Battery problem

Orius

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I'm not sure if I'm posting this to the right section, but here goes.

I use a Nikon D80 and have two batteries for it, both are EN-EL3e. Whenever I put the batteries into the camera following a charging cycle, the camera still insists that the batteries are not charged. The camera gives me the "low power" indicator and refuses to take photos. I can flip the camera off, and then on again, and it will let me take the photo if I'm quick about it. I have been struggling with this problem for a long time now.

I originally bought the camera from a non-official source, and was offered a battery deal. Two batteries for the price of one. I have let the batteries completely discharge before charging them again for 24 hours, and then get the same result. I therefore question if the batteries are viable.

I'm considering buying a new battery from an official source, however I wanted to post the problem here for feedback. My worst fear is that it's not the batteries but the camera itself, however the camera has worked fine this entire time aside from the battery issue. A friend told me something about battery memory that may be the problem, however I was given the impression that discharging the batteries completely before recharging was the solution; I've done that and it has not helped.

Has anyone here ever encountered this problem? Should I just go ahead and buy a new battery? I'm travelling to Asia shortly so I need to act quickly. I don't want to go overseas with a problematic power source. I have already missed photographic opportunities because the camera gives me the low-battery indicator and won't let me take the photo.
 
Even rechargeable batteries have a life cycle...they do eventually die and are unable to take a charge. Since you didn't buy these batteries and don't know how much use they have been through...it may be time to put them out to pasture...please recycle them if you can. There is also the chance that they are not actual Nikon products but fakes.

I have been using 'off-brand' batteries for several years now. They have a bigger capacity than the Canon batteries I have, and they were a lot less expensive. Check out www.sterlingtek.com
 
Even rechargeable batteries have a life cycle...they do eventually die and are unable to take a charge. Since you didn't buy these batteries and don't know how much use they have been through...it may be time to put them out to pasture...please recycle them if you can. There is also the chance that they are not actual Nikon products but fakes.

I have been using 'off-brand' batteries for several years now. They have a bigger capacity than the Canon batteries I have, and they were a lot less expensive. Check out www.sterlingtek.com

Do you happen to know the standard life cycle of an EN-EL3e battery?
 
Before you rush off to buy some new batteries, try taking a standard pencil eraser and rubbing it on the contacts in the battery compartment. They may just be dirty. The eraser will clean 'em right up for you.
 
Do you happen to know the standard life cycle of an EN-EL3e battery?

If they're treated well, it's a long one. The batteries from my D70 after tens of thousands of exposures, and hundreds of charge-discharge cycles are still good for several hundred images per cycle.
 
I just went through the exact same problem with my D40. I put the battery in the charger, waited for charging light to stop flashing (a few hours), then the battery is still dead according to the camera. I then left it to charge overnight and ignored the status light on the charger, and the next day the battery is fine. I think the problem is with the charger, it's not reading the charge of the battery properly.

My camera and battery are 7 months old, and I have taken over 12,000 photos with this battery, and it's been working perfectly since I now let it charge overnight. Obviously batteries do have a life span, I would not expect them to last more than 2 years, or even less with heavy use.

I just ordered a 3rd party battery from Sterling (thanks to Big Mike for mentioning them in another thread). This battery seems to be working perfectly and was about 1/3rd the price of what Nikon charges.
 

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