A-1 Battery

[doug_williams4]

I purchased an A-1 about a year ago and I have always had trouble with the battery. If I leave the battery in the

camera it goes dead. If I leave it turned on for an extended period of time it goes dead. The only way I can use

the camera is if I insert the battery only when I use it. Is this normal, has anyone else had this problem?

[HenryUK]

This is not normal.

 

In the OFF position the battery should be completely disconnected from the circuitry.

 

It sounds like there has been some moisture ingress that has caused internal corrosion that has created a short circuit across the battery terminals.

 

This could be behind the battery box or near the ON/OFF switch.

 

A competent camera technician should be able to fix it quite easily. Finding a competent technician is another matter, though.

 

Given the prices of A-1's on eBay you might be better off buying another one.

 

Henry

[awahlster]

This is a known thing with A-1's there is something that will cause rapid battery drain. It has been long enough now that I don't remember the cause (it very well be just as Henry says) or what the outcome of trying to get this problem fixed is.

[User_502260]

I have a Pronea 6i with the same problem. I would send the A-1 to Essex Camera Service in Carlstadt, NJ.

[User_4136860]

Are you turning the camera off, by putting the lever above the winder from A (advance) to L (lock) ?

[doug_williams4]

I must admit that I have either left the camera on or the lever got moved in my camera bag once. But I did take the camera out of the bag and make sure it was off and the same thing happened and this happened when I stored it in my drawer. I wish that the design was better so that the lever is not so easily moved, hey I can try to blame it on the design.

 

Unfortunately, I think that Henry is probably right and I need to get an estimate to CLA and fix the problem.

[vfg]

Out of the many Canons I've acquired over the years, my A1 is the one camera I never leave home without. My A1 went twenty years before it needed a CLA, which I had done year before last. 50 or so rolls later and it still fires perfectly every time. While making sure the on off lever is in its proper place, I've had batteries last so long I threw them away not wanting a corrosion problem. With all that said, when I first starting using a foam padded case for the A1, I discovered the foam would apply just enough pressure on the trigger to keep the meter on. Now I always assure myself the camera is off, battery life is not a problem.

[dangoldman]

i haphazardly turn my camera off. It is often left on the A position for days, occasionally weeks on end. I

replace the battery maybe twice a year (basically if its been a long time and there is an important shoot) with

probably 2-5 rolls per month. The fact that you are always draining your battery is not, in my experience, normal.