AB Trimpac question at DVinfo.net

Gary Rogers · August 24th, 2010, 08:25 AM

Hi all.

I recently brought a Panasonic/Anton Bauer Supercam lifesaver intelligent logic charger with two Trimpac batteries. It was secondhand and stated as having one duff battery and one good battery.
The batteries will be used on my XL H1 with the QR-XLH adapter.
When I recieved the kit I put both batteries on charge and the good battery charged as I expected with the LCD going all the way upto full, so to speak.
When connected to the QR adapter the LCD on the battery went blank and has so far not shown any information at all. The camera powers fine and the battery is holding charge, although I haven't tried doing a discharge test yet to see how long it lasts.

1) I assume the battery should display as normal using this type of adapter? It would seem however the camera does not show a battery symbol in the viewfinder. Am I to assume the Canon batteries are intelligent and provide some kind of info that this adapter does not?

2) Has anyone ever encountered the LCD on Trimpac's going blank and just stop working?

I am sure this one battery is also warmer to touch than the one that doesn't hold charge!

Any help and advice would be great as these are the firs AB batteries I have ever owned.

Cheers
Gary

Christopher Glavan · August 24th, 2010, 09:52 AM

I can't speak to TrimPac batteries, but I bought a couple of Hytron 50s off the internet and one of them gives me weird readings sometimes. It doesn't go blank per se, but it will show full bars while on the charger and then show only three bars when connected to my camera. I still get 14V+ for the right amount of time, so I just chalk it up to used equipment being glitchy.

I also haven't done a full discharge test. If/when you do, please post the results!

HTH.

Don Bloom · August 24th, 2010, 11:25 AM

My Hytrons (especially my 100) used to go a bit quirky as far as the bars go. Most times it was fine but once in a while it would show less than a full charge even though it was. My Dionic90's worked fine.
As far as being warm I have to be honest and say I never noticed any of my ABs getting "warm" although I never really paid a lot of attention to that. Of course when a 90 or 100 or 120 watt battery is going full blast, powering the camera, a light and a wireless receiver it wouldn't surprise me if it ran a bit warm.
The other one sounds like it might be a bad/dead cell so it shows full charge when it really isn't and since 1 cell might not be working the other one might feel warmer since all the cells are working.
ABs can be recelled but I don't know if it would be cost effective.

Gary Rogers · August 24th, 2010, 12:30 PM

Hi
Thanks for the replys. Thing is the LCD is not showing anything at all and the battery is warm when not in use!!! Its as if the electronic circuitry inside has perhaps gone faulty and is warming up. I am doing a power test on it to see if the battery lasts as it should!
I will let you know what happens.

The perils of buying second hand!

August 24th, 2010, 08:25 AM	#1
Gary Rogers New Boot Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 7	AB Trimpac question Hi all. I recently brought a Panasonic/Anton Bauer Supercam lifesaver intelligent logic charger with two Trimpac batteries. It was secondhand and stated as having one duff battery and one good battery. The batteries will be used on my XL H1 with the QR-XLH adapter. When I recieved the kit I put both batteries on charge and the good battery charged as I expected with the LCD going all the way upto full, so to speak. When connected to the QR adapter the LCD on the battery went blank and has so far not shown any information at all. The camera powers fine and the battery is holding charge, although I haven't tried doing a discharge test yet to see how long it lasts. 1) I assume the battery should display as normal using this type of adapter? It would seem however the camera does not show a battery symbol in the viewfinder. Am I to assume the Canon batteries are intelligent and provide some kind of info that this adapter does not? 2) Has anyone ever encountered the LCD on Trimpac's going blank and just stop working? I am sure this one battery is also warmer to touch than the one that doesn't hold charge! Any help and advice would be great as these are the firs AB batteries I have ever owned. Cheers Gary

August 24th, 2010, 09:52 AM	#2
Christopher Glavan Major Player Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Redding, CA Posts: 260	I can't speak to TrimPac batteries, but I bought a couple of Hytron 50s off the internet and one of them gives me weird readings sometimes. It doesn't go blank per se, but it will show full bars while on the charger and then show only three bars when connected to my camera. I still get 14V+ for the right amount of time, so I just chalk it up to used equipment being glitchy. I also haven't done a full discharge test. If/when you do, please post the results! HTH. __________________ Reel Impressions Media - Make it more than a memory GY-HD100- 7D- PSC Promix 3- Lectro/Sennheiser- Zoom H4- MPB- CS6/CC

August 24th, 2010, 11:25 AM	#3
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	My Hytrons (especially my 100) used to go a bit quirky as far as the bars go. Most times it was fine but once in a while it would show less than a full charge even though it was. My Dionic90's worked fine. As far as being warm I have to be honest and say I never noticed any of my ABs getting "warm" although I never really paid a lot of attention to that. Of course when a 90 or 100 or 120 watt battery is going full blast, powering the camera, a light and a wireless receiver it wouldn't surprise me if it ran a bit warm. The other one sounds like it might be a bad/dead cell so it shows full charge when it really isn't and since 1 cell might not be working the other one might feel warmer since all the cells are working. ABs can be recelled but I don't know if it would be cost effective. __________________ What do I know? I'm just a video-O-grafer. Don

August 24th, 2010, 12:30 PM	#4
Gary Rogers New Boot Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 7	The Warming.... Hi Thanks for the replys. Thing is the LCD is not showing anything at all and the battery is warm when not in use!!! Its as if the electronic circuitry inside has perhaps gone faulty and is warming up. I am doing a power test on it to see if the battery lasts as it should! I will let you know what happens. The perils of buying second hand!