Howto: Avoid D7 Ni-MH battery problems

[Geir Ove]

Hello.

Have read about people having problems with D7 batteries. Here's a tip:

Batteries (also Ni-MH) are seldom "matched", that means that when the camera dies due to low batteries, only one of the batteries may be discharged. I bought two sets of new 1600maH Ni-MH sets for my D7, and have experineced this for both sets.

The best way to get around this problem, is to use a charger that can recondition the batteries using a discharge / charge cycle. The charger shoud also treat each battery individually, and have a light indicating discharge / fast-charge / trickle charge for EACH battery. The Vanson V-1969 (approx $80) is such a charger. Modell Hobby stores carrying equipment for Electrical Flight & Electric cars has good chargers in this category.

Use the battery in the camera. Discharge / charge them when empty. Repeat the cycle. The "bad" batteries in the set then gets better, and finally all batteries in the set will hold aprox. the same energy. Finally, when you start a discharge / charge cycle, the batteries will start charging at approx. the same time; the batteries are now in good shape!

Using this method, I do get GOOD battery life on the D7: It is battery-hungry: This makes it even more important that the batteries are in GOOD condition.

Geir Ove

 

[Leo Terminello]

Would you please tell me were I can purchase the charger? Thanks!
Leo in Miami

 

[Tau]

Correct, Geir.
I wonder how long it takes to have the cells fully charged ready for use?

I use a ANNMAN charger wich does the same, but I havent tried this yet, as I have the D7 too short...
Jake.

Hello.

Have read about people having problems with D7 batteries. Here's a
tip:

Batteries (also Ni-MH) are seldom "matched", that means that when
the camera dies due to low batteries, only one of the batteries may
be discharged. I bought two sets of new 1600maH Ni-MH sets for my
D7, and have experineced this for both sets.

The best way to get around this problem, is to use a charger that
can recondition the batteries using a discharge / charge cycle. The
charger shoud also treat each battery individually, and have a
light indicating discharge / fast-charge / trickle charge for EACH
battery. The Vanson V-1969 (approx $80) is such a charger. Modell
Hobby stores carrying equipment for Electrical Flight & Electric
cars has good chargers in this category.

Use the battery in the camera. Discharge / charge them when empty.
Repeat the cycle. The "bad" batteries in the set then gets better,
and finally all batteries in the set will hold aprox. the same
energy. Finally, when you start a discharge / charge cycle, the
batteries will start charging at approx. the same time; the
batteries are now in good shape!

Using this method, I do get GOOD battery life on the D7: It is
battery-hungry: This makes it even more important that the
batteries are in GOOD condition.

Geir Ove

 

[rstock]

Very good tips,, thats something that would be overlooked very easily but makes a big difference in the performance of the camera,,

thanks
rs

Hello.

Have read about people having problems with D7 batteries. Here's a
tip:

Batteries (also Ni-MH) are seldom "matched", that means that when
the camera dies due to low batteries, only one of the batteries may
be discharged. I bought two sets of new 1600maH Ni-MH sets for my
D7, and have experineced this for both sets.

The best way to get around this problem, is to use a charger that
can recondition the batteries using a discharge / charge cycle. The
charger shoud also treat each battery individually, and have a
light indicating discharge / fast-charge / trickle charge for EACH
battery. The Vanson V-1969 (approx $80) is such a charger. Modell
Hobby stores carrying equipment for Electrical Flight & Electric
cars has good chargers in this category.

Use the battery in the camera. Discharge / charge them when empty.
Repeat the cycle. The "bad" batteries in the set then gets better,
and finally all batteries in the set will hold aprox. the same
energy. Finally, when you start a discharge / charge cycle, the
batteries will start charging at approx. the same time; the
batteries are now in good shape!

Using this method, I do get GOOD battery life on the D7: It is
battery-hungry: This makes it even more important that the
batteries are in GOOD condition.

