battery question

"Cliffy" wrote in message
...
I use rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride batteries in my Olympus D-560
camera. And recharge on an Energizer Class 2 charger. The batteries loose
their charge very quickly whether in or out of the camera. If I want to
use
the camera after about a week or so, batteries are gone and so are the
standby batteries. Is this normal? What can I do to have a ready camera?

here are a couple of websites if you want to read up on this topic...

http://www.batteryuniversity.com/index.htm

http://www.buchmann.ca/

cheers...MTB

Cliffy wrote:

I use rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride batteries in my Olympus D-560
camera. And recharge on an Energizer Class 2 charger. The batteries
loose their charge very quickly whether in or out of the camera. If I
want to use the camera after about a week or so, batteries are gone
and so are the standby batteries. Is this normal? What can I do to
have a ready camera?

I have three sets of NiMH batteries that I use in two Canon powershot
cameras (4 AAs in each case). One set is from LenMar (came with my
charger); one is Optex; the third set is from Eveready Energizer. The
Energizers have never held a decent charge. In fact, they seem to
perform about the same as the ones you are complaining about. Mine are
supposedly 1850 maH and are made in Japan. They test fine after
charging; they just don't have any stamina. The other battery sets work
just fine.
In your case, I think it would be worth trying a set from a different
manufacturer.

-- Ron

Cliffy wrote:

I use rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride batteries in my Olympus D-560
camera. And recharge on an Energizer Class 2 charger. The batteries
loose their charge very quickly whether in or out of the camera. If I
want to use the camera after about a week or so, batteries are gone
and so are the standby batteries. Is this normal? What can I do to
have a ready camera?

I have three sets of NiMH batteries that I use in two Canon powershot
cameras (4 AAs in each case). One set is from LenMar (came with my
charger); one is Optex; the third set is from Eveready Energizer. The
Energizers have never held a decent charge. In fact, they seem to
perform about the same as the ones you are complaining about. Mine are
supposedly 1850 maH and are made in Japan. They test fine after
charging; they just don't have any stamina. The other battery sets work
just fine.
In your case, I think it would be worth trying a set from a different
manufacturer.

-- Ron

"Cliffy" wrote in message
...
I use rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride batteries in my Olympus D-560
camera. And recharge on an Energizer Class 2 charger. The batteries loose
their charge very quickly whether in or out of the camera. If I want to use
the camera after about a week or so, batteries are gone and so are the
standby batteries. Is this normal? What can I do to have a ready camera?

Although NiMH cells are noted for their high self-discharge rate, I'd say
yours might be defective. Generally, they are still useful after 1 month of
non-use (at room temperature). Two months is pushing it and three months
generally means they are dead.

"Cliffy" wrote in message
...
I use rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride batteries in my Olympus D-560
camera. And recharge on an Energizer Class 2 charger. The batteries loose
their charge very quickly whether in or out of the camera. If I want to use
the camera after about a week or so, batteries are gone and so are the
standby batteries. Is this normal? What can I do to have a ready camera?

Although NiMH cells are noted for their high self-discharge rate, I'd say
yours might be defective. Generally, they are still useful after 1 month of
non-use (at room temperature). Two months is pushing it and three months
generally means they are dead.

I use rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride batteries in my Olympus D-560
camera. And recharge on an Energizer Class 2 charger. The batteries loose
their charge very quickly whether in or out of the camera. If I want to
use
the camera after about a week or so, batteries are gone and so are the
standby batteries. Is this normal? What can I do to have a ready camera?

Although NiMH cells are noted for their high self-discharge rate, I'd say
yours might be defective. Generally, they are still useful after 1 month
of
non-use (at room temperature). Two months is pushing it and three months
generally means they are dead.

When they're brand-new, I'd agree - when mine were new, I never worried
about letting them sit, and never had a problem. But now that they're a
couple of years old, they won't last two weeks after being taken out of the
charger. Fresh from the charger, they're still pretty good, but letting
them sit drains them fast. The newer sets that I've bought are better about
it, but as they age, they're starting to lose it as well.

steve

I use rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride batteries in my Olympus D-560
camera. And recharge on an Energizer Class 2 charger. The batteries loose
their charge very quickly whether in or out of the camera. If I want to
use
the camera after about a week or so, batteries are gone and so are the
standby batteries. Is this normal? What can I do to have a ready camera?

