Grip BG-E2 and batteries...

I searched a bit through the forum but couldn't find an answer...

I'm interested in buying the BG-E2 for the 20D.
Now from what I've read, it takes 6AA batteries or 2 BP511 or compatible.
If using with the BP511, do both batteries have to be identical? I have 4 of them, all different, 1 from the 20D, 1 from the G3, a BP511A and a generic one.
Can you mix them?
How does it work? Are both used at the same time, or does the BG-E2 switch if one is empty?

Thanks

You can use any BP511 or compatible batteries with the grip, according to the manual that comes with it. If you don't want to do that get a bunch from http://sterlingtek.com . It draws power from them at the same time, so one with less capacity might run down faster - then again it might not. I have Canon 511's in my grip, they do seem to run down at different, though similar rates, according to the blinking light on the chargers.

tim wrote:
You can use any BP511 or compatible batteries with the grip, according to the manual that comes with it. If you don't want to do that get a bunch from http://sterlingtek.com . It draws power from them at the same time, so one with less capacity might run down faster - then again it might not. I have Canon 511's in my grip, they do seem to run down at different, though similar rates, according to the blinking light on the chargers.

ok thanks, so no harm is done to the batteries when using different ones?
On every electronic device, it's always stated that you shouldn't mix different capacities or batteries, that's why I'm asking...

I'm not sure of the details, I just know what the manual says!

tim wrote:
I'm not sure of the details, I just know what the manual says!

have you got a link to manual (pdf) somewhere?

Nope, I have the manual in a shoe box downstairs is all

Just found a thread that deals with the same problem : https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=84947

I know, I posted on that thread. Depends if you want to believe people or the manual, if you can afford to get a couple of cheap new ones it becomes a non-issue.

I've used Canon's official battieries with a Sterlingtek one with no problems. Heck, the Sterlingtek outlasts the Canon.

new ones or simply just use one battery.
Normally I get about 1000 shots with one battery, so that's about what I shoot in a month, except when going on holiday, sporting events where family is involved, etc...

I'd rather use the grip for the extra buttons, portrait mode and not so much for the extra battery life, but I asked the question anyways so that I won't kill soemthing once I'm there...

Just the questions I needed to see myself.

Tim has just ordered a few more from Stirlingtek. We should get them in a few weeks.

Then I may look at a grip.

My generic outlasts the Canon as well.

I suspect my sterlingtek ones outlast my Canon ones, but they both work for so long I don't know. The only time I need to change bats when i'm using a grip is at weddings, even then they might last all day, I just don't want to lose a vital shot if they're lower than I thought.

The 6AA holder is for emergency back up. I believe the batteries are used sequencialy the right hand one first. Would think therefore you could mix your batteries, although better a matching set, The 1800ah from Sterlingtek are so cheap & powerful why not a matched pair, use your odd ones for back up & forget the AA holder. Bear in mind that you can use 1 battery only in the BG-E2.

Everything that I can learn about the grip tells me that the two batteries are in parallel. That means that a weak battery would take down a good battery. For that reason, I use only one battery at a time in my grip. The biggest advantage of doing that is that you know when one is too weak and when you put a second one in you could throw the first into a charger and keep going.

I have not sent my grip in for the "fix" yet, but should soon. When using the grip, I get a low battery warning long before the battery is actually down too far. Since I have three batteries, though, it isn't a show stopper for me. I just switch them out as needed in the field. For an indoor shoot, I take a charger along.

This was before I sent mine in for the fix. I had 2 batteries in it, and it stopped dead with the "battery kaput" warning. When I checked, one of the two was shot, but the other still had a full charge.