Geir Ove

 

[Geir Ove]

I am sorry, I don't know! I bought it in Norway, but are ubable to find it again. You should look in Germany (on the web), since I think it is a German product. Not any name of the manufacturer on the product, and of course I am currently unable to find the manual for it!

Geir Ove

 

[Geir Ove]

Hello,

I finally found a site that describes what seems to be a newer model of the Vanson charger

Look here: http://www.longcom.ie/accessories/nicd.asp

I will update this information as I find more.

Geir Ove

 

[Geir Ove]

Hello,

I finally found the home page of Vanson:

http://www.vanson.com.hk/index.html

Several NI-MH chargers here:
http://www.vanson.com.hk/cgi-bin/ngen_plist.pl?CAT_NAME=Ni%2dCD%20%26%20Ni%2dMH%

The charger described here, has charge / discharge function with Individual programming of each channel (read: battery)

 

[Geir Ove]

Ooops, one of the links in my previous posting should be even longer:

http://www.vanson.com.hk/cgi-bin/ngen_plist.pl?CAT_NAME=Ni%2dCD%20%26%20Ni%2dMH%20Battery%20Charger%0a&GROUP_NO=1&PAGES=2&SHOWPAGE=1&LINKCODE=P000199911120988&LANG=

 

[Leo Terminello]

Hi Geir
I fouund that radio shack has what appears to be the charger you describe.

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F001%5F004%5F004%5F020&product%5Fid=940%2D0974

The charger is not in their stores. I ordered one. They have ONE left. It was 69.00.
Leo

 

[donde]

Hello,

I finally found a site that describes what seems to be a newer
model of the Vanson charger

Look here: http://www.longcom.ie/accessories/nicd.asp

I will update this information as I find more.

Geir Ove

Check out the MAHA charger/reconditioner and the GP1800mAH NiMH batteries @ http://www.thomas-distributing.com - Steve's Camera recommended honest dealer.

Don

 

[Tom Crowning]

http://www.varta.com/eng/navigation/index.html?content=products/shp-products.html

Applications-> Chargers, than select the type '6' Multi comfort charger. Costs about $30. I highly recommend this one.
tc

Hello,> > I finally found a site that describes what seems to be a newer> model of the Vanson charger> > Look here: http://www.longcom.ie/accessories/nicd.asp > > I will update this information as I find more.> > > Geir Ove

 

[daho]

Here you find nice chargers. I use the Powerline 4, this is a very good (and small) charger

http://www.ansmann.de/eansmann.html

Input 110-240 V, with an adapter you can use it worldwide!

 

[Geir Ove]

Thanks a lot!

I even found a Distributor for their chargers in Norway:

(For Norwegian readers

Salespartner for:
Consumer + Industrial products

GYLLING TEKNIKK AS
Rudssletta 91 / Box 91
1351 RUD / Norway

fon: +47 / 6 / 715 14 00
fax: +47 / 6 / 713 87 85

E-Mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.gylling.no

 

[Steve54087]

My current 1300 batteries and cheap charge are not cutting it.

Where can I purchase the Varson charger in the US?

Hello,> > I finally found the home page of Vanson:> > http://www.vanson.com.hk/index.html > > Several NI-MH chargers here:> http://www.vanson.com.hk/cgi-bin/ngen_plist.pl?CAT_NAME=Ni%2dCD%20%26%20Ni%2dMH > > > The charger described here, has charge / discharge function with> Individual programming of each channel (read: battery)> >



> >

 

[Leo Terminello]

check my posting above

 

[Dirk52101]

I'm using the "Ansmann Powerline4" which is an microcontrolled "highspeed" charger and it works perfect - a set of 1800 mAh takes about 3 hours or so if used in an 220V system.

Plus: the charger is available in an "international" version (which goes for the same price in many stores) with several plugs to use all over the world without the need of additional carry on adapters.

