REpairing DV camcorder batteries??

G

gothika

Guest
I've got some DV camcorder batteries.
Canon BP-511's for the ZR series of miniDV.
They refuse to take a charge.
I cracked one open and tested the cells. They carry a charge.
They batteries do have a small circuit card on top that is likely the
problem.
The card has a couple of IC's a few resistors/capacitors.
I realize that it'd be difficult to replace components on this card
but has anyone here done any work on these?
Here are a few numbers from the battery.

The circuit card has E 1571 imprinted on it.
There are two battery cells(Li-ion) made by A&TB. LGR18500P
AD30A

They meter out at a total of 7.1 volts. The pack is normally rated at
7.4 output.(this battery pack was about half down when it suddenly
quit.) Thats straight of the poles. Dead at the out terminals of the
circuit card.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm thinking the primary function of this
circuit is the regulation of the charge rate to the batteries and
shouldn't be needed to run juice to the camera from the batteries per
se.
I use a belt battery pack most of the time with my camera but hate to
see the oem battery go to waste.
Can anyone give me any info on these batts?
TIA
 
gothika wrote:
I've got some DV camcorder batteries.
Canon BP-511's for the ZR series of miniDV.
They refuse to take a charge.
I cracked one open and tested the cells. They carry a charge.
They batteries do have a small circuit card on top that is likely the
problem.
The card has a couple of IC's a few resistors/capacitors.
I realize that it'd be difficult to replace components on this card
but has anyone here done any work on these?
Here are a few numbers from the battery.

The circuit card has E 1571 imprinted on it.
There are two battery cells(Li-ion) made by A&TB. LGR18500P
AD30A

They meter out at a total of 7.1 volts. The pack is normally rated at
7.4 output.(this battery pack was about half down when it suddenly
quit.) Thats straight of the poles. Dead at the out terminals of the
circuit card.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm thinking the primary function of this
circuit is the regulation of the charge rate to the batteries and
shouldn't be needed to run juice to the camera from the batteries per
se.
I use a belt battery pack most of the time with my camera but hate to
see the oem battery go to waste.
Can anyone give me any info on these batts?
TIA
Can't tell you anything about those particular batteries, but most
lithium packs have charge control circuitry to prevent explosion due
to overcharge and damage due to over discharge.
Yes, they often disconnect the battery.
How they do their job varies all over the map.
I expect that the circuit board is good, just confused.

Let us know if you find out how to reset the battery's computer.

Smart batteries seem to have their smarts optimized to sell more batteries.
mike

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On Thu, 06 May 2004 16:03:00 -0700, mike <spamme0@juno.com> wrote:

gothika wrote:
I've got some DV camcorder batteries.
Canon BP-511's for the ZR series of miniDV.
They refuse to take a charge.
I cracked one open and tested the cells. They carry a charge.
They batteries do have a small circuit card on top that is likely the
problem.
The card has a couple of IC's a few resistors/capacitors.
I realize that it'd be difficult to replace components on this card
but has anyone here done any work on these?
Here are a few numbers from the battery.

The circuit card has E 1571 imprinted on it.
There are two battery cells(Li-ion) made by A&TB. LGR18500P
AD30A

They meter out at a total of 7.1 volts. The pack is normally rated at
7.4 output.(this battery pack was about half down when it suddenly
quit.) Thats straight of the poles. Dead at the out terminals of the
circuit card.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm thinking the primary function of this
circuit is the regulation of the charge rate to the batteries and
shouldn't be needed to run juice to the camera from the batteries per
se.
I use a belt battery pack most of the time with my camera but hate to
see the oem battery go to waste.
Can anyone give me any info on these batts?
TIA

Can't tell you anything about those particular batteries, but most
lithium packs have charge control circuitry to prevent explosion due
to overcharge and damage due to over discharge.
Yes, they often disconnect the battery.
How they do their job varies all over the map.
I expect that the circuit board is good, just confused.

Let us know if you find out how to reset the battery's computer.

Smart batteries seem to have their smarts optimized to sell more batteries.
mike
Thanks for the reply.
So right about those things being "optimized".
I have a bout a dozen of these things and they all quite around their
third year. Some didn't even have a hundred cycles.
I've cut a few more open and found that the Li-ion cells are still
holding some charge.
I'm thinking of desoldering the computer chip off and running the
cells straight through to the camera.
I'll Just charge them with an aftermarket smart charger.
At least that way I can get a bit more use out of them.
I've got all my other camera running off belt packs and such.
Won't be wasting any more monies on these oem batts for this
particular camera.
 
On Sat, 08 May 2004 01:48:42 -0500, gothika <Vampyres@nettaxi.com>
wrote as underneath my scribble :

Something you might try:- open a fully working pack and see if
anything is running hot on charge at any stage. If you do find such
then slap a heatsink of some sort on the chips - wont repair the
already damaged ones but might save the rest! Heatsink any
component that runs too hot to keep your finger on. It is also
possible that you have a charger with a fault and the battery pack
electronics are having to overwork.
Charlie+


Thanks for the reply.
So right about those things being "optimized".
I have a bout a dozen of these things and they all quite around their
third year. Some didn't even have a hundred cycles.
I've cut a few more open and found that the Li-ion cells are still
holding some charge.
I'm thinking of desoldering the computer chip off and running the
cells straight through to the camera.
I'll Just charge them with an aftermarket smart charger.
At least that way I can get a bit more use out of them.
I've got all my other camera running off belt packs and such.
Won't be wasting any more monies on these oem batts for this
particular camera.
 

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