Passive Battery Drain w/MB-D200 grip?

Twice now I've found my D200 unusable due to completely drained

batteries. This was after about 1 to 1 1/2 weeks of non-use with 2

fully or nearly fully charged batteries in the MB-D200 grip. And yes,

the camera was in the off position the whole time.

 

I didn't have a problem with battery drain without the grip and am

currently running an 'experiment' without the grip and one of the

batteries just in the camera to try to be sure it isn't just the

camera draining the batteries.

 

I submitted this issue to Nikon but have yet to hear back anything

(other than the automated response).

 

Interested in hearing similar experiences, tips, suggestions for

determining the cause of the problem, etc.

I believe I've experienced the same thing. I just went through about a week of working with larger format film, and the batteries were about 96 and 93% when I put my D200 in the case. I came back to do a shoot with the camera and they were down to about 30%. I had to quickly scramble to charge them in order to complete the assignment. I'll start watching this more closely.

got a reply, if you can call it that....

 

"Evan: The manual for the D200 details "Remove all batteries when the MBD200 is not in use. " You should not be leaving batteries in the MB-D200 if it will not be used within 24hours.

 

Thank You

Chris"

 

Ok, so I missed that one line in the D200 manual, but even if I'd seen it I'd have blown it off thinking it was one of Nikon's CYA statements (like use only Nikon lenses and only the 4 approved CF cards, etc.)...how pointless to not be able to leave the batteries in.

Just weighing in here... I installed my MB-D200 3 weeks ago, used the camera for a few solid

days, went on vacation for two weeks (without the D200) and I'm still showing a full charge,

to my surprise. I wonder if it has anything to do w/ 3rd-party batteries? Mine are both

Nikon.

Hello All

 

I do not own the MB-D200 grip, so if you are distraught that I am responding without a MB-D200 please read on.

 

I'm a battery fanatic, and therefore read the instructions for the EN-EL3e Li-ion batteries. I'll check my instructions at home, but if I am not mistaken Nikon recommended that the user allow the Li-ion battery to drain until dead while still in the camera body. If I also recall correctly it suggested storing the batteries drained, i.e. not full charged. I find the battery info menu very handy. Due to the fact that the battery permits clear viewing through the viewfinder and minimal symbology in the top LCD window, there has to be some battery drain with the unit turned off. In one weeks time a freshly charged EN-EL3e installed in the D200 body will go from 99% to 93%. I have not had the camera body long enough to do further testing but will in the near future.

 

I will retrieve my battery instruction manual and post to this email one way or the other. If any of you have your instructions handy and I am incorrect, please post a message and correct me. If I am correct I found the instructions very strange regarding battery storage, but then again all my previous batteries were Nikon NiMh which is a totally different config.

Wait a minute. I've heard of removing batteries from a device that would not be used for

several WEEKS, yes, but for 24 HOURS? Correct me if I'm wrong, but couldn't that be

another Nikon goof? I mean, remove the battery every time you put your grip at rest for

one day? Give me a break!

Chris,

No third party batteries...OEM only.

 

And I agree, how ridiculous to remove batteries for a single day of non-use. I replied to the Nikon site with that same comment.

<i>"I'll check my instructions at home, but if I am not mistaken Nikon recommended that the

user allow the Li-ion battery to drain until dead while still in the camera body"</i>

 

<p>Funny, I never read instructions for batteries, but I did exactly this because I wanted

both batteries to be equally charged when I put them in the grip. Not that it mattered once I

found out that it doesn't draw simultaneously from both batteries

 

<p>Still, ridiculous that you would have to pull the battery. I've never done it and have never

experienced odd draining.

The batteries in my D200 have been in there since the day the camera was relased for sale. I have 6 lithiums installed. I have the EN-EL3e batteries but I know from past (and long) experience with the Nikon rechargeable battereis in my F5 and F6, they lose power very rapidly whether used or not. Fully charged, they will be pretty pooped at the end of a week just sitting. So I have always carried a tray of lithiums if I was going to be gone long. I also don't leave them in-camera unless I'm travleing. I take them out and put the tray of lithium batteries in.

 

With the tray of lithiums, my D200 is showing a full charge and I have taken a lot of lics with it. I didn't'put the En-El3es in because I knew I wouldn't use it very much during February.