To me the best solution so far if you are traveling often with the camera. Ansmann is also a very seasoned producer of chargers - you can find them online at http://www.ansmann.de/

Yours
Dirk

 

[Will Smith46135]

I've been looking around for good nimh batteries, even though I probably won't have the D7 or any camera for several months sigh .

Anyway here are some links which may be useful:

For impressive looking chargers: http://www.tantronics.co.uk//acatalog/Tantronics_NiCd_NiMH_Battery_Chargers_10.html

And batteries from the same people:
http://www.tantronics.co.uk//acatalog/Tantronics_Rechargeable_Batteries_28.html

Both these two seem averagely priced. Similar to: http://www.buyacamera.co.uk/digaccess.html except this charger does not look so good as the tantronics one.

If you want 1800mAh then: http://www.internetcamerasdirect.co.uk/acatalog/icd_batteries__chargers_and_mains_adapters_172.html seem quite well priced.

I have no links with any of these cameras, and am merely trying to be helpful.

Will

 

[Jonas]

And in Sweden (and in many other contries)
they are sold by http://www.elfa.se

The page is availible in English as well.

I called the swedish distributor of Powerline 4 and they explaine to me that 1300 and 1600 batteries often where better than 1800 batteries due to inner resistance. (That only applies to powerhungry digital cameras...)

Jonas

Thanks a lot!

I even found a Distributor for their chargers in Norway:

(For Norwegian readers

Salespartner for:
Consumer + Industrial products

GYLLING TEKNIKK AS
Rudssletta 91 / Box 91
1351 RUD / Norway

fon: +47 / 6 / 715 14 00
fax: +47 / 6 / 713 87 85

E-Mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.gylling.no

 

[Geir Ove]

Hello,

Here I am sitting at an Internet Cafe in Stockholm: One week of my holiday using the D7 has passed. Has discovered some very interesting** things about Ni-Mh batteries and chargers:

I have 4 sets of batteries: 2 sets of 1300maH 3 years old "oly" batteries. And 2 sets of 1600 mah "Hanhel" batteries.

In my earlier postings, I talked about how the Vanson V-1969 was a "better than average" charger. Well, I have discovered a charger that outperforms it: I bought a $50 charger at "Clas Ohlson" ( http://www.clasohlson.se/ ) in Stockholm: The charger is "brand-less", but I will try to find out who has manufactured it.

What's great with this charger? Well, I had sorted out 4 batteries from my old "oly" 1300mah batteries that the Vanson would not charge anymore. I charged these batteries in the new charger; Guess what? They came out almost as good as new!

Whath the charger does:

It runs a discharge / charge cycle, treats each battery independently, and evens out** the voltage between the cells. It then starts a "soft-charge", then switches to "fast" charge (up to 85%), then to "top off" charge. In all stages, it makes sure the batteries voltage are the same.

The charger also uses a "negative pulse" when charges: It reverses polarity for short intervals to avoid "crystalization" effects that distroys the batteries.

After starting to use this charger, I am running on 1 set batteries throughout a full day of shooting (typically 50 shots), lots of editing, deleting, reviewing, zooming.

Would be nice if Phil could get his hands on one of these chargers and test it.

As I said before; when power consumption increases, battery handling becomes much more critical!

Here is a link showing how the charger looks like:

http://www.clasohlson.se/shop/store/main.asp?CatPath=Eq0q112q117q615&CampPath=Eq0&SelectedWAG=4655&IsCampaign=N&NoCache=8%2F9%2F01+5%3A48%3A40+PM#q4655

More postings later when I find a pc, or when I get back from my holiday in 2 weeks!

Geir Ove

 

[Alois53078]

Hello,

I read on a germany website that an oil film causes the batterie problem by earlier Dimage modells. Erasing this oil film on the batterie holder clips will stop this and you are able to shot more pictures!!!

But no garanty on this message

Sorry about my english!!!

Kind regards

Alois