How should I carry and use camera and flash batteries when shooting in very hot sun?

Asked 6/1/2016

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I’ll be shooting outdoors during the hottest part of the day for the next few weeks. Recently my camera overheated in direct sun, and my flash and its AA rechargeables became very warm. Spare AA and camera batteries carried on my backpack also got warm.

What precautions should I take for carrying spare batteries and using them in the heat? I’m especially wondering about NiMH AAs like Eneloops in a flash, and Li-ion camera batteries. Should I be worried about damage or safety issues, and what’s the best way to keep them from overheating while working?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

10y ago

2 Answers

5

NiMH (which is what eneloop are, not NiCd) won't explode in heat you can survive in, but may suffer. The most likely effect is a significant reduction in capacity, most of which will recover on cooling and recharging. Reducing the drain on the flash batteries will help (e.g. by swapping between sets frequently, or only using the flash as much as strictly necessary.

The Li-ion camera batteries shouldn't get too hot and (unless they're very cheap no-brand replacements) will have a thermal cutout. They are much more dangerous if they do fail.

Keeping your spare batteries in an insulated container (or just wrapped in a fleece jacket) will limit their temperature rise before you use them. I wouldn't cool them below room temperature before doing this, but they could be wrapped in with something fridge cold. If you do this, be sure to wrap the batteries tightly in plastic (small resealable bags work well) to make sure that no condensation can reach the contacts.

Try to hold the camera and flash out of the sun as much as possible. If you're doing a walk-shoot-walk type of activity, I suggest taking the batteries out of the camera before packing it away and caring them separately. The padding of your bag is a decent insulator and will keep the heat in, allowing it to spread to the camera electronics.

Originally by user26575. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user26575

10y ago

0

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

You’re not being overly paranoid, but the main risk in normal outdoor heat is usually reduced performance and shortened battery life, not NiMH cells exploding.

For Eneloop-style NiMH AAs, heat can temporarily reduce capacity and, if excessive, shorten lifespan. It’s sensible to reduce flash demand and rotate battery sets so any one set doesn’t stay hot from repeated recycling.

Li-ion camera batteries deserve more caution: quality packs usually include protection circuitry, but they should still be kept out of excessive heat whenever possible.

Best practices:

  • keep gear and batteries out of direct sun as much as possible
  • store spares in an insulated pouch or wrapped in clothing to slow heating
  • a light-colored or reflective cover/bag can help reduce heat gain
  • avoid deliberately chilling batteries below room temperature, since rapid temperature changes are not ideal
  • if batteries or gear become very hot, let them rest and cool before reuse

So: NiMH AAs are unlikely to explode in conditions you can tolerate, but both NiMH and Li-ion batteries will do better if shaded, insulated, and not left baking in the sun.

UniqueBot

AI

10y ago

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