 

Conni

Conni, Lithium ion batteries such as the EN-EL3 and EN-EL4 families dissipate while sitting idly. That is simply the nature of that technology and that is why you want to recharge them before any major shoot. Having said that, I don't think what Evan describes is "normal," though.

 

The characteristic of Lithium AA batteries is that it shows "full" almost all the way to the very end, and then they just "die" instantly. When I use Lithium AA's in my F5, by the time the battery indicator doesn't show full, frequently I cannot even finish the roll (e.g. 20 frames left). With Alkaline AA's, I can usually shoot another 2, 3 rolls or so from that point.

your post prompted me to check the two batteries which were last charged approx January 15th...right after a wedding...my battery indicator showed less than half...with modest use not too bad...I have to agree that taking the batteries out shouldn't have to happen.

I understand how the batteries work. My point was that they act the same way in any other camera with about a week being the longest they last.

 

Conni

The Nikon response to my comment that daily removal after use was ridiculous....

 

"Evan: I understand your comment but this is detailed in the MB-D200 manual as a necessary precaution. I will forward your comments to the QA department. When I use the MB-D200 I do not remove the batteries after use. I open the door and release the battery latch so the battery is not in contact with the terminals. When I need the unit I just push the door closed again and both batteries engage. Perhaps that will be more convenient for you. In this situation there is no battery drain and I have left the adapter like this for about 4 or 5 days. I never go without shooting for 2 weeks or more (but that's me).

 

Thank You

Chris"

I've found with some LiIon batteries, they perform much better after a dozen cycles; for instance my LiIon-powered HID bike headlight went from 20 minutes of run time when new to around 4 hours after breaking in. Hasn't happened with all LiIon batteries, just some. Just a thought.

Evan,

<P>I am using double A's in the grip and am absolutely experienceing the same issue. Brand new set of batteries, two days later, maybe 30 shots later, low battery warning.

<P>Now Im really interested...

Mine are Nikon batteries also... I'm not sure the new smart battery is even available yet, nor would I buy them.

 

What's perplexing is these are supposed to be "smart batteries". What's so smart about having to remove them between uses?<g> I do get a lot of shooting time out of a full charge though.

Evan,

 

I manage a photo store that has sold many D200's with and without grips and have had several customers inquire about this issue. I have worked with my customers and found the following to be true.

Look through your viewfinder when the batteries are in and the camera is off. Then take the batteries out and look through it again with the camera off. There is a clear difference in the image seen through the viewfinder when the batteries are in and I would think that it takes power to create this difference. I would remove my batteries from the grip, but agree that it is not practical. I feel the advantages of the D200 and it's capabilities far offset this issue.

 

-Steve

I have the same if not worst case; i fully charged the set of six NI-MH AA batteries, selected in menu for battery type, put on the batteries and after a few shots the battery indicator blinks an there was no camera operation. I haven?t used common AA batteries, so i want to know if this has happened to somebody with NI-MH rechargeable batteries.

Sergio,

This sounds like a completely different issue to me...that's not just passive draining. First make sure the NiMH's you're using are good, if even one of them is bad that could be the problem...maybe try a totally different/new set of NiMH batteries.

 

If you still have the same problem then I'd contact Nikon and see about sending the grip in for repair.

<p>well, I just came across this thread, having the same issue.</p>

<p>I use an Fuji S5 PRO, which uses the MB-D200 grip also. The batteries are brand new and original fuji np-150, I get at least 400+ shots out of one battery when used without the grip.<br>

I was heading out to a special event one early morning so decided to charge the batteries up the night before, to ensure i'd have a fully charged camera for working with the next morning.</p>

<p>put the mb-d200 grip into the camera, two fresh newly charged np-150 batteries into the grip and left it till the next morning, knowing the camera was ready to go.<br>

imagine my disappointment when i turned on the camera the next morning and it was completely dead. Batteries had been completely drained!</p>

<p>These same batteries would give me over 800 shots when used with the camera without grip, so there is definitely an issue with the mb-d200 grip.</p>

<p>I have emailed Nikon and 3 weeks later i got a response telling me that I should contact Fuji as they dont support the fuji camera.</p>

<p>I contacted Fuji and they told me to contact Nikon as it is a Nikon accessory.<br>

so, I am going around in circles.</p>

<p>very frustrating and It looks like the Grip is fast draining the batteries, even when the camera is not in use.<br>

would be interested to see if anyone has had this problem resolved...</p>