Electronics Buffs - Dodgy camera charger

[Tesla]

Hello all,

I have a couple of cameras here with dodgy battery chargers.

The batteries are li-ion and have 3 contacts, why is this?

The chargers also have 3 contacts.

One of the chargers is my own and I believed it to be working but now I am not so sure and perhaps it's been faulty for a while.

I shall label them chargers 1, 2 and 3. Charger 1 is my own.

The pins are labelled +ve, -ve and the middle pin which I am unsure on function I will call * until i know further.

So:

1)

+ve to -ve = no reading
* to -ve = 1.70v-2.80v (fluctuation)
+ve to * = -1.70v to 2.80v (fluctuation)


2)

Each combination produces <0.1v.


3)

+ve to -ve = 0.67v
* to -ve = 3.30v
+ve to * = -2.61v

(all stable)


Does this make any sense to anybody?

The rated output is 4.2v and 860mA.

Each charger has an LED which is meant to be solid red when charging and solid red when charged. The LED only functions on charger 1 but flashes red.

I have 4 batteries of which I know they all discharge and I know 2 charge.

Any advice and help much appreciated

 

[Tesla]

<bump>

 

[leezer3]

I think that pin * should be some sort of data pin for the camera to communicate with the EEPROM within the battery (Serial number, charge etc. etc)
My best guess would therefore be that the voltages are totally irrelevant. No comment on whats going on precisely; Have you tried leaving a battery in charger 1 overnight to see what happens? You sure its not flashing red for charging, solid red for charged?

-Leezer-

 

[MikeHunt79]

if the voltage of any of your li-ion batteries is below 2v batteries it is dead.

Charger 3 sounds good to me.

 

[Tesla]

The charger definitely lights green when charged and solid red for charging.

I have ordered an official replacement charger, brand new so will post up my findings.