Problems with batteries all of a sudden dropping current and shutting down...

[Gunleik Groven]

Untill last Friday, I've contributed these reports to people not mounting their batteries "right" and other stuff. Then it came all over my shoot... :(

In the heat of things, I couldn't figure it out, but it seems - in my case - that it is actually the (one so far) battery which is the cause and not the mount.

I'll send this battery back, because the connections aren't right. But it wasn't the mount (even though it definitely felt like it) but the battery itself.

Just as a heads up to others experiensing this very frustrating issue.

[Matthew Rogers]

I was testing out one of IndieRental's RED's, and I had the exact same thing happen. The camera gave no warning that the battery was getting low or anything. The camera just shut off.

Matthew

[Martin Weiss]

This usually happens with worn out batteries.

But then, not even Gunleik could have managed a couple of hundred cycles...

I once bought some very cheap batteries, which died suddenly after little use. Next time I spent money on idx'es, and they still behave nicely...

[Michael Thornton]

As a DIT, I usually swap batteries around 30%.

It's seem to charge faster too at 30%

Look for opportunity in between setup, change it.

Don't wait.

Yes, the connectors are not that good, so be gentle when mounting it.

I had one case where there was evident of melting at the terminal.

Make sure it goes on straight without forcing it. Gentle snap will do.

Tek

[Scott Webster]

OK here is my experience from having 3 out of 5 battery plates fail. This has nothing to do with the batteries, it is all about the battery plate and more specifically the male battery connection terminal pins.

This is my theory on what is happening. If you take a close look at the male pins on the battery plate you will see each terminal has a small piece of wire each side that compacts in when connecting with the battery female ports. What is happening is they are compacting 'in' but not retaining enough contact with the female battery port. The spontaneous power downs people are reporting is when the terminal pin loses contact with the battery inner metal sheath.

A simple test is to mount the battery and power the camera up. You can flex the lemo cable and you will find no issue with the cable. But in the worst case instances of this problem you just need to lightly touch the battery and you will lose power.

[Michael Thornton]

But in the worst case instances of this problem you just need to lightly touch the battery and you will lose power.

This happen to me on a big Studio Show.

Painfully, but the client did not know my pain.

LOL

3 days of loose batteries.

Tek

[Gunleik Groven]

(...)
A simple test is to mount the battery and power the camera up. You can flex the lemo cable and you will find no issue with the cable. But in the worst case instances of this problem you just need to lightly touch the battery and you will lose power.

Yes. This is what happens, but only with one of my batteries...

[chinnifer]

What wattage of batteries do you usually use?

[Scott Webster]

Yes. This is what happens, but only with one of my batteries...

It could be as simple as one of the female connections on that battery being simply slightly wider than any of the others that you own. The male terminal loses contact and you lose power.

[Jeff Brown]

I had this problem on a shoot yesterday. Shooting for Nike - a football hit the tripod - powered the camera down. Freak out. About 30 minutes of the batteries powering down at the slightest touch/movement. Couldn't even pan without losing power. I inspected the lemo cable connections both ended - no problem. Tried different batteries. In the end I slid back the plastic pin cover and slightly bent all of the pins forward (away from the mount). Fixed it - stayed powered up even when wiggling the batteries for the rest of the day. The vibration of the ball along with the weight of the battery must have been enough to bend the pins in the first place.

Rocketeer is right about the pins but a slight tweak seems to cure it.

Jeff Brown
RED708