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External batteries

S

simon_711

New Member
Just wanted to throw a subject out to everyone about batteries. On my previous camera (an old Olympus e10) I was using batteries at an alarming rate and im my search for a solution I came across the Digipower DPS-9000S. This solved my problems, I could take about 150 flash photos with the built in flash before I had to recharge. So lastnight I tried it on my sd10 and it works like a champ. It plugs into the external power plug and is auto setting for voltage. I will update as I try it out with this camera, not knowing yet how power hungry it is.

http://www.digipowersolutions.com/store/product_info.php/cPath/3/products_id/405
 
What great timing! Thank you for posting this information.

My SD-14 is eating up batteries at a fast rate also. I don't know if the batteries are just not holding a charge, or what. However, the original battery that came with the camera is not performing well either. Unless...maybe there is something going on with the SD-14 that needs to be fixed. It's disappointing to have to change and charge batteries after only about 1 hour of use.:angry: Luckily, I have four batteries so that I can keep on shooting -- but not all that long, darn it.
 
Hi Laurence,

Sorry to hear about your experience with the battery life. Do you think the charger is topping off the cells completely?

My SD14 came with the Sigma BP21 and it works well. I would say it gets more than 250 shots per charge. I purchased an SD kit and the vendor supplied a spare battery CTA Minolta DB-NP-400 1500mAh. Its first charge produced about 50-60 exposures. During the first ten days, the performance only got worse. Down to less than 20 exposures. The vendor replaced the battery with same model and the performance is better.

During the time that I tried to condition the battery, I purchased two more. Type Lenmar DLM400 1600 mAh. Both started with about 50 exposures first charge cycle and then conditioned with several charges. They get more than 250 exposures per charge and have a very slow self discharge rate.

I have not done a very precise performance study between the three different types of batteries. However, it does seem like I change the DB-NP-400 more frequently than the others. All four batteries are about 4 months old.

The characteristic of the battery that failed: the performance degraded over a period of 10 days. By the end of the first two weeks, going straight from the charger to camera, by the 4th shot the battery icon was already blinking. I was prompt to notify the vendor and they replaced it without hassle, but would not drop ship the replacement, until they received the defective unit.

If you have a multi-meter, it would be possible to check the voltage of the cells after a complete charge cycle. Are all the batteries the same? Or is one the sigma and the other three different?

I hope you find some of this helpful. It does not sound like normal operation what you describe.

Good luck with your camera and pictures,

Robert
 
Well,...

the PG21 battery grip might be a good idea to those who find the SD better to hold in hands making use of it.

Energy supply is not much of a problem using a single standard NP-400 accumulator in cam.

Full capacity is always available after recharging it several times.... so no panic if it runs flat quickly when it is new.:rolleyes:

See you with nice pictures

Klaus
 
Wow! THANKS Jesito, and THANKS Uwe! And THANKS Klaus! It's great to have others' knowledge about these things.

Oh...and Jesito, I wanted to let you know that the procedure you sent me to disassemble the aperture lever on the Pentax mount, so that it won't protude into the SD-14 IR dust shield, worked great! I love that I haven't degraded the mount, and that it's reversible!

You guys, I'm today in the process of discharging all my batteries (original Sigma and 4 BP-400s), using the slideshow feature on the SD-14. I will then number them and do some comparisons after charging them all up. I need to weed out the differences to see if any of them are still strong.

Thanks again!
 
User tips

Laurence

You might find something useful here:
http://www.foto.nordjylland.biz/SD14/SD-usertips.htm

laurence said:
Wow! THANKS Jesito, and THANKS Uwe! And THANKS Klaus! It's great to have others' knowledge about these things.

Oh...and Jesito, I wanted to let you know that the procedure you sent me to disassemble the aperture lever on the Pentax mount, so that it won't protude into the SD-14 IR dust shield, worked great! I love that I haven't degraded the mount, and that it's reversible!

You guys, I'm today in the process of discharging all my batteries (original Sigma and 4 BP-400s), using the slideshow feature on the SD-14. I will then number them and do some comparisons after charging them all up. I need to weed out the differences to see if any of them are still strong.

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

Be prepared to charge them each several times.
Li-ion should not actually need to be seasoned, but it might be some cell-alignment.
Good that you use the slide show to empty them, just shorting the connectors is not good for the battery.
Also, never leave batteries discharged for longer periods, as they leak a little, and it is critical if they go below a certain treshhold.

My single battery (Sigma BP-21) has lasted for nearly two years now, and 16.000+ shots. At best I got 400 RAWs in one charge, still I get several houndreds.

