Sudden battery-induced failure - battery or body @ fault?

[davemmm]

Whilst recently on holiday, my EOS 1000F a.k.a Rebel S completely

locked up, refusing to do anything. Replacement of the battery fixed

the problem, and thereafter the camera behaved itself. This has never

happened before, and so my main question is, is this the body

succumbing to old age, a known problem for this body, or just a dud

body - I need to know as I really don't want it happening again.

Below are <i>all</i> the details of what happened.<br>

Thamks for your help.<br><br>

 

The Display: Showed frame number [14], and the film cassette icon, as

in the 'L' position, but turning the dial, to any position, did not

change this display.<br>

 

The Lens: Genuine Canon 35-80. Re-seating the lens made no difference<br>

 

Controls: Pressing buttons, any buttons, did not change anything<br>

 

Battery: Panasonic 2CR5, taking it out and putting it back in made no

difference, there is no obvious corrosion on the contacts, and

eventual replacement with a fresh Panasonic 2CR5 solved the problem -

Lucky I was carrying a spare :-) Putting this battery back in the

camera a week later caused a repeat of the symptoms.<br>

 

Ambient temperature: >20C I'd estimate, and I hadn't been anywhere

cold recently, so temperature change can [probably] be ruled out as

the source of the problem.<br>

 

 

Worrying fact: The Battery icon in the display did not go through the

usual sequence of Full-> Half-Full-> Empty-> Flashing Empty, instead,

it went from full-> symptoms described above. Is the battery meter in

my camera broken?<br>

<br>

Thanks for your help.<br>

DM

[will_perlis]

It sounds like a broken connector inside that 2CR5, causing the voltage to go to zero in an instant instead of dropping gradually.

 

However, if it happens again with the new one you put in I'd suspect something in the camera.

[davemmm]

Thanks for the suggestion but there's one problem with your idea

 

"The Display: Showed frame number [14], and the film cassette icon, as in the 'L' position, but turning the dial, to any position, did not change this display."

 

If there was "a broken connector inside that 2CR5, causing the voltage to go to zero in an instant instead of dropping gradually" Surely there would be nothing on the display, as there would be no current, same as when there's no battery in the camera.

Btw the battery's still doing it.

Thanks for your help, William, but I'm not entirely sure that you've solved it.

Anyone else got any ideas?

[will_perlis]

"Surely there would be nothing on the display"

 

Right, with zero voltage there should be nothing showing. With low voltage or with limited current capability you can have displays but not proper operation. I'll have to take a dead 2CR5 apart to see if it has any cells in parallel or if they're all in series.

 

What kind of voltage is that battery putting out? You can measure it under no-load and under load with one of those cheap Radio Shack voltmeters.

 

Just to make sure, we are talking about strange operation with ONE particular battery, it is still working fine with others. Right?

[alex_p._schorsch]

If the problem was solved by changing the battery and it doesn't happen anymore,then, it was a faulty battery. Just one bit of advice:There are three possible culprits and you only mentioned two. BATTERY, BODY OR LENS. I once had a battery problem that turned out to be a faulty lens which was draing the power!

[davemmm]

Now that's interesting, sadly I don't have a voltmeter, even a cheap one from Maplin (The UK equivalent to Radioshack. Radioshack in the UK, known as Tandy, shut up shop over here a couple of years ago. Anyway, I digress)<br>

I seem to remember that when I took a 2CR5 apart when younger, it seemed to be made of 2xCR123A cells in parallel (3V+3V=6V), which is why I doubted that a broken connection in the battery could be the cause, as this should result in zero current, right?<br>

The problem is limited to this one battery, yes, and replacement has fixed it, but I don't know yet whether the problem will recur (so far no problems, but given the longevity of lithium cells, it could seem fine for ages before it happens again)<br>

As for finding the culprit, I did mention all three - the lens was a Canon 35-80 zoom (yes, I know it isn't the most optically incredible lens there is, but it works, and there are certain budgeting considerations, as it's my 1st lens, and I'm on a student budget)Changing lens, to my Canon 80-200 zoom made no difference, so it's evidently a battery/body problem.<br>

Could be the lens causing it though, as the 35-80 is left on the body in my bag, so I suppose that it could be the lens draining the battery, given that an EOS is never truly off while it has a battery in, just 'locked' [L]<br>

Does this help, or cause you to have a flash of inspiration. I guess it could be my standard lens sucking power while the camera's in the bag...

[will_perlis]

"... it seemed to be made of 2xCR123A cells in parallel (3V+3V=6V)..."

 

That would give you 3 volts with double the current capacity of the CR123A. A series connection is additive for voltage.

 

I dunno. I can't resist one last speculation. There's a corroded but still connected join in the battery, giving a high internal resistance. That would allow the LCD to operate but not providing enough energy for the rest of the circuitry.

 

If you have to have an answer you'll need to sacrifice a new 2CR5 to science by running some careful tests and measurements under controlled conditions. My experience has been that all those digital battery "meters" are wildly non-linear, mostly showing full until they rapidly fall to zip.

 

Good luck.

[davemmm]

I did of course mean that a 6V 2CR5 is two 3V CR123A cells in <b>series</b>, not parallel. Sorry.<br>

Think I may have to put this one down as one of the unsolved X-files. I certainly can't sacrifice a 2CR5 to science, sadly, as I have neither the equipment, skill, or resources to muck about with new batteries (at UK high-street prices, a new 2CR5 costs GBP7.99, that's around USD12.35, for you Americans)<br>

Still, if it happens again, don't worry, I'll be back! And now I've got the idea about faulty lenses running batteries down, thanks. As I said before, my main concern was that this might be my 2nd hand, 10-years or so -old body giving up the ghost.<br>

Thanks for all your help<br>

DM

[derek_linney]

David,

 

A complete aside but as one who cannot believe the price of batteries in the UK stores let me recommend www.7dayshop.com or www.mx2.com for batteries - I buy 6 at a time for only slightly more than 1 from a high street store. I use them extensively for film, ink cartridges and batteries.

[davemmm]

Yes, I too know the wonders of 7dayshop.com, and its tax haven low battery prices.

I think I'll leave this for the time being, and concentrate on exposing film while the sun shines, rather than getting bogged down in battery technology. At least now, if it happens again, I can go to my local indie camera shop or the repair shop with that dreaded line, "I'm not sure, but I think it might be the..."

Thanks again.

Happy shooting!

DM