Charging NiMH batteries (for Panasonic FZ20)

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

It all depends on how the charger works. Some you have to remove it. Some
you can leave it in there forever. I would call the manufacturer and ask.


"Pierre Jelenc" <rcpj@panix.com> wrote in message
news 0an96$3kp$1@reader2.panix.com...
>
> The charger included with the camera is supposed to charge the battery in
> 2 hours, then the green light goes off. Is it safe to leave the battery in
> the charger at this point (for instance overnight) or must it be removed
> promptly? The instructions say nothing about this.
>
> Pierre
>
>
> --
> Pierre Jelenc | New on Home Office Records: Ethan Lipton
> | www.homeofficerecords.com www.ethanlipton.com
> The Gigometer | Pepper Of The Earth: the HO blog
> www.gigometer.com | www.homeofficerecords.com/blog

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

The battery included with FZ20 is Lithium Ion battery.
It is safe to leave a fully charged battery in the charger overnight as
the charger stopped charging current once the battery was fully
charged. But I have to remind you that discharge would happen when the
charge finished. I greatly recommend you remove battery to minimize
discharge as low as possible.

Hope it helps

S Boy

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Pierre Jelenc wrote:
> The charger included with the camera is supposed to charge the
> battery in 2 hours, then the green light goes off. Is it safe to
> leave the battery in the charger at this point (for instance
> overnight) or must it be removed promptly? The instructions say
> nothing about this.
>
> Pierre

I would imagine so, and would leave the charger overnight myself.
However, that isn't the definitive answer you want. By the way: it's a
Lithium Ion battery, I think, not NiMH.

David

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

A good charger will automatically drop the charging current to a "trickle
charge" level once the battery has been fully charged. This just keeps the
battery at a full charge level. I use a Maha charger that works that way
and have left NiMH batteries in it (while still plugged in) for days without
any problems. If the instructions don't indicate whether this is the way
your charger works, call the manufacturer as suggested.



"Sheldon" <sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> wrote in message
news:nrSdnT3WFbm1k7TfRVn-2w@comcast.com...
> It all depends on how the charger works. Some you have to remove it.
Some
> you can leave it in there forever. I would call the manufacturer and ask.
>
>
> "Pierre Jelenc" <rcpj@panix.com> wrote in message
> news 0an96$3kp$1@reader2.panix.com...
> >
> > The charger included with the camera is supposed to charge the battery
in
> > 2 hours, then the green light goes off. Is it safe to leave the battery
in
> > the charger at this point (for instance overnight) or must it be removed
> > promptly? The instructions say nothing about this.
> >
> > Pierre
> >
> >
> > --
> > Pierre Jelenc | New on Home Office Records: Ethan Lipton
> > | www.homeofficerecords.com
www.ethanlipton.com
> > The Gigometer | Pepper Of The Earth: the HO blog
> > www.gigometer.com | www.homeofficerecords.com/blog
>
>

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

S Boy <joecmlam@gmail.com> writes:
> The battery included with FZ20 is Lithium Ion battery.

Indeed. I got carried away...

> It is safe to leave a fully charged battery in the charger overnight as
> the charger stopped charging current once the battery was fully
> charged. But I have to remind you that discharge would happen when the
> charge finished. I greatly recommend you remove battery to minimize
> discharge as low as possible.

OK, thanks. As long as no damage ensues, that's the most important.

Now, I have another question: the Panasonic battery charged fine and
performed well last night. However, the extra battery I bought, "Merkury
MI-S002" does not get charged. When I place it in the charger, it feels
very subtly smaller, in that it falls into place with the merest nudge,
instead of having to be snapped down the way the Panasonic needs to be.
The tell-tale green light never lights up.

Its label says "for Panasonic CGR-S002" while the Panasonic one advertises
itself as "CGA-S002A". Was I sold the wrong battery? I can easily imagine
the "CGR" to be a misprint for "CGA" because the font they use is rather
contorted, but is "S002A" different from "S002"?

Pierre
--
Pierre Jelenc | New on Home Office Records: Ethan Lipton
| www.homeofficerecords.com www.ethanlipton.com
The Gigometer | Pepper Of The Earth: the HO blog
www.gigometer.com | www.homeofficerecords.com/blog

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On Sat, 5 Mar 2005 18:54:09 +0000 (UTC), rcpj@panix.com (Pierre Jelenc) wrote:

>S Boy <joecmlam@gmail.com> writes:
>> The battery included with FZ20 is Lithium Ion battery.
>
>Indeed. I got carried away...
>
>> It is safe to leave a fully charged battery in the charger overnight as
>> the charger stopped charging current once the battery was fully
>> charged. But I have to remind you that discharge would happen when the
>> charge finished. I greatly recommend you remove battery to minimize
>> discharge as low as possible.
>
>OK, thanks. As long as no damage ensues, that's the most important.
>
>Now, I have another question: the Panasonic battery charged fine and
>performed well last night. However, the extra battery I bought, "Merkury
>MI-S002" does not get charged. When I place it in the charger, it feels
>very subtly smaller, in that it falls into place with the merest nudge,
>instead of having to be snapped down the way the Panasonic needs to be.
>The tell-tale green light never lights up.
>
>Its label says "for Panasonic CGR-S002" while the Panasonic one advertises
>itself as "CGA-S002A". Was I sold the wrong battery? I can easily imagine
>the "CGR" to be a misprint for "CGA" because the font they use is rather
>contorted, but is "S002A" different from "S002"?
>
>Pierre
What is the voltage and amp rating printed on the battery.
Should be 7.2volts and 680mAh.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

I almost always buy OEM batteries when it comes to Lithium Ion. The price
generally isn't that much more, and I've had less problems with them. Too
bad they don't standardize Lithium Ion batteries like AA, AAA, etc. Every
one is a different size for each product, and you need a different charger
for each product.


