Charging AA Batteries

GAP said:
I bought SWMBO a set of 8 Eneloops for her digital camera (small Panasonic) and every time I turn it on I get "Please replace these Batteries" message and that is only after I take some pictures for the forum one day and try to take pictures the next day.
We are forever recharging them admittedly they came from China, so my experience backs up what the battery supplier told me.
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i have the same problem with my old samsung camera.

my workaround: 1) never let the camera connected to the PC. 2) after use open the lid from the battery compartment.
now the batteries keep being good for months.
 
Greg Elmassian said:
Ahh... what would be interesting is testing the battery voltage about a minute after the full charge, and then under load... let them sit overnight, and repeat both measurements.

Open circuit voltage does not tell you a lot.

Regular alkaline batteries hole 1.5 volts a fair time and then drop... nickel metal hydrides can taper off a bit more... I would guess the camera is very sensitive to voltage. Also, have you ever actually checked the amp-hours of the batteries you bought? if not a name brand, funny stuff has happened.

Greg
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Panasonic Eneloop 1900mAHr in a Panasonic camera.
 
All cameras drain the batteries when 'off'.
Most the early, small pocket cameras say do not use rechargeable.

It might 'only' be 0.6V but that is 20% of 3.0V.

PhilP
 
PhilP said:
All cameras drain the batteries when 'off'.
Most the early, small pocket cameras say do not use rechargeable.

It might 'only' be 0.6V but that is 20% of 3.0V.

PhilP
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Actually you cannot generalize the voltage loss except by measuring, the key is the current drain when off, and then you can calculate the loss in charge given the characteristics of the battery.

But fundamentally, there is some drain when off except if you have a "real" on off switch...

Would like Gap's feedback if I read his post right or wrong, just out of curiosity.

Also, in any case, you are indeed starting off at what the camera thinks is an already partially discharged battery.

Greg
 
The "pouch" is a nylon fabric pouch especially designed for housing 2 AA batteries that powered 2 LEDs on the back of a helmet microphone (known as a lip light) the pouch attached to the back of a helicopter pilot's helmet.
The batteries in the pouch are going flat, as are the others in the camera case made of vinyl.
It is difficult to get at the batteries once installed as they are inside the camera body which closes with a catch.
I might be able to put some alfoil on the battery poles so I can measure the voltage insitu under load.
 
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