emergency : trusty CD200 power and battery problem

Just in the middle of finishing a project that hopefully
would pay for a new digital camera : the demons smelled the
opportunity to make mischief and drive me crazy :

1. Camera about 3 years old, have two NP-FM50 InfoLithium
batteries and have swapped them frequently

2. First sign of trouble was on return from trip : when I
plugged the battery charger cable into the camera the camera
refused to turn on with the battery charger cable inserted.
But I was able to use the camera until the batteries gave
out.

3. with camera off no battery charging taking place

4. with camera turned on insertion of battery charger cable
causes camera to turn off

5. now both batteries are charge depleted and can't be used.

6. camera will not turn on with battery removed and battery
charger connected (well, I wanted to check for every
possibility)

The first thing I'll check (obvious) is to make sure the
charger is delivering 7.2 volts of DC to the plug.

Assuming the 7.2 volts DC are there, then I :

1. have to have the camera repaired

2. need to find a way to charge the batteries outside the
camera

3. need to find a way to format the mini-cd I was using so I
can retrieve the pictures I need from it without using
'finalize in the camera.
Does anyone know if fairly "standard" cd-rom burning
programs, like Nero, can do this ?

Appreciate any suggestions !

yrs, J. Cod

J. Cod wrote:

Just in the middle of finishing a project that hopefully
would pay for a new digital camera : the demons smelled the
opportunity to make mischief and drive me crazy :

1. Camera about 3 years old, have two NP-FM50 InfoLithium
batteries and have swapped them frequently

2. First sign of trouble was on return from trip : when I
plugged the battery charger cable into the camera the camera
refused to turn on with the battery charger cable inserted.
But I was able to use the camera until the batteries gave
out.

3. with camera off no battery charging taking place

4. with camera turned on insertion of battery charger cable
causes camera to turn off

5. now both batteries are charge depleted and can't be used.

6. camera will not turn on with battery removed and battery
charger connected (well, I wanted to check for every
possibility)

The first thing I'll check (obvious) is to make sure the
charger is delivering 7.2 volts of DC to the plug.

Assuming the 7.2 volts DC are there, then I :

1. have to have the camera repaired

2. need to find a way to charge the batteries outside the
camera

3. need to find a way to format the mini-cd I was using so I
can retrieve the pictures I need from it without using
'finalize in the camera.
Does anyone know if fairly "standard" cd-rom burning
programs, like Nero, can do this ?

Appreciate any suggestions !

yrs, J. Cod

Hi...

Not a photographer, just an old retired electrical guy who
takes gazillions of snapshots. Don't know your camera,
either - nevertheless have a suggestion for you if I may?

Your idea of checking the ouput from your charger is a
good one, but I doubt that'll help. What I would like
you to know and take into consideration is that when
you insert the adaptor plug into the camera, you
also operate at least one (sometimes more) mechanical
switch. With the mini phone plug type adaptors, the
shaft of the plug moves a (kinda) switch inside the
camera. With the rectangular type adaptor you can
actually see the protruding bit of plastic that gets
"shoved outta the way" when you insert the plug.

Given that the word Atlantic is in your header,
I think of high humidity, salty mists, etc.

So what I'd like you to try is wiping clean your
adaptor plug with a little isopropyl alcohol.
If you can actually see corrosion, then buff it
with a new pencil eraser.

Then, wet lightly the plug with isopropyl. Not dripping,
just wet. With the adapter unplugged from the wall,
and batteries removed, insert, rotate a little, remove,
and repeat a few times. Re-moisten and repeat a few
more times. The let the camera sit plug side down
for a while to thoroughly drip and dry. Then give it a test.

Hope this helps - good luck.

Ken

J. Cod wrote:

Just in the middle of finishing a project that hopefully
would pay for a new digital camera : the demons smelled the
opportunity to make mischief and drive me crazy :

1. Camera about 3 years old, have two NP-FM50 InfoLithium
batteries and have swapped them frequently

2. First sign of trouble was on return from trip : when I
plugged the battery charger cable into the camera the camera
refused to turn on with the battery charger cable inserted.
But I was able to use the camera until the batteries gave
out.

3. with camera off no battery charging taking place

4. with camera turned on insertion of battery charger cable
causes camera to turn off

5. now both batteries are charge depleted and can't be used.

6. camera will not turn on with battery removed and battery
charger connected (well, I wanted to check for every
possibility)

The first thing I'll check (obvious) is to make sure the
charger is delivering 7.2 volts of DC to the plug.