"Pierre Jelenc" <rcpj@panix.com> wrote in message
news 0cv8g$kuo$1@reader1.panix.com...
>S Boy <joecmlam@gmail.com> writes:
>> The battery included with FZ20 is Lithium Ion battery.
>
> Indeed. I got carried away...
>
>> It is safe to leave a fully charged battery in the charger overnight as
>> the charger stopped charging current once the battery was fully
>> charged. But I have to remind you that discharge would happen when the
>> charge finished. I greatly recommend you remove battery to minimize
>> discharge as low as possible.
>
> OK, thanks. As long as no damage ensues, that's the most important.
>
> Now, I have another question: the Panasonic battery charged fine and
> performed well last night. However, the extra battery I bought, "Merkury
> MI-S002" does not get charged. When I place it in the charger, it feels
> very subtly smaller, in that it falls into place with the merest nudge,
> instead of having to be snapped down the way the Panasonic needs to be.
> The tell-tale green light never lights up.
>
> Its label says "for Panasonic CGR-S002" while the Panasonic one advertises
> itself as "CGA-S002A". Was I sold the wrong battery? I can easily imagine
> the "CGR" to be a misprint for "CGA" because the font they use is rather
> contorted, but is "S002A" different from "S002"?
>
> Pierre
> --
> Pierre Jelenc | New on Home Office Records: Ethan Lipton
> | www.homeofficerecords.com www.ethanlipton.com
> The Gigometer | Pepper Of The Earth: the HO blog
> www.gigometer.com | www.homeofficerecords.com/blog

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Pierre Jelenc wrote:
> The charger included with the camera is supposed to charge the battery in
> 2 hours, then the green light goes off. Is it safe to leave the battery in
> the charger at this point (for instance overnight) or must it be removed
> promptly? The instructions say nothing about this.
>
> Pierre
>
>

The information you need should be in the user manual (yeah, I know, who
reads those things...). If it doesn't spell out the information, call
and ask. Generally, chargers will reduce the charge to a very low
'maintenance charge' after the battery becomes charged. Some chargers,
such as those for cameras with 'docks', are designed to have the camera
mounted for long periods, and will periodically 'top off' the batteries.


--
Ron Hunter rphunter@charter.net

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

irwell <hook@yahoo.com> writes:
>
> What is the voltage and amp rating printed on the battery.
> Should be 7.2volts and 680mAh.

7.4 V and 800 mAh

Pierre
--
Pierre Jelenc | New on Home Office Records: Ethan Lipton
| www.homeofficerecords.com www.ethanlipton.com
The Gigometer | Pepper Of The Earth: the HO blog
www.gigometer.com | www.homeofficerecords.com/blog

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On Sun, 6 Mar 2005 07:16:04 +0000 (UTC), rcpj@panix.com (Pierre Jelenc) wrote:

>irwell <hook@yahoo.com> writes:
>>
>> What is the voltage and amp rating printed on the battery.
>> Should be 7.2volts and 680mAh.
>
>7.4 V and 800 mAh
>
>Pierre
That should Ok then.
How about in the camera, is it a snug fit
with the little clip in place?

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

irwell <hook@yahoo.com> writes:
> That should Ok then.
> How about in the camera, is it a snug fit
> with the little clip in place?

It is. The size difference must be minute, I cannot tell at all by putting
the two against each other.

The Merkury battery actually contains some charge, about 25% according to
the little display on the camera's LCD, even though it's straight out of
the package.

Pierre
--
Pierre Jelenc | New on Home Office Records: Ethan Lipton
| www.homeofficerecords.com www.ethanlipton.com
The Gigometer | Pepper Of The Earth: the HO blog
www.gigometer.com | www.homeofficerecords.com/blog

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On Fri, 4 Mar 2005 22:25:42 +0000 (UTC), rcpj@panix.com (Pierre
Jelenc) wrote:

>The charger included with the camera is supposed to charge the battery in
>2 hours, then the green light goes off. Is it safe to leave the battery in
>the charger at this point (for instance overnight) or must it be removed
>promptly? The instructions say nothing about this.

Pierre,

the charger stops charging when the battery is full. You can see
this, because the green light goes off.

This is absolutely necessary, because overcharging a Lithium ion
accumulator would be dangerous. The thing could explode,
therefore all quick chargers have to have automatic cut off.
Nothing to worry there.

I'm not sure whether the charger goes into trickle-charge mode
after filling the battery. Most chargers do, but even if this
one doesn't, it would still not discharge the battery, so the
question is moot, unless you want to leave the battery in the
charger for months.

Again nothing to worry.

Hans-Georg

--
No mail, please.