dcs 420 strange battery gizmos...

Discuss older Nikon-based Kodak digital SLRs, including DCS 100, DCS 200, NC2000, DCS 400/600/700-series, etc. Ask questions, post general comments, anecdotes, reviews and user tips.
Post Reply
Camnut
Posts: 39
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2005 5:28 pm
Location: European Onion

dcs 420 strange battery gizmos...

Post by Camnut »

Hi, yesterday arrived a nimh battery for my dcs 420 to substitute a bad original one.

I changed with no problem but i looked when i fully charge the battery it works fine, but a day after with the camera OFF the battery is DEAD and now i charging again, looks like this thing ates the battery instead is tecnically OFF (sliding the n90 switch to OFF and the lcd panel after two seconds also vanishes) I say OFF.

Or i need to search for other switch?

Help, this is very annoying
NIKON KIU
Posts: 327
Joined: Fri May 20, 2005 9:25 pm
Location: Washington DC USA

Nicad or Nimh

Post by NIKON KIU »

Was the original battery Nicad or Nimh?
Nimh batteries do tend to drain overnight if the unit was meant to work with Nicad batteries!
I have heard of similar experiences with motor drive units.
Kiu
Camnut
Posts: 39
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2005 5:28 pm
Location: European Onion

Post by Camnut »

The original battery was NiCd but whit that battery it does the same, drain it overnight. Maybe my camera body is dead?

My body is dead?
:shock:

I need to put it in a kodak bodybag? :shock: :shock: :shock:
NIKON KIU
Posts: 327
Joined: Fri May 20, 2005 9:25 pm
Location: Washington DC USA

No its alive!!

Post by NIKON KIU »

No your camera is not dead.
Buy some Nicad batteries and try again, I bet a box of donuts(as a fellow member would say) that the Nicads would hold charge.
I can suggest an even cheaper test :!: buy some regular AA batteries(thats the kind of cell you used,right?) and replace the Nimh with regular batteries.I bet(another box of donuts) the regular alkalines would last overnight.
Your old Nicads are the ones that are dead, or close to it
It is a fact that Nimh batteries need to be recharged every night(when not in use), your camera is not designed with Nimh battery installled. Older technology,obsolete! Just like the way we like it around here.
Kiu
Camnut
Posts: 39
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2005 5:28 pm
Location: European Onion

Post by Camnut »

Er... ejem.... The 420 don't work in AA or anyone else, uses a sealed 9.6 pack bolted inside the body... But i think i got sonething, i ignored the LCD and let the camera charge a night.
Stan Disbrow
Posts: 601
Joined: Fri May 20, 2005 7:33 pm
Location: Raleigh, NC USA

Post by Stan Disbrow »

Hi,

Keep in mind that the power switching on all Kodak DSLRs is not a battery disconnect. It is a logic line to the main processor that requests a sequenced power down. The camera is never truly off. The processor enters a sleep mode where it monitors the logic line from the power switch.

They all will drain the battery over time. The newer ones were better than the older ones. My 560/660 units will go 7-10 days on a fully charged pack before the sleep mode runs the pack out of power. My old 460 was only good for 3 days, and that was with brand-new NiMH cells (which are what the 400 series bodies used).

The bottom line is that these cameras were meant for daily useage and don't work well for intermittant useage.

Stan
Amateur Photographer
Professional Electronics Development Engineer
Post Reply