Eneloop NiMH Batteries with EOS 1n?

<p>Hi guys,<br>

<br />I just bought a Canon EOS 1n(HS?) with the Power Drive Booster E1. It has an insert for loading 8 AA cells in it for the camera. The problem is, I keep getting the 'bc' error when I load the batteries in. When I remove the power drive and load it with a normal C2R5 battery, the camera works fine. <br>

Is the problem with my choice of batteries (Eneloop NiMH) or is it just a problematic Booster? I don't really want to go out and grab some alkaline batteries since I have no use for them (I have loads of Eneloop). <br>

Thanks!</p>

<p>A CR5 is a 6 volt battery, four Eneloops or similar is only 4.8 volts, which looks like a dead battery to the electronics.<br>

. </p>

<p>8 AA eneloops will have certainly more than 6 volts...but if it does not work?, try 8 AA alkalines first, that will provide 12 Volts, to make sure your power drive works at all.</p>

<p>Frank, the power drive uses two 6 volt batteries, I don't know if they are in series or parallel.</p>

 

<p>Bob, they're in series. Your explanation was perfect.</p>

<p>Cyrus, with the PB-E1 can run with NiMh, but it can't do it using the 8 AA insert. There's a mechanism for an insert to tell the PB-E1 what voltage batteries it has in it are. Canon's own NiCad pack has 8 prewired 1.2V cells, but it somehow tells the PB-E1 that it's a 9.2V pack, not a 12V pack. I remember reading on how to "trick" the PB-E1 into operating NiMH in the tray, I'll see what I can find.</p>

<p>Or you could try NiZn 1.6v rechargeables. Personally, I don't trust them, too many reports of poor longevity. And I charge my eneloops in La Crosse BC-900 chargers with 4 independent, conditioning channels. There's nothing like that for the NiZn, just a 2 channel, 2 battery in series slow charger (with all the problems series charging brought us) and a 4 channel independent fast charger (with the high temperatures and shortened battery life typical of fast chargers). It's like stepping back in time 15 years.</p>

<p>Crap, I've had too much time teaching photography. I shoot Nikons and I know all this Canon stuff.</p>

<p>OK, as far as I can find out, you don't have to set anything on the BM-1 tray, or on the camera (like you do with Nikons, you can't run AA on a D200 until you say NiMH, Lithium, or Alkaline in a menu). The PDB-E1 is supposed to automatically recognize batteries in the 12v range and declare them "dead" at 10.5v, but if it sees 9.2v, it thinks it's got good NiMH and won't declare them dead till a much lower voltage. So, either your camera, tray, or booster is screwed up.</p>

<p>Or you just need to spend some time with a bottle of methanol and some swabs (not an eraser) cleaning your contacts (not with an eraser). Did I mention that you shouldn't use an eraser when you clean the contacts?</p>

<p><em>"Your explanation was perfect." - hardly,</em><br>

since it was: <em>"four Eneloops or similar is only 4.8 volts, which looks like a dead battery" </em>- kind of pictures use of four AA cells in the 8 AA cells holder, that is not possible to do.</p>

<p>... but finally we know the reason, thanks to Joseph.</p>

<p>You have to tape over the little thingie on the battery insert to prevent the mircoswitch from being activated (camera thinks the rechargeable battery pack was being used). It was a common mod on the PB-E2 to allow max FPS on the EOS 3/1V. Battery farted out fast so not a long term solution.</p>

<p>A little update: tried new alkaline batteries, and still no luck. Have been cleaning the contacts with microfiber cloth and IPA for hours now. Fingers are sore and still no luck. Do I simply have a dead booster? It seems strange. When I put my multimeter to the contacts I can get 12.5V readings from them. When I connect two particular contacts, the motor drive actually activates (starts spinning). </p>

<p>I use a PB-E2 with an EOS-3. I don't recall using Eneloops. What I can say for certain is that Energizer lithium disposables are the way to go. They'll run the motor at the highest rated speed. The weight reduction over any other battery chemistry is significant.</p>

<p>The lithiums also have incredible endurance. I've run hundreds of rolls through the past three years. I'm still on the original pack and the battery set shows no sign of giving up yet.</p>