Although NiMH cells are noted for their high self-discharge rate, I'd say
yours might be defective. Generally, they are still useful after 1 month
of
non-use (at room temperature). Two months is pushing it and three months
generally means they are dead.

When they're brand-new, I'd agree - when mine were new, I never worried
about letting them sit, and never had a problem. But now that they're a
couple of years old, they won't last two weeks after being taken out of the
charger. Fresh from the charger, they're still pretty good, but letting
them sit drains them fast. The newer sets that I've bought are better about
it, but as they age, they're starting to lose it as well.

steve

"Ken Weitzel" wrote

I agree that they do self-discharge as all batteries do;
but I think that 1% per day is greatly exaggerated...


Not Exaggerated at all.

A good description of rechargeable battery behavious at
http://www.greenbatteries.com/docume...tery_myths.htm and at
http://www.greenbatteries.com/documents/Battery_FAQ.htm. And the reference
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000352.htm given by Steve in this
thread is also saying the same.

Here are a few clips above articles -

"Alkaline batteries stored at "room temperature" self discharge at a rate of
less than two percent per year. So normally refrigerating or freezing them
will only help maintain their charge by a tiny amount. Hardly worth the
effort of chilling them. However, if alkaline batteries are stored at
higher temperatures they will start to lose capacity much quicker. At 85
degrees F they only lose about 5% per year, but at 100 degrees they lose 25%
per year. So if you live in a very hot climate or are storing your
batteries in a very hot location, it may be worthwhile for you to store your
alkaline batteries in a refrigerator instead."
"NiMH and NiCd batteries self discharge at a MUCH faster rate than alkaline
batteries. In fact, at "room temperature" (about 70 degrees F) NiMH and
NiCD batteries will self discharge a few percent PER DAY. Storing them at
lower temperatures will slow their self discharge rate dramatically. NiMH
batteries stored at freezing will retain over 90% of their charge for full
month. So it might make sense to store them in a freezer. If you do, it's
best to bring them back to room temperature before using them. Even if you
don't freeze your NiMH batteries after charging them, you should store them
in a cool place to minimize their self discharge."

"The rate of self discharge for any battery depends on the temperature at
which it's stored at. Stored at 70 degrees F (20 C) NiMH batteries will
lose up to 40% of their charge within a month. If they are stored at a
higher temperature, they will self discharge at an even higher rate."

"Self-discharge: Both NiMH and NICAD are affected by reasonably high
self-discharge . The NICAD loses about 10% of its capacity within the first
24 hours, after which the self-discharge settles to about 10% per month. The
self-discharge of the NiMH is one-and-a-half to two times higher than that
of the NICAD. Selecting hydride materials that improve hydrogen bonding to
reduce self-discharge typically also decrease the battery capacity."

Regards - JW

"Charles Schuler" wrote in message
...

"Cliffy" wrote in message
...
I use rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride batteries in my Olympus D-560
camera. And recharge on an Energizer Class 2 charger. The batteries loose
their charge very quickly whether in or out of the camera. If I want to
use the camera after about a week or so, batteries are gone and so are the
standby batteries. Is this normal? What can I do to have a ready camera?

Although NiMH cells are noted for their high self-discharge rate, I'd say
yours might be defective. Generally, they are still useful after 1 month
of non-use (at room temperature). Two months is pushing it and three
months generally means they are dead.
I've found good NiMH's do not lose their charge as fast as generally stated.
I got 22 weeks of in camera use taking almost 200 shots in my A40 using
Quest. My Digital brand also do about same. I have some Rinpoche and they
don't do at all well and I do not use in camera at all.
Dave Cohen

Before offering some information, how old are the batteries and what type of
memory card you have. What is the present version of your firmware in you
camera. Has the Olympus people made and update for your firmware.
If you charge your battery and leave them in the camera how long will it
take to discharge without taking any pictures?.
If you leave a charged battery on the shelf how long will it take to
discharge?
Once I know the answers to these questions we will be in position to have a
better picture of the situation.

"Cliffy" wrote in message
...
I use rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride batteries in my Olympus D-560
camera. And recharge on an Energizer Class 2 charger. The batteries loose
their charge very quickly whether in or out of the camera. If I want to
use
the camera after about a week or so, batteries are gone and so are the
standby batteries. Is this normal? What can I do to have a ready camera?