though. I wish it was. I'm using Impact brand as well.

Bill Watson · September 12th, 2008, 09:57 PM

Silly question this, but, maybe not.

Are you leaving the battery on charge until the orange light glows permanently?

Bill Grant · September 12th, 2008, 10:02 PM

I'll add to this by saying that the Canon batteries are hands down the best at length and holding a charge that I've ever worked with. They amaze me. I can go through a whole wedding without changing a battery. I just shot 2.5 hrs of High school football without even changing the battery meter. Unreal. There is definately something wring with your setup. Are you using the charger that came with the camera or another charger?
Bill

Travis Cossel · September 13th, 2008, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Watson

Silly question this, but, maybe not.

Are you leaving the battery on charge until the orange light glows permanently?

Yes. Thanks, though, sometimes it IS the simplest thing!

Travis Cossel · September 13th, 2008, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Grant

I'll add to this by saying that the Canon batteries are hands down the best at length and holding a charge that I've ever worked with. They amaze me. I can go through a whole wedding without changing a battery. I just shot 2.5 hrs of High school football without even changing the battery meter. Unreal. There is definately something wring with your setup. Are you using the charger that came with the camera or another charger?
Bill

Nope, I'm using the Canon charger. And during the wedding the batteries seem to work just fine. It's just that went I get back to the office and charge them fully, a week later they no longer have a full charge.

Alan Craig · September 14th, 2008, 06:52 AM

I am sure that I read somewhere in the manual that the internal battery that holds the memory is charged from the removable battery so if you keep your removable battery in the camera it wil be constantly keeping the memory battery charged hope this helps.

Reagards Alan

Ivan Mosny · September 14th, 2008, 10:03 AM

These are LiIon Cells in the Baterries. Directly after charging have they a little higher Voltage as some hours later. But the capacity ist still here.

Travis Cossel · September 26th, 2008, 12:29 PM

Just thought I'd give an update on this.

So it's been about 2 weeks since I last fully-charged my batteries, and they haven't been used since then. Today I put each of them on the charger and it took about 20-25 minutes for each of them to get back to a full-charge .. except the 4th battery .. which already showed a full charge for some odd reason. So the 2 Canon batteries took about 20 minutes and 1 of the 2 Impact batteries took about 25 minutes, whereas the other showed a full charge already.

September 12th, 2008, 10:50 AM	#1
Travis Cossel Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,933	Batteries Losing Charge I upgraded to A1's from GL2's earlier this summer. With my GL2's, I could charge the camera batteries after shooting a wedding, and a month later they would still have a full charge. However, with my A1 batteries, I can charge them and by the next weekend they've lost charge and have to be recharged. Is this strange to anyone else? __________________ Black Label Films www.blacklabelweddingfilms.com

September 12th, 2008, 10:02 PM	#9
Bill Grant Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Columbia,SC Posts: 806	I'll add to this by saying that the Canon batteries are hands down the best at length and holding a charge that I've ever worked with. They amaze me. I can go through a whole wedding without changing a battery. I just shot 2.5 hrs of High school football without even changing the battery meter. Unreal. There is definately something wring with your setup. Are you using the charger that came with the camera or another charger? Bill __________________ Cinema Couture www.cinemacouture.com

September 26th, 2008, 12:29 PM	#14
Travis Cossel Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,933	Just thought I'd give an update on this. So it's been about 2 weeks since I last fully-charged my batteries, and they haven't been used since then. Today I put each of them on the charger and it took about 20-25 minutes for each of them to get back to a full-charge .. except the 4th battery .. which already showed a full charge for some odd reason. So the 2 Canon batteries took about 20 minutes and 1 of the 2 Impact batteries took about 25 minutes, whereas the other showed a full charge already. __________________ Black Label Films www.blacklabelweddingfilms.com

September 12th, 2008, 02:41 PM	#2
Bill Watson Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Noosa Queensland Australia Posts: 248	Doesn't sound right to me. I have two batteries for my A1. One lasts me usually a month (I'm not filming long sequences) before it's half drained. The spare (after being charged) has been in the bag for a month after charging and still shows as full when I fit it in the camera.

September 12th, 2008, 03:44 PM	#4
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Both my batteries hold a charge for many weeks. I have one that's not been used for about a month and a half now and it's still fully charged. Both of mine are the standard size, not the bigger ones. You may have some defective batteries, or it could be the charger not charging them fully. The fact that both batteries are doing the same thing makes me suspect the charger.

September 12th, 2008, 06:21 PM	#6
Tripp Woelfel Trustee Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: North Conway, NH Posts: 1,745	Just adding to the consensus. I've not had this problem. I have the stock Canon battery and the high capacity Impact brand. If I shoot a race on Saturday, I'll sink the Impact by about half. I recharge it Saturday night or Sunday and it's still topped up on the next Saturday's race. As an aside, it used to take batteries a few charge cycles to get to their full capacity and capability. Don't know if this happens with L-ion but it was common Nimh and especially so with Ni-Cad. You might give it a half-dozen charge cycles to see if they come around.

September 12th, 2008, 09:57 PM	#8
Bill Watson Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Noosa Queensland Australia Posts: 248	Silly question this, but, maybe not. Are you leaving the battery on charge until the orange light glows permanently?

September 14th, 2008, 06:52 AM	#12
Alan Craig Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Warrington England Posts: 143	I am sure that I read somewhere in the manual that the internal battery that holds the memory is charged from the removable battery so if you keep your removable battery in the camera it wil be constantly keeping the memory battery charged hope this helps. Reagards Alan

September 14th, 2008, 10:03 AM	#13
Ivan Mosny Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Poland Posts: 141	These are LiIon Cells in the Baterries. Directly after charging have they a little higher Voltage as some hours later. But the capacity ist still here.