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Contax 645 rechargeable batteries - what's in a name?

lowep

Member
Are 2cr5-type rechargeable batteries and chargers interchangeable or do they blow up, melt down or start smoking if you use the wrong combo of battery brand and charger?

:confused:

As Contax 645 is a battery burner I have been using 6V Lenmar DL2CR5 rechargeable Li-ion batteries. Now the charger is kaput so I have to replace it. Printed on my 3 perfectly good batteries is a warning only to recharge them with Lenmar's KitDL2CR5 battery charger. However as far as I can see so far this particular charger is not available in Europe.

So do I have to dump my perfectly good DL2CR5 batteries or just buy some other charger for 2CR5-type li-ion batteries?
 

raywest

Member
Hi,
Not wanting to give a definite answer, but a number of years ago I wrote something wrt batteries in general, copied to one of my sites http://www.rwc.yertiz.com/batart.htm. The lithium ion stuff is towards the end of the article. It may give some information to help you decide. I have no specific knowledge of the manufacturers you mention, but email me if you want a few other suggestions.

Best wishes,

Ray
 

gogopix

Subscriber
Are 2cr5-type rechargeable batteries and chargers interchangeable or do they blow up, melt down or start smoking if you use the wrong combo of battery brand and charger?

:confused:

As Contax 645 is a battery burner I have been using 6V Lenmar DL2CR5 rechargeable Li-ion batteries. Now the charger is kaput so I have to replace it. Printed on my 3 perfectly good batteries is a warning only to recharge them with Lenmar's KitDL2CR5 battery charger. However as far as I can see so far this particular charger is not available in Europe.

So do I have to dump my perfectly good DL2CR5 batteries or just buy some other charger for 2CR5-type li-ion batteries?
won't a US seller send to europe? I buy from europe and far east all the time (just ordered sandals from Italy) no problem.

If you find in US i would be happy to get and send to you.

BTW, as Contax owner and user, I find I'm getting 600+ images with throw-aways. I have a chinese recharge but pretty useless, as they dont get many recharges. Are lammars better?

Regards

Victor
 

lowep

Member
Re: Contax 645 rechargeable batteries - happy ending

here is how this particular saga got a happy ending thanks to some good advice :)

Hi Peter. Yes that all makes sense to me.

Just check that the label on the R2CR5 battery says Li-ion and that the DL2CR5 is also Li-ion (according to my research they should both be).

If so then pop the DL2CR5 in the charger and away you go! The "warning" on the charger is just an example of "buy more from us"....

I hope this answers your intelligent (not dumb at all!) question, as I always say; "If you don't know, and you don't ask, how will you ever know?".....

B


REPLY

Thanks B for this excellent advice.

After receiving your email this morning I screwed up enough courage to put the battery in the charger in the spare room (just in case it did decide to go bang). Now I have just finished charging the old Lenmar DL2cr5 battery in the new R2cr5 charger, so I can go out and work with my camera again. Wonderful :)

In fact @#$#@ AMAZING!

The old DL2cr5 did not even get warm when it was charging....

As far as I can figure out the root of my problem is that Lenmar is an American company that does not have much activity in Europe, which I found out the hard way during a recent trip to Europe trying to find a replacement Lenmar charger for the used Lenmar Kit 2cr5 charger that I had bought with my used camera in the USA about a year ago. ... Instead I ended up with an alternate charger which is so similar to the old Lenmar charger that I can even interchange the adapter plates.

Thanks to you this problem is now solved.

Your advice very much appreciated,

Peter
 

lowep

Member
BTW the Lenmar KIT2CR5 that I had a hard time tracking down in Europe earlier this year is now available in The Netherlands
 
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