Kind regards
Øyvind Strøm
 
OyvindS said:
Laurence

You might find something useful here:
http://www.foto.nordjylland.biz/SD14/SD-usertips.htm



Be prepared to charge them each several times.
Li-ion should not actually need to be seasoned, but it might be some cell-alignment.
Good that you use the slide show to empty them, just shorting the connectors is not good for the battery.
Also, never leave batteries discharged for longer periods, as they leak a little, and it is critical if they go below a certain treshhold.

My single battery (Sigma BP-21) has lasted for nearly two years now, and 16.000+ shots. At best I got 400 RAWs in one charge, still I get several houndreds.

Kind regards
Øyvind Strøm
Click to expand...

THANKS Oyvind! I already have them marked to charge and discharge three times, just to be sure.

And, I do know that one of the BP-400 / BP-21 was sitting in the camera case for about 4 or 5 months. That would certainly explain it - I got about 50 shots out of it, perhaps 45 minutes of shooting time.

Yes, using the slideshow is the way to go. I wouldn't even want to attempt a "fast short" on the batteries to drain them.

Excellent information, and I appreciate it.

Laurence (Larry)
 
Hello Laurence,

Li-Ion chemistry does not require any initial charge-discharge cycles for full capacity conditioning.

If you are are having short discharge cycles...i would suggest checking the battery with a multimeter for full charge voltage and voltage when discharging at 0.7C , roughly equal to 1A with the 1500mAh battery. And you can please share that data here as it will be useful for me to study them when going about the same with my set of batteries! (I think your battery cycle life is nearing its end...probably old batch...BUT only proper tests can give accurate understanding!)

Interesting to read this post as just today i finished designing and procuring components for a portable Li-Ion battery charger! (Going on a trekking expedition next week which will keep me away from human habitation and technology for over two weeks in sub-zero temp!) Am going to build it tomorrow and will run some tests on my batteries to let you know what voltages and currents to look out for when testing your batteries!

Also, most interesting thing about Li-Ion chemistry is that its 'end of life' starts the day the battery is manufactured...irrespective of the charge-discharge cycles or how well you have maintained your battery. (Unlike Lead Acid which can be maintained for years.)

Takeaway: ALWAYS buy LATEST batch of Li-Ion batteries.

For long term storage, ensure battery state of charge is not more than 50% and put in refrigerator or approx. temp. of 10 deg Celsius. (This tip is "just in case" and not a good way to go as capacity loss will still happen though at a slower rate.)

Hope this helps!

Stay well.
Sendhil.

P.s: Yvind, i am VERY envious that you got 400 shots from your battery...thats something which i have never experienced!!!
 
Batteries continues

Hi

sendhil76 said:
Hello Laurence,

Li-Ion chemistry does not require any initial charge-discharge cycles for full capacity conditioning.

If you are are having short discharge cycles...i would suggest checking the battery with a multimeter for full charge voltage and voltage when discharging at 0.7C , roughly equal to 1A with the 1500mAh battery. And you can please share that data here as it will be useful for me to study them when going about the same with my set of batteries! (I think your battery cycle life is nearing its end...probably old batch...BUT only proper tests can give accurate understanding!)

Interesting to read this post as just today i finished designing and procuring components for a portable Li-Ion battery charger! (Going on a trekking expedition next week which will keep me away from human habitation and technology for over two weeks in sub-zero temp!) Am going to build it tomorrow and will run some tests on my batteries to let you know what voltages and currents to look out for when testing your batteries!

Also, most interesting thing about Li-Ion chemistry is that its 'end of life' starts the day the battery is manufactured...irrespective of the charge-discharge cycles or how well you have maintained your battery. (Unlike Lead Acid which can be maintained for years.)

Takeaway: ALWAYS buy LATEST batch of Li-Ion batteries.

For long term storage, ensure battery state of charge is not more than 50% and put in refrigerator or approx. temp. of 10 deg Celsius. (This tip is "just in case" and not a good way to go as capacity loss will still happen though at a slower rate.)

Hope this helps!

Stay well.
Sendhil.

P.s: Yvind, i am VERY envious that you got 400 shots from your battery...thats something which i have never experienced!!!
Click to expand...

I have read reports who says more than 1000 shots on one charge... No further details.

I am also aware that Li-Ion chemistry should not require discharge-charge cycles, but never the less, most users get improved battery life after a few recycles. As I wrote, I suspect it could be something with cell alignment.


Kind regards
Øyvind
 
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