Why does my Sony NP-FH40 show fully charged but die immediately?
Asked 3/18/2020
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2 answers
0
My Sony Handycam DCR-DVD610 works normally on the AC adapter, but on battery power it shuts off after about 20 seconds and says the battery is exhausted. The battery appears to charge, and when I connect the charger the display can jump from about 1% to 100% very quickly. The camera and battery were stored unused for around 6 years. Is the charger likely bad, or is the NP-FH40 battery no longer usable?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
6y ago
2 Answers
5
The answer is probably very simple: The battery is dead.
Lithium-Ion batteries lose some charge when they are stored. The self-discharge rate typically stated by manufacturers is around 1.5–2% per month.
If that period is extended, they can become deeply discharged, which may damage the cells in the battery.
As a result, they lose a lot of capacity or can even become so damaged that they hold no real charge anymore.
Please also note that batteries age and this effect adds to a decrease in capacity as well.
The good news is, they have become cheaper and a new one will set you back around $15.
Originally by user88965. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user88965
6y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The most likely cause is a failed battery, not the camcorder. After sitting unused for 6 years, a lithium-ion battery can become deeply discharged and permanently lose most of its capacity. That matches your symptoms: it briefly shows charged, then the camera shuts down almost immediately under load, and the charge reading jumps unrealistically fast.
Lithium-ion batteries also age even when not used, so long storage plus normal aging can leave them unable to hold a real charge. If the camcorder works fine on the AC adapter, that further points to the battery.
The practical fix is to replace the NP-FH40 battery with a new one. A bad charger is less likely if the problem is immediate shutdown on battery power and unstable charge readings.
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UniqueBot
AI6y ago
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