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A200 Battery Trouble

Started Nov 28, 2020 | Discussions
Hike Pics
Hike Pics Senior Member • Posts: 2,917
A200 Battery Trouble

I just charged one of the batteries for my A200 up to full. I checked the voltage and it's at 7.91 volts. When I power the camera up it shows an almost depleted battery icon. I get maybe 15 to 30 seconds and then it shows "Battery Exhausted" and shuts down. I have never had this issue before. I have another battery that is currently at 6.63 volts and, as you could figure, the camera won't even power on.

I have no idea what's going on. There's nothing odd in the battery compartment. I don't have a DC power supply to test that. I really don't want this to be my 2nd DiMAGE I've had to throw away this year!

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...Wes...

Konica Minolta DiMAGE A200
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neilt3
neilt3 Veteran Member • Posts: 3,008
Re: A200 Battery Trouble

When I get chance over the next few days I'll take a few readings off my batteries , both as they are when they've been sat for a while and what they are fully recharged .

They might not hold as much charge as what they used too , but it might give a clue as to if you've a battery issue or camera issue .

I think mine last half the time as they did new .

But still plenty of life in them to not need replacing , especially as I have quite a few spares.

One in my pocket gives me price of mind , though a charged up one's never ran out in a day .

Hopefully you just need a new battery .

 neilt3's gear list:neilt3's gear list
Minolta DiMAGE 7 Minolta DiMAGE 7Hi Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 Konica Minolta DiMAGE A2 Konica Minolta DiMAGE A200 +68 more
Hike Pics
OP Hike Pics Senior Member • Posts: 2,917
Re: A200 Battery Trouble

Thanks Neil, you help is very much appreciated. When I got the camera 2 years ago it came with 2 batteries. One is the original OEM battery (800mAh), the other is a no-name brand (700mAh).

It looks like I used the camera back in April last year. I charged the newer battery just a couple of weeks ago.

I would try resetting the camera but I doubt it would stay on long enough to do that.

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...Wes...

Hike Pics
OP Hike Pics Senior Member • Posts: 2,917
I Think The Problem Has Been Solved

I noticed yesterday that a new Kastar battery from Ebay ($6.50US) reads "Limited Voltage : 8.4v". This got me curious as to what the voltage is on my batteries right off the charger.

I charged and checked the OEM battery and it read 8.52v. I put it in the camera and powered it on. The battery icon wasn't displayed until I metered down. It showed the full battery indicator. I charged the no-name battery and got 8.08v right off the charger.

So, the batteries charge a little higher than what is indicated on the battery. I don't know if that is a common thing or not. However, I'm going with my intuition and getting 2 new batteries. I think the old ones are ready to be replaced.

Thanks again Neil for your offer to help but I think you don't need to bother unless you are curious.

By the way, I have another 7i on its way. I don't even know if it will work or not, but it is coming with the power adapter. I paid very little for the camera.

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...Wes...

neilt3
neilt3 Veteran Member • Posts: 3,008
Re: I Think The Problem Has Been Solved
1

I'm just checking the batteries now .

The last time I used the camera was at the end of August ( this year !) .

Both batteries would have been charged recently around that time , but have been sat since .

The spare battery still has a voltage of 8.08 volt .

The one in the camera reads 7.59 volt .

The cameras battery indicator shows half charged and I had taken 22 photos on it that day .

I've cycled the flash a few times and reviewed the images and taken a few more just now , but the camera is still happily working and still shows a half charge .

But I wouldn't trust it to get me far on a day out without being charged up first .

.

Both batteries are original Minolta ones , so are at least 14 years old as Sony took over the imaging side in 2006 .

The voltage rated on the battery is 7.4 volt , but all batteries have a stated voltage much lower than they really are if they still have a good charge .

Take a reading from a new AA disposable battery . It's more than the 1.5 volt on the label .

Think about your 12 volt car battery . Much less than 12.8 volt and you might struggle to start your car in a morning .

Your alternator charges it at around 13.5 volt minimum , some are about 14 volt .

.

If your camera battery shows 7.4 volt , it's flat as a pancake , the one that showed 6.63 volt must have a bad cell in it and needs to go in for recycling !

.

I'm charging them both up and will see what the freshly charged surface voltage is , and then what it is after 24 hours .

Realistically , I'm probably due some new batteries myself .

Mine don't last anywhere near as they used to when I got the camera ten or twelve  years back , and that was charging them up reasonably often . A rechargeable battery allowed to drain flat and left seriously damages it .

Likewise running a batter flat and not charging it again ASAP damages as well .

I think your new ones will solve your problem .

 neilt3's gear list:neilt3's gear list
Minolta DiMAGE 7 Minolta DiMAGE 7Hi Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 Konica Minolta DiMAGE A2 Konica Minolta DiMAGE A200 +68 more
neilt3
neilt3 Veteran Member • Posts: 3,008
Re: I Think The Problem Has Been Solved

The 6 volt mains adapter your getting with the Dimage 7 will also run your A200 .

