non-OEM batteries not charging

[cowman345]

Purchased some 511 batteries from eforcity on ebay. They don't seem to charge properly in my OEM charger. When I charge them, the lights immediately start flashing faster to indicate a near-full charge, and after 10-20 minutes, I have a solid light. I put the battery in my camera and it's less than half power already. What gives?

-dave-

p.s. my canon brand battery works fine.

[CyberDyneSystems]

I have not experienced this at all? I have two of the same batts (eforce city BP511) and so far both work fine.

Contact Eforce city maybe and get an exchange?

Do they all show this same problem? I wonder if there could be an incompatibilty with the cahrger,.. what model charger do you use. The one I got with my 10D seems to work fine.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Also,. you may want ot try and run one of these batteries down all the way,. see how long it lasts.

[leony]

This is a known problem with non-OEM batteries. To save cost, manufacturers don't put the micro-chip like the one Canon does - which communicates with the charger to prevent over-charging and camera to properly show battery level.

~ Leon.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Really?

Why haven't I run into this problem.

I have 5 "Non Canon" BP511 compatible batts from three different manufacturers?

I suppose another silution could be a smart charger like the Lenmar Mach One,.. but they all seem to charge just fine in my Canon Charger as well.

[Dans_D60]

We purchase thousands of batteries for our medical devices from China and other countries. I can almost guarantee that several outfits that sell batteries on eBay are from the spot market which means they failed a quality inspection somewhere along the process. Could be a simple cosmetic issue and the batteries will work fine or a functional problem and who knows what problems may crop up. I suppose if you can get them cheap enough than who cares. But, be aware spot market components almost never meet the original manufacture’s quality specifications.
Dan
http://www.pettusphoto.com

[robertwgross]

I have one original Canon BP511 that works fine, and then I have one Lenmar knockoff that works fine and has slightly better ampacity. I generally alternate their use.

It is not unusual that any rechargeable battery gets "funky", either through poor manufacturing or through poor charging, and you really don't know what the hell is going on when you purchase third-rate batteries from a fourth-rate vendor... on Ebay, of course.

Ebay is the perfect place for unscrupulous vendors to unload their crappy products. Then scammers make it even worse.

---Bob Gross---

[Kees Terberg]

I have 1 original 511 battery which works fine. 4 non Canon ones of which 3 give me similar results to the real Canon one. The 4th one which has the same problem as you mentioned. Even though it is empty according to my camera, the recharger immediately indicates it to be nearly to completely charged. I have tried to leave it in the recharger overnight without result. I do not even know what brand it is but they were rather cheap (from 7dayshop.com in Guernsey)

I presume that comes as a risk when you buy cheapies...

[cowman345]

I had one that was completely dead and wouldn't even turn on the camera, I sent that one back with no problem. Eforcity stands by their product, at least. I'm still waiting for the replacement for that one to come. In the meantime I've ordered some canons for only about 15 bucks each, so that should hold me over and I'll end up using the cheapies as a backup I guess.

[sstinman]

Look guys yes the non-Canon brands will have more failed batteries. This sounds like a bad cell within the battery. But at 1/7 of the cost you can afford to burn a few and still be cheaper than the Canon brand.

Conntact Eforce by telephone and get an RMA. I've had to return a non-Motorola desk charger before and it all worked out well.

I also have 2 non-Canon NB-2L from eForce. Both work fine since day one and they do charge just fine in the Canon charger. And yes they have the chip built in them.