G2 first battery charge

Hello,
I just bought a G2 and had been playing around with it up until the battery died and I needed to recharge it. There is a lot of discussion on batteries in this forum but no specific answer to my particular problem. In some of the threads on the forum some people have mentioned getting their batteries pre-charged. That was what also happened in my case. The camera works fine with the powersupply plugged in the wall. The problem is that the charging light blinks (in orange 3 rapid blinks and a pause repeated) but it never stops blinking. Even after charging it for hours (or overnight) I get the low battery sign on the LCD once I try turning it on and it imediately goes off. I should get some charge after at least an hour shouldn't I ? I've read messages saying that overnight charging or up to 16 h was needed for full charge. What is needed for the first charge? Days?
I've since been back to the shop to get another battery but again the same problem.
I've been back to the shop yet again and this time got a second camera. I am now reliving the past two days. The guy in the shop is friendly but not too helpful. Is this just a bad lot of G2s or is this to be expected.
I have checked the obvious things that have been mentioned in the battery threads such as being in the off position, checking the flashcard door and the firmware on the camera is the most up to date (checked it on the canon web page).
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Looking forward to any replies.
Sincerely,
Jonathan

It could be that your charger is defective. Can you get a replacement?

Hi Skip,
I got a completely new set up the second time round(camera, charger, etc) and it has been charging for over two hours and when I last checked I got the familiar "Lb" low battery on LCD.
Maybe third time lucky?

Jonathan,

The battery takes several hours to charge from dead flat. Have you read page 16 of the manual? It says (among other things) "The indicator beside the viewfinder will flash orange while the battery pack is charging and change to steady orange when it is approx. 90% charged, which is adequate for use. If it is charged for approximately 2 more hours, it will become fully charged and the indicator will switch to green."

If all else fails, read the instructions.

Graham Coward
Melbourne, Australia

Hello Graham,
I've been through the manual and read the pages on charging the battery and the troubling shoot section. I found the info there somewhat limit compared to what was available through the forum. I have been trying with the second camera for about 17 h and notice that it will give up blinking after several hours but giving neither steady orange nor green. When I turn the camera on, the low battery sign comes on and the camera shuts down. When I switch it back to the off position the light starts blink away as usual.
I am figuring that Skip's suggestion of the (internal) charger being defective is proabably right.
I'll be back in the shop tomorrow and probably get another camera to try out. Maybe if I'm lucky I'll be able to take some pictures over the Easter holidays.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Sincerely,
Jonathan

Did you by the camera new? If not, or if it was on the shelf for awhile the firmware might be old. You can find the newest firmware at http://www.powershot.c​om …t2/customer/fir​mware.html

The firmware does include a fix for the charging routine. Please read the instructions carefully to confirm you need the update and how to perform the update if needed.

That's not so good. Before you do anything else with a brand new battery, you need to charge it. Pre-charged or not, if the battery died without ever having been charged, it might be damaged. Always first charge the battery if you get brand new equipment.