No battery will work in my HV40?

[thebtheb]

Hi all. My camera's plug, or power supply or charger if you want to call it that, had a break in the cord somewhere, and not knowing this, I had one of my batteries in it. When the battery ran out, I realized that the cord wasn't working and it had been the battery that had powered the camera until it ran out. To feed something into capture, I straightened out the cord and it would work that way. So using that method, I tried to recharge both my batteries. But in both cases, the light just flashed very fast, indicating a problem with the battery.

Realizing that using a faulty cord with loose wires probably shorted out both my batteries, I got a new cord (power supply, charger) and that works fine, but it still wouldn't charge my batteries, so I figured I fried them. So I got a new one from Ebay, a Cannon, unopened in original packaging. Now THAT doesn't charge - same thing, quickly flashing light indicating it won't work. So now I'm thinking, did I do something to the actual battery area on the camera? Any suggestions?

[Erik Bien]

Hi thebtheb, and welcome to the forum!

What size are your batteries? The camera's built-in charging circuit isn't really capable of charging higher capacity batteries than the 1200 mAh one it came with. I'd recommend an inexpensive battery charger. The linked one is what I use, offered by Lunchbox, one of our admins (he also has good deals on blank tapes, batteries and other accessories).

[Michael McLaughlin]

Hi thebtheb, and welcome to the forum!

What size are your batteries? The camera's built-in charging circuit isn't really capable of charging higher capacity batteries than the 1200 mAh one it came with. I'd recommend an inexpensive battery charger. The linked one is what I use, offered by Lunchbox, one of our admins (he also has good deals on blank tapes, batteries and other accessories).

Thanks for your reply. Well it's a 1400 mAh but even then, it's supposed to come slightly charged so you can attach it before charging just to check that it works. But I double checked before buying it to make sure it was for my camera, and according to Canon, it's the exact one I need. Plus the other two batteries I had were 1200 and 2400, and they both were fine until this mishap. I fear buying a separate charger just to find out that it still won't work. If the new battery was supposed to be slightly charged when I got it, but doesn't work in the camera, I'm betting a new charger won't change anything - unless of course the battery was in the package unused for so long that it has nothing left.

[cgbier]

Are you sure you bought an original Canon? I wouldn't buy any "originals" from eBay (go to a reputable dealer for stuff like that). If I were you, I'd buy the charger and a battery from Lunchbox. That stuff is dirt cheap and well worth the savings in frustration.

Only a couple of cents from me.... and welcome to the forum.

[Steve_Karl]

Hi thebtheb, and welcome to the forum!

The camera's built-in charging circuit isn't really capable of charging higher capacity batteries than the 1200 mAh one it came with.

I bought a 2400 mAh for my hv40 when I first got it and it has always charged to full capacity using just the camera plugged in.

Is there something I'm missing with this?

[Janke]

I bought a 2400 mAh for my hv40 when I first got it and it has always charged to full capacity using just the camera plugged in.

So have I. The HV User manual (the little booklet that comes with the camera - easy to miss... ) even states charging times for batteries up to 2400 mAh...

[Steve_Karl]

Thanks Janke!

[Krane]

Batteries are a funny thing in that you never really know what you're getting inside. The best you can do is buy name brand which is your best assurance of quality (at least you know they aren't fly-by-night). Otherwise, you just take your chances on them working the way they should. Sometimes they work well. Sometimes they do not. It's the same with laptop batteries.

[Dr. Benway]

I wouldn't buy any "originals" from eBay

Indeed. Because you can't, it would seem.

[Michael McLaughlin]

Well yes, the new battery was indeed an authentic Canon, unopened in the original packaging, and of course I checked before buying it that it was the proper battery for my camera. It's 1400 AmH. My two old batteries are also Canons, one 1200 AmH and the other 2400, and they both always charged fine until this incident. So my present theory is that when the power adapter was basically shorting out, yet I tried to charge the batteries, it fried them both. So I replaced the power adapter, got a new battery, and the new battery is either: A) a crappy dead battery to begin with, or B) Even though the camera works with the power adapter, something is now wrong with it and it fries batteries that I try to charge with it. But is it possible the old shorted out power adapter did something like that?

[Krane]

Well yes, the new battery was indeed an authentic Canon, unopened in the original packaging, and of course I checked before buying it that it was the proper battery for my camera. It's 1400 AmH. My two old batteries are also Canons, one 1200 AmH and the other 2400, and they both always charged fine until this incident. So my present theory is that when the power adapter was basically shorting out, yet I tried to charge the batteries, it fried them both. So I replaced the power adapter, got a new battery, and the new battery is either: A) a crappy dead battery to begin with, or B) Even though the camera works with the power adapter, something is now wrong with it and it fries batteries that I try to charge with it. But is it possible the old shorted out power adapter did something like that?

None of those theories are plausible; user error is more believable. Either that or I suspect that there are details you're leaving out?

[cgbier]

Uhm, if one of your "Canon" batteries is 1200, the other 1400, then there IS something wrong with the "authentic".
Don't buy batteries from ebay!

[Janke]

Please correct me if I'm wrong... but I think Canon does make both 1200 and 1400 mAh batteries for the HV cams...

[cgbier]

Nope, 1400 and 2400: http://shop.usa.canon.com/webapp/wcs...118_alpha_list

[Janke]

CG, the Canon HV30 manual shows these batteries:

NB-2LH, BP-2L13, BP-2L14, BP-2L24

Charging times are, respectively: 130, 200, 225 and 370 minutes.

Thus, the BP-2L13 would probably be the 1200 mAh one...

All of them may not be available in all areas, though.

[cgbier]

Must be a European thing then

Were is that #$%#& manual?

[Janke]

Were is that #$%#& manual?

On the web, Canon's pages... (and all four batteries are listed on page 19 in the US manual...)

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/suppor...uresAndManuals

[cgbier]

The L13 is not offered anymore in the Canon Store, so I could imagine that, even if the ebay battery is authentic, it might be DOA due to age (the manual on my Olympus cam says the Lithium batteries have a shelf lie of roughly three years - how old is the HV30?).

[Krane]

The L13 is not offered anymore in the Canon Store, so I could imagine that, even if the ebay battery is authentic, it might be DOA due to age (the manual on my Olympus cam says the Lithium batteries have a shelf lie of roughly three years - how old is the HV30?).

That's on average; but it depends on how well its stored. My original HV 20 battery, though weakened, holds a charge and manages to work for roughly 30 minutes. And remember thats wasn't one prepped for long term storages either.

[cgbier]

It is not about batteries that see regular use and charge. It is about leftovers rotting away somewhere in a warehouse.

[Krane]

It is not about batteries that see regular use and charge. It is about leftovers rotting away somewhere in a warehouse.

If left rotting away, then yes. But otherwise, batteries can last for years if properly stored: In a cool dry place at half charge. The more precise measurement of battery wear though is charge cycles. Typically around 500.