bp-511

[kwclay]

Looking to buy a couple of backup batteries. The manual calls for the BP-511 7.4v. I've seen a number of these on E-bay that are 7.2v.

Wondering if anyone has used these in the D30 or D60 and whether or not there would be any problems.

Thanks in advance
Ken

[lziering]

It may be risky to buy batteries on eBay--you just don't know what you are getting unless you know the brand of the battery. One of the best makers of batteries is Maha/PowerEx. They usually exceed OEM battery performance and cost $39.

http://www.mahaenergy.com

[deztoys]

I've purchased about 8 so far from eForcity on eBay and have had zero problems with them. Ant they are way cheaper than the $39. I think the lowest price I've paid so far is 12.99 or so.



http://www.eforcity.com/

[Dans_D60]

Li-ion battery cells are commonly found in 3.6 or 3.7 nominal voltage values. The Canon BP-511 is a dual cell configuration [7.2V or 7.4V]. Li-ion batteries are charged above nominal voltage ratings to about 4.2V [8.4V for the BP-511]. So the 7.2V rating will work fine. More importantly is the discharge rate and number of recharges that most manufacturers (especially on e-Bay) do not disclose. A Li-ion battery is considered fully discharged at approximately 2.75V per cell or about 5.5V on the BP-511. Li-ion batteries are also affected by temperature and tend not to fully charge when very cold and will discharge much faster.
http://www.pettusphoto.com/discharge.jpg

Be careful that batteries purchased on e-Bay are not what is called “nonconforming” parts. Large contract manufacturers will sometimes sell (dump) on the grey market components that still work but fail to fully meet the specifications. Nonconforming batteries may be just as good as compliant versions, but in some cases it’s junk. Let the buyer beware!
Dan
http://www.pettusphoto.com

[robertwgross]

I got the original BP-511 that came from Canon, and then I purchased another generic one that came from Lenmar for $40, and the generic one has a slightly higher milliampere-hour rating than the Canon one. The *rated* voltage is always around 7.2-7.4. However, if you charge one up good, it will be around 8.4 volts. That is just the normal nature of a rechargeable lithium battery.

---Bob Gross---

[kwclay]

Thanks for the quick feedback. Really helps, didn't want to mess up and get the wrong thing.

Ken

[CyberDyneSystems]

I have two of the "Eforce city" batteries from E-bay.

They work,. but they don't last as long as the Maha Powerex,..

I would recomend the Powerex batteries.

My "ebay" specials are only a week old,. but my gut tells me they will not be around as long as the powerex batta,. in fact the plastic housing is so flimsy it flexes when you apply even slight pressure on the rounded parts with your finger,..

Like I say they work, but I am dubious about there quality and logevity.