Charging multiple camera batteries

Insp Gadget · Oct 1, 2010

I have several spare batteries for my D300 and find it tedious to charge them one by one. Is there a charger that can charge more than one at a time??

Big Mike · Oct 1, 2010

I've never seen a multiple battery charger for non-standard camera batteries...but you could certainly get another charger or two. Either brand new from Nikon or maybe a knock off from somewhere....or maybe a 'used' one from someone who doesn't need it.

I've got two chargers for my Canon batteries, I rarely use my 2nd one, but it's nice to have when needed. Plus, one has a cord, which is convenient and the other just plugs into the wall with no cord, which is handy to pack in a camera bag.

el_shorty · Oct 1, 2010

Nikon used to have a multi battery charger, the MH-19, it had two battery slots, but it was only able to charge one battery at a time. I haven't seen them in a while, so I cannot tell you where you can find them, but you might want to try eBay.

KmH · Oct 1, 2010

Big Mike said:
I've never seen a multiple battery charger for non-standard camera batteries...but you could certainly get another charger or two. Either brand new from Nikon or maybe a knock off from somewhere....or maybe a 'used' one from someone who doesn't need it.

I've got two chargers for my Canon batteries, I rarely use my 2nd one, but it's nice to have when needed. Plus, one has a cord, which is convenient and the other just plugs into the wall with no cord, which is handy to pack in a camera bag.

Me too, in so far as I have multiple D300 battery chargers (4).

Big Mike · Oct 1, 2010

Nikon used to have a multi battery charger, the MH-19, it had two battery slots, but it was only able to charge one battery at a time.

:scratch: that seems kind of stupid. It's like having a toaster with two slots, but only able to make one piece of toast at a time. :lol:

KmH · Oct 1, 2010

Big Mike said:
Nikon used to have a multi battery charger, the MH-19, it had two battery slots, but it was only able to charge one battery at a time.

Click to expand...

:scratch: that seems kind of stupid. It's like having a toaster with two slots, but only able to make one piece of toast at a time.

Yes. But, you can go do something else and given sufficient time, return and have 2 charged batteries (or two pieces of toast).

The pro cameras come with a double charger for the EN-EL4 and EN-EL4a batteries but work the same way, one battery charges at a time.

Big Mike · Oct 1, 2010

Well, as long as it eventually charges both of them, that's OK....I guess.
It's still a Nikon, so pthhhh

zoogirlbc · Oct 1, 2010

Do what I did, upgrade to the D700 and keep the D300 as a backup then you have a back up AND two chargers lol. You can actually buy universal batter chargers that may work.

swoop_ds · Oct 7, 2010

I opened this post hoping that such a beast existed! Oh well I guess ill stick to charging one at a time and using my stop watch to remind when its time to switch them on the charger.

It seems so baffling that there isn't a real multi battery charger. For instance, I wonder how many d700 users DON'T have more than one battery. I'm guessing very few.

-Dave

Big Mike · Oct 7, 2010

It's not too much of a big deal to just charge them one at at time though...or is it?

I've got 20 or 24 AA rechargeable batteries that I use for my flashes...and I only use a charger that can do 4 at a time...so I have to switch them, no big deal.

And it's even better with Camera batteries because they are Li-on and don't loose their charge like my NiMH AA do.

Taylor510ce · Oct 7, 2010

Delkin makes multi chargers. i got a dual one that came with seats/adapter for my canon lp-e6 batts, but you can by different adapters including for AA batts and use the same charger. I am sure they sell ones that do more than 2. I think I have seen one that did 4 at a time. Thats some hardcore shooting though.

Markw · Oct 9, 2010

I just had to charge all 24 of my Ni-MH batteries last night as well. 8 go on before I go to work, 8 go on when I come home, and the last 8 go on when I go to bed. It takes a while, but it works all the same. Cycled my 3 EN-EL3es on the same tiem frame. Worked out well. (shooting a wedding today) Would I love to see a charger that could charge all 3 batteries at once? Sure. Would I pay $200 for one? No. I can manage with the one that came with my camera. :lol:

Mark

GooniesNeverSayDie11 · Oct 9, 2010

Markw said:
I just had to charge all 24 of my Ni-MH batteries last night as well. 8 go on before I go to work, 8 go on when I come home, and the last 8 go on when I go to bed. It takes a while, but it works all the same. Cycled my 3 EN-EL3es on the same tiem frame. Worked out well. (shooting a wedding today) Would I love to see a charger that could charge all 3 batteries at once? Sure. Would I pay $200 for one? No. I can manage with the one that came with my camera.

Mark

That seems like pretty crappy battery life. I looked them up and its rated for 200 shots? My 7D batts are rated 850 shots. Not bragging, just shocked that the battery that is used for almost everything Nikon makes thats under $3000 (D50, D70, D70s, D80, D90, D100, D200, D300 and D700 ) gets that crappy of a life. I hear the D7000's batts will be capable of something around 1000 shots ( and looks like a pretty sweet camera all around ). If you are shooting weddings often maybe its time for an upgrade? :mrgreen: Then you can charge 1/4 of the batteries and still be capable of way more shots.

michaelleggero · Oct 12, 2010

ok, i've been doing this.. i have several chargers but i hate having to go all around the house to different plugs to charge all my batteries.. so i put all the chargers on a board side by side with double stick tape and then spliced all the wires into one plug.... this works fine because esentially that's what a big surge supressor does--just no surge supression.... and realistically the amount of current draw each charger takes is very low... .it looks kinda mad scientist ish but works very well

Mike Leggero

http://www.michaelleggero.com

frojas · Nov 27, 2010

You can make a bridge between both batts, connecting two fine cables from one batt to another.
This bridge will provide energy at the same time to the both batteries, and the charger will cut the energy when both batts are full load.

You must check the charger few times during the process because it might overheat. If so, you can modify the original idea to first connect both batts with two cables connecting the (+) and the (-) with different cables. Then add a resistance (1[ohm]) on one edge of one cable and connect the cables to the charger.
You'll get something like this:

BATT=BATT===CHARGER

*Warning: be very careful when connect everything and DON'T CROSS the (+) and the (-) on the batts and the charger. If the charger don't overheat and you think it takes too much to charge, you can reduce the resistant to 0.5[ohm] and try again.

Of course it's better to buy a new charger, but if you can't find one you can always adapt what you have.