Help!!! Battery or charger problem?

[vinwin]

Hi,

I am using Canon 30D with original battery and charger. When I tired to charge both my batteries today. The charger indicator turns "steady" immediately after a few blink. Normally, this means the battery is fully charge but it's not the case.

Normally, the indicator on the battery charger for 30D start with a constant single blink when you first charge and follow by double blink when it's 50% charge and the triple blink when it's almost fully charge. Once the battery is fully charge, the indicator will stop blinking and lighted constantly.

I don't think my battery is being charge now coz I can't feel the heat on the battery as compare to normal situation.

One battery behave like this lately and occasionally and today both batteries are the same ....

Can someone tell me is this the battery problem or charger problem?

Thanks

[Dream Merchant]

Am using the original Canon charger since the days of 10D. Never had a batt, original or 3rd party ones from flat to just slightly used ever 'heat' up during or after charging. Sorry, probably not much help.

One way which some photographers use is to leave the batt plugged in the charger at least for an additional hour, if not more after the steady glow.

[AdyH]

Bro r u sure u actually used up both batt. If u are, then try cleaning e contacts of the battery. Normally tat's wat happens to me.

[tionghan]

i encountered this thing a few time lo.. dun worry... its the connection of the charger.. take out the battery and put it back again will do.. sometimes you gotta make sure the metal part in the charger is clean also..

[lennyl]

Originally Posted by vinwin I am using Canon 30D with original battery and charger. When I tired to charge both my batteries today. The charger indicator turns "steady" immediately after a few blink. Normally, this means the battery is fully charge but it's not the case.

I have this problem forever with my Canon charger and 3rd party batteries. When it happens, I remove the battery (without unplugging charger) and insert the battery. Sometimes it takes a couple of times before it would start charging normally.

Once or twice it wouldn't charge at all. I plugged the battery back into the camera and continued to use it until it depleted further. Then it charged fine.

[vinwin]

Mine are original battery and charger.

This is what I have done.

On the 1st battery :
I took out the battery. Press the connector of the charger a few times and put back the battery .... guess what ... it's charging ......

On the 2nd battery :

I insert the battery to the charger and tie a rubber band on it. Same results a few blink and become fully charge. I took out the battery. Press the connector of the charger a few times and put back the battery without the rubber band .... it's charging again ......

Does this sign shows that it's a charger problem?

[lennyl]

Originally Posted by vinwin Does this sign shows that it's a charger problem?

Not very conclusive.. can you find another charger to test with? Even then I'm not sure what it would tell you. The most important part is that you're aware of the problem and when recharging the batteries, take that extra few seconds to make sure they are recharging properly.

I've always wondered what the two extra terminals on the battery do. I actually dissected one battery to find out, but I wasn't able to get information on the ICs used on the PCB inside the battery.

I haven't had any recharging issues recentlt until I read this thread - then two of my batteries refused to recharge and I had to do the pop out / push in trick a few times to get them recharging.

Good luck.

[bartman]

Originally Posted by lennyl I've always wondered what the two extra terminals on the battery do. I actually dissected one battery to find out, but I wasn't able to get information on the ICs used on the PCB inside the battery. Good luck.

The ICs you found in the battery would most likely be a battery protection IC. It is used to protect lithium-ion batteries from damage due to overcharging, overdischarging, and
overcurrent. These ICs can be found in almost all consumer lithium-ion batteries (mobile phones, laptops etc). Over charging can lead to battery exploding.


As for the "Battery or charger problem", you can look for a friend to help you to test whether that battery that is not able to charge is chargeable in your friends battery charger. Do check your charger electrical contacts with the battery is not suffering from oxidation.
Check your battery electrical contacts for oxidation also.

[lennyl]

Originally Posted by bartman The ICs you found in the battery would most likely be a battery protection IC. It is used to protect lithium-ion batteries from damage due to overcharging, overdischarging, and overcurrent. These ICs can be found in almost all consumer lithium-ion batteries (mobile phones, laptops etc). Over charging can lead to battery exploding.

But what is the purpose of the two extra terminals, the two that are smaller in size? The charger has connectors to those terminals. I believe the camera and other 3rd part chargers do not. Those two terminals connect to the protection circuit, so presumably there is some kind of readout, and it could be what is preventing the batteries from being recharged.

[bartman]

Originally Posted by lennyl But what is the purpose of the two extra terminals, the two that are smaller in size? The charger has connectors to those terminals. I believe the camera and other 3rd part chargers do not. Those two terminals connect to the protection circuit, so presumably there is some kind of readout, and it could be what is preventing the batteries from being recharged.

No idea what are those 2 extra terminal for. One of them looks like a reserved connection while the other one is labeled "D".

Did you have any picture of the "dissected" battery PCB? Maybe you can post it here so that we can have a look.

[FilterFunk]

had this issue erm.. during mid 2007.. charging 0 to 100% in 10 secs?
after abt 14-15? mths of usage of the original batt, i tried using brand new 3rd party batteries to charge on the charger, didnt charge at all, concluded it is charger problem..

from what i recall from my trip at CSC, the service personnel says the battery has a lifespan on the average, 1.5 to 2 years, depending on usage..
also, i got the charger's contacts re-soldered FOC by the kind folks at CSC

however, how many charge / discharge cycles you subject the battery to also determines the lifespan of the battery..

[lennyl]

Originally Posted by bartman Did you have any picture of the "dissected" battery PCB? Maybe you can post it here so that we can have a look.

It's lying around somewhere. Let me try to look for it - I recall putting it somewhere safe, apparently it is safe from me. I'll PM you if I can find it.