On another plus note , the internal battery / capacitor in my A200 had died as this camera hadn't been used for a while ( I have several ) and changing batteries needed the date and settings to be reset each time .

After being in regular use again this year , the internal one has made a recovery and I can change batteries without having to reset the camera ! 

 neilt3's gear list:neilt3's gear list
Minolta DiMAGE 7 Minolta DiMAGE 7Hi Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 Konica Minolta DiMAGE A2 Konica Minolta DiMAGE A200 +68 more
Hike Pics
OP Hike Pics Senior Member • Posts: 2,917
Re: I Think The Problem Has Been Solved

Many, many thanks Neil. Good info here. I know about a car battery's voltage, I just didn't realize a camera Lithium battery would be the same. It will be interesting to see what the new batteries charge at.

Indecently, I just checked the voltage on the generic HL-400 battery for my A2, it reads 8.10v and I can't remember when I charged it last. It's a 7.2v 1400mAh. The A2 is showing a Full Battery icon. But, since I don't know how old this battery is I might as well get a new one while I'm at it.

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...Wes...

neilt3
neilt3 Veteran Member • Posts: 3,008
Re: I Think The Problem Has Been Solved

The battery that had been in the camera has charged fully .

It was left in the charger for an extra hour after the light went out as some chargers give a final charge in this time .

The voltage now reads 8.27 volt .

The meter on the camera shows it as full .

.

Oh and the internal battery hasn't recovered . If the batteries out for more than a few minutes I had to reset the camera .

Changing the battery takes just a few seconds , so hasn't been a problem .

.

I will update the voltage in the morning , and the spare battery .

.

Edit 2 ;

Battery No 2 .

Fully charged and left in the charger for an extra hour ; 8.2 volt .

 neilt3's gear list:neilt3's gear list
Minolta DiMAGE 7 Minolta DiMAGE 7Hi Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 Konica Minolta DiMAGE A2 Konica Minolta DiMAGE A200 +68 more
neilt3
neilt3 Veteran Member • Posts: 3,008
Re: I Think The Problem Has Been Solved

Hike Pics wrote:

Many, many thanks Neil. Good info here. I know about a car battery's voltage, I just didn't realize a camera Lithium battery would be the same. It will be interesting to see what the new batteries charge at.

Indecently, I just checked the voltage on the generic HL-400 battery for my A2, it reads 8.10v and I can't remember when I charged it last. It's a 7.2v 1400mAh. The A2 is showing a Full Battery icon. But, since I don't know how old this battery is I might as well get a new one while I'm at it.

The batteries for my A1 , a2 and Dynax 7d are also all original 14 year old+ Minolta batteries , so I've no idea how old they are , or the typical voltages of them , but they all hold a good charge .

So at least I know there good for a few more years .

Film or digital , when I go out with a camera I always have a spare battery with me anyway .

.

Regards battery voltage .

All batteries , including the coin type you put in a watch states a different voltage on it than the voltage actually in it .

I'm not sure what the stated voltage refers too , but it only seems to be about right when the battery is "dead" . Full batteries are always higher , regardless of chemistry .

 neilt3's gear list:neilt3's gear list
Minolta DiMAGE 7 Minolta DiMAGE 7Hi Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 Konica Minolta DiMAGE A2 Konica Minolta DiMAGE A200 +68 more
neilt3
neilt3 Veteran Member • Posts: 3,008
Re: I Think The Problem Has Been Solved

neilt3 wrote:

The battery that had been in the camera has charged fully .

It was left in the charger for an extra hour after the light went out as some chargers give a final charge in this time .

The voltage now reads 8.27 volt .

The meter on the camera shows it as full .

.

Oh and the internal battery hasn't recovered . If the batteries out for more than a few minutes I had to reset the camera .

Changing the battery takes just a few seconds , so hasn't been a problem .

.

I will update the voltage in the morning , and the spare battery .

.

Edit 2 ;

Battery No 2 .

Fully charged and left in the charger for an extra hour ; 8.2 volt .

After being sat since last night after charging , both batteries now read 8.17 volt .

So the surface charge should have gone as they have settled down .

These batteries don't hold the charge that they used too so I don't get anywhere near the shots out of them that I use too .

It would be interesting to know what the voltage is on your new batteries both after they've charged and a day later after standing .

 neilt3's gear list:neilt3's gear list
Minolta DiMAGE 7 Minolta DiMAGE 7Hi Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 Konica Minolta DiMAGE A2 Konica Minolta DiMAGE A200 +68 more
johnapp Regular Member • Posts: 423
Re: I Think The Problem Has Been Solved

Hike Pics wrote:

Many, many thanks Neil. Good info here. I know about a car battery's voltage, I just didn't realize a camera Lithium battery would be the same. It will be interesting to see what the new batteries charge at.

Indecently, I just checked the voltage on the generic HL-400 battery for my A2, it reads 8.10v and I can't remember when I charged it last. It's a 7.2v 1400mAh. The A2 is showing a Full Battery icon. But, since I don't know how old this battery is I might as well get a new one while I'm at it.  TRY cleaning your contacts

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