how do you know if the battery is dead?

[wtm78]

A friend of mine bought a used camera through clubsnap. The previous owner says he had not used the camera for quite a while. He say he hasnt used the camera for some time so he didnt charge the battery, but there was a little bit of power left to try.

The 2 Original Canon BP-511 7.4V 1100mAh (Li-ion) batteries that comes with the camera does not seems to hold any charge. Also he gave her a New Canon CB-5L charger.

Both the batteries are place on the charger, the charger indicates charge complete within 30sec. The batteries were left to charge for another 5 & 7 hrs respectively. Both batteries is flat when used on the camera after the 5 & 7 hrs of charging.

I do not know if the charger is charging the batteries as the batteries are not warm even after 5-7 hours of charging. So i dont know its the charger, the batteries or the camera having problem. Anyone has experience?

Are the batteries are dead?

 

[rendition]

There... signs of malfuctioning lor. Quite obvious wat.

 

[Diavonex]

The battery life is limited. The battery capacity decrease little by little as you use it more and more.

When the battery operating time seems to be considerably shorten, the probable cause is the battery have reached the end of their life.

 

[Diavonex]

How to extend camera battery life:

http://www.ehow.com/how_2158365_extend-digital-cameras-battery-life.html

 

[sinned79]

That's why i never buy second hand battery... no point, cos u dun know how the previous owner 'abuses' the battery. And if the deal is too cheap (compared to new batteries), then something is wrong. If not too cheap, why not get brand new batteries?

 

[CS TAN]

A friend of mine bought a used camera through clubsnap. The previous owner says he had not used the camera for quite a while.

The 2 Canon BP-511 7.4V 1100mAh (Li-ion) batteries that comes with the camera does not seems to hold any charge.

Both the batteries are place on the charger, the charger indicates charge complete within 30sec. The batteries were left to charge for another 5 & 7 hrs respectively. Both batteries is flat when used on the camera after the 5 & 7 hrs of charging.

Are the batteries are dead?

Can it be the charger that is having problem? Your friend can try to borrow a known working BP-511 and see if the problem is with the batteries or the charger.

Just curious, your friend bought a 2nd hand camera with the batteries not holding charge, so how did he/she test the camera to be sure it is working in the first place?

 

[Stoppable]

Are the batteries 3rd party?
2 dying together hard to believe. If a photog has 2 batts, it would mean that he charges his batt less. I have a similar problem too. One of my batt takes 30 sec to charge and the other maybe 15min. My 40d is less than a year old. I am starting to suspect that it is the charger. I will have to observe a little to be sure.

 

[Diavonex]

Camera Ni-MH batteries normally do not last more than 1.5 to 2 years.

 

[wtm78]

Can it be the charger that is having problem? Your friend can try to borrow a known working BP-511 and see if the problem is with the batteries or the charger.

Just curious, your friend bought a 2nd hand camera with the batteries not holding charge, so how did he/she test the camera to be sure it is working in the first place?

the seller say he hasnt used the camera for some time so he didnt charge the battery.. there was a little bit of power left to try...

he gave her a new Canon CB-5L charger.. so i dont know its the charger, the batteries or the camera having problem.. anyone has experience?

Are the batteries 3rd party?
2 dying together hard to believe. If a photog has 2 batts, it would mean that he charges his batt less. I have a similar problem too. One of my batt takes 30 sec to charge and the other maybe 15min. My 40d is less than a year old. I am starting to suspect that it is the charger. I will have to observe a little to be sure.

it is both original Canon BP-511 7.4V 1100mAh (Li-ion) batteries..

 

[Xiao_shin]

When the charge drop very fast.

 

[catchlights]

Ion battery not suppose to let it deplete completely, should charge it every few months even if it not in used, it will not function well if leave the batteries unmaintained.

just google info on how to maintain Ion battery if you want to know more about it.

 

[calebk]

Camera Ni-MH batteries normally do not last more than 1.5 to 2 years.

BP-511As are not Ni-MH. They are Li-Ion cells.

 

[Diavonex]

BP-511As are not Ni-MH. They are Li-Ion cells.

Be it Ni-MH or Li-ION, they'll last about 1.5 to 2 years.

Don't expect too much from batteries from 2nd hand camera. Seller will normally keep the new battery if they sell camera.

 

[Limsgp]

most likely the battery cannot be used already, from what you described.

Li-Ion batteries, if left too long w/o use, will "disable" itself. There should be a safety circuit in the battery that will disable the battery if the voltage falls below a certain level, as charging such a battery can be very dangerous.

Since the battery is disabled, there is no charging and the battery will not get hot.

Also, depending on charger, if the battery is disabled, there is no current flowing thru the battery and there is no potential drop across the battery, so the charger may mistake that the battery already reached desired voltage and indicated "fully charged"

I do not know if the charger is charging the batteries as the batteries are not warm even after 5-7 hours of charging. So i dont know its the charger, the batteries or the camera having problem. Anyone has experience?

Are the batteries are dead?

 

[wtm78]

most likely the battery cannot be used already, from what you described.

Li-Ion batteries, if left too long w/o use, will "disable" itself. There should be a safety circuit in the battery that will disable the battery if the voltage falls below a certain level, as charging such a battery can be very dangerous.

Since the battery is disabled, there is no charging and the battery will not get hot.

Also, depending on charger, if the battery is disabled, there is no current flowing thru the battery and there is no potential drop across the battery, so the charger may mistake that the battery already reached desired voltage and indicated "fully charged"

so cheem one ah?? how come the batteries are so smart?? so i jus have to get a new battery? I called up Canon they say bring down everything to let them check. Do you think it is worth the effort?

 

[Limsgp]

if you don't find it a hassle and can bear with the transport cost.. no harm trying ya? but chances of recovering the battery is slim..

Li-Ion need to have those circuits.. because charging a fully discharged Li-Ion battery can be potentially explosive.

so cheem one ah?? how come the batteries are so smart?? so i jus have to get a new battery? I called up Canon they say bring down everything to let them check. Do you think it is worth the effort?

 

[wtm78]

if you don't find it a hassle and can bear with the transport cost.. no harm trying ya? but chances of recovering the battery is slim..

Li-Ion need to have those circuits.. because charging a fully discharged Li-Ion battery can be potentially explosive.

hmm... but there are still some power inside le... its not fully flat le...

 

[Edwin Francis]

so cheem one ah?? how come the batteries are so smart?? so i jus have to get a new battery? I called up Canon they say bring down everything to let them check. Do you think it is worth the effort?

Yes, bring it down. I bought a used 30d early last year and had the same issues. Fortunately I already had batteries and an old charger from my D60 (the dual battery charger). When I popped the batteries I got with the 30d in my old charger, they got properly charged. I never bothered to send the new charger in for repair -- one of these days...

 

[ninelives]

becareful with old rechargeable battery(older than 6 months) , it might explode if you charge it. i have experienced it before when i charged my gameboy, the explosion wasn't big, but there was a loud hissing sound(ike opening a can of coke)....quite scary...

 

[spartacus.ret]

so how do you guys dispose of old batteries?