Assuming the 7.2 volts DC are there, then I :

1. have to have the camera repaired

2. need to find a way to charge the batteries outside the
camera

3. need to find a way to format the mini-cd I was using so I
can retrieve the pictures I need from it without using
'finalize in the camera.
Does anyone know if fairly "standard" cd-rom burning
programs, like Nero, can do this ?

Appreciate any suggestions !

yrs, J. Cod

Hi...

Not a photographer, just an old retired electrical guy who
takes gazillions of snapshots. Don't know your camera,
either - nevertheless have a suggestion for you if I may?

Your idea of checking the ouput from your charger is a
good one, but I doubt that'll help. What I would like
you to know and take into consideration is that when
you insert the adaptor plug into the camera, you
also operate at least one (sometimes more) mechanical
switch. With the mini phone plug type adaptors, the
shaft of the plug moves a (kinda) switch inside the
camera. With the rectangular type adaptor you can
actually see the protruding bit of plastic that gets
"shoved outta the way" when you insert the plug.

Given that the word Atlantic is in your header,
I think of high humidity, salty mists, etc.

So what I'd like you to try is wiping clean your
adaptor plug with a little isopropyl alcohol.
If you can actually see corrosion, then buff it
with a new pencil eraser.

Then, wet lightly the plug with isopropyl. Not dripping,
just wet. With the adapter unplugged from the wall,
and batteries removed, insert, rotate a little, remove,
and repeat a few times. Re-moisten and repeat a few
more times. The let the camera sit plug side down
for a while to thoroughly drip and dry. Then give it a test.

Hope this helps - good luck.

Ken

J. Cod wrote:

Just in the middle of finishing a project that hopefully
would pay for a new digital camera : the demons smelled the
opportunity to make mischief and drive me crazy :

1. Camera about 3 years old, have two NP-FM50 InfoLithium
batteries and have swapped them frequently

2. First sign of trouble was on return from trip : when I
plugged the battery charger cable into the camera the camera
refused to turn on with the battery charger cable inserted.
But I was able to use the camera until the batteries gave
out.

3. with camera off no battery charging taking place

4. with camera turned on insertion of battery charger cable
causes camera to turn off

5. now both batteries are charge depleted and can't be used.

6. camera will not turn on with battery removed and battery
charger connected (well, I wanted to check for every
possibility)

The first thing I'll check (obvious) is to make sure the
charger is delivering 7.2 volts of DC to the plug.

Assuming the 7.2 volts DC are there, then I :

1. have to have the camera repaired

2. need to find a way to charge the batteries outside the
camera

3. need to find a way to format the mini-cd I was using so I
can retrieve the pictures I need from it without using
'finalize in the camera.
Does anyone know if fairly "standard" cd-rom burning
programs, like Nero, can do this ?

Appreciate any suggestions !

yrs, J. Cod

Hi...

Not a photographer, just an old retired electrical guy who
takes gazillions of snapshots. Don't know your camera,
either - nevertheless have a suggestion for you if I may?

Your idea of checking the ouput from your charger is a
good one, but I doubt that'll help. What I would like
you to know and take into consideration is that when
you insert the adaptor plug into the camera, you
also operate at least one (sometimes more) mechanical
switch. With the mini phone plug type adaptors, the
shaft of the plug moves a (kinda) switch inside the
camera. With the rectangular type adaptor you can
actually see the protruding bit of plastic that gets
"shoved outta the way" when you insert the plug.

Given that the word Atlantic is in your header,
I think of high humidity, salty mists, etc.

So what I'd like you to try is wiping clean your
adaptor plug with a little isopropyl alcohol.
If you can actually see corrosion, then buff it
with a new pencil eraser.

Then, wet lightly the plug with isopropyl. Not dripping,
just wet. With the adapter unplugged from the wall,
and batteries removed, insert, rotate a little, remove,
and repeat a few times. Re-moisten and repeat a few
more times. The let the camera sit plug side down
for a while to thoroughly drip and dry. Then give it a test.

Hope this helps - good luck.

Ken

Ken, thank you for your thoughtful comments. I actually live
in a tropical country, a long way from the ocean The
CD200 is made to allow "hot plugging" of the charger at any
time with camera on or off. I am going to take your advice
and examine the interior of the plug socket with a jeweler's
loupe to see if I can see anything out of place. Since the
charger was at home undisturbed, it most likely is a problem
of damage to the camera.

regard, J. Cod

Ken, thank you for your thoughtful comments. I actually live
in a tropical country, a long way from the ocean The
CD200 is made to allow "hot plugging" of the charger at any
time with camera on or off. I am going to take your advice
and examine the interior of the plug socket with a jeweler's
loupe to see if I can see anything out of place. Since the
charger was at home undisturbed, it most likely is a problem
of damage to the camera.

regard, J. Cod