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Best charger for Phase BP915 Batteries ?

Stefan Steib

Active member
Ok as we all know our backs need some energy. We all have a bunch of these BP915 batteries in our bags. Now the supplied Hähnel twin charger seems to be working only for a limited time and then stops charging at useless low levels but stating the batteries are 100 % full. Had this twice now (after about 1,5 years of operation) - 3 customers of mine using Phase backs stating the same. I am now using a couple of cheapo ones from ebay, not elegant and slow but working !

So did onyone find a better solution ? EG something like the Sony charger AC-VQL1BP for the NPF550 video batteries ? there must be something better - and faster than this Hähnel thing.

regards

Stefan Steib HCam.de
 
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yatlee

Member
Hi Stefan, how did tell the batteries are not at 100%. Are they shown as not fully charged when you insert it into the back? Just curious. I've using the Canon dual battery charger. It seems to work fine.
 

Stefan Steib

Active member
Hi Yatlee

This is a slow process. The charger always starts normal from empty and after charge shows you the batteries are 100 % full but it charges less and less. In the end you only get about 20-30 images before the battery goes empty. BUT - if you put the same battery into a cheap charger from Ebay (around 10-15 € with free shipment) the same battery takes power again and will charge fully working for at least 50-80 shots again (taken during maybe 2-3 hours with lots of enlarging and scrolling and viewing) So I´d say the electronics of the Hähnel Twin charger goes bust. It´s also not of any use to buy new Batteries, they will also not load fully on this charger. It cannot be adjusted or repaired, so you can just buy a new one (intention ?) which I did once a year ago and I ended at the same behaviour as the first time. Several customers of mine using Phase Backs and this charger report the same thing.
I have already checked B&H, they also have a dual charger for 79 $ but shipment to germany is about another 59 $ and I don´t know if this is fully 220V compatible , so I am looking now into a solution that will last for some time and improve the whole handling.
As we also use the same batteries on the HCam this is of great interest for me.

Can you tell me the Canon Part number or exact device name of your charger ?

Regards

Stefan
 
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Christopher

Active member
The Phase charger is crap. I have never used such a bad charger before. I have had three so far and even the newest is starting to get on my nerv.

I NEVER had a problem with a canon or nikon or Sony charger....
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I have 2 Hahnel chargers and they work okay but when traveling I use a charger from B&h for a single battery that cost 14 dollars and actually carry two of them since they pack better. I will update this post with a link later.

BTW untested but my IQ back is better with regards to battery life than the Plus series. This is a welcome benefit as I thought all along it would be worse given the UI and more useful use out of it.
 

kdphotography

Well-known member

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
I have 4 of the Phase/Hahnels and am still on my first or second one back from my P45+ days and it works great. With the IQ180, I find I get over 16GB worth of images on a single battery, which means I need one or two batteries per day max. But I do not chimp much, so YMMV. Anyway, because of it's size and bulk, I also use the tiny little single charger Guy linked to for travel. It takes about 6 hours to fully do one Phase battery, but it will charge it to 100% (Indicator light goes "green" at 80% in about 4 hours FWIW, so I leave it on an extra 2 and get 100%.) With this, 4 batteries and 5 or 6 16GB cards in my bag, I am good for almost any shoot.
 

Stefan Steib

Active member
Hi Jack
Interesting - maybe at 110 volts they do last longer ?

But there is something which I do not understand - I always had the problem that when shooting intensely for a whole day and ending up in the evening with about any battery empty, I would need about 4-5 double chargers that would need to run the whole night when I go to bed so I have enough power for the next day when there is another full shoot. (remember we also use the same batteries for our HCam-B1 - power consumption is a bit less compared to the backs/my P45+) so if I have less chargers (or even single chargers) I would have to get up in the night and change the batteries ? (actually I already had to do this !) I think this is not OK ! And I would believe there needs to be a quick charge device which does this in 1 hour.
Nobody else running into this problem ?

Regards
Stefan
 

kdphotography

Well-known member
For capacity and battery life, I know that charging "slow" is better for rechargeable batteries. It seems my Hahnel charges faster than what Jack mentions the single Pearstone charger does---the slower trickle of the Pearstone would be a good thing.

Stefan, Maybe get Jack/Guy to bring a Pearstone double charger for you at the Capture Integration New England workshop?
 
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Stefan Steib

Active member
I am already working on a really nice power 4xsolution (slow and fast possible) , found something very interesting - I´ll keep you guys updated.
As of the Capture Integration Workshop - I still have to work out if I can come - need to speak with Dave Gallagher about how we can arrange this.

Regards
Stefan
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
My Hahnel charges two batteries fully in about 4 hours or so, so yes, it's a lot faster than the little Pearstone. But if I have 4 batteries and went through two the day before, I can charge one over-night, then another during the morning shoot or even in the car. (The Pearstone has a 12v car adapter too.)
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I am already working on a really nice power 4xsolution (slow and fast possible) , found something very interesting - I´ll keep you guys updated.
As of the Capture Integration Workshop - I still have to work out if I can come - need to speak with Dave Gallagher about how we can arrange this.

Regards
Stefan
Love to see you there and bring the Bi-cam.:D
 

yatlee

Member
Canon CH-910 is the part no. It also allows you to charge and use two batteries at once. My friend recommended this to me as he was using it for long exposure. I'm in a 220v country, the charger works fine.
Hi Yatlee

This is a slow process. The charger always starts normal from empty and after charge shows you the batteries are 100 % full but it charges less and less. In the end you only get about 20-30 images before the battery goes empty. BUT - if you put the same battery into a cheap charger from Ebay (around 10-15 € with free shipment) the same battery takes power again and will charge fully working for at least 50-80 shots again (taken during maybe 2-3 hours with lots of enlarging and scrolling and viewing) So I´d say the electronics of the Hähnel Twin charger goes bust. It´s also not of any use to buy new Batteries, they will also not load fully on this charger. It cannot be adjusted or repaired, so you can just buy a new one (intention ?) which I did once a year ago and I ended at the same behaviour as the first time. Several customers of mine using Phase Backs and this charger report the same thing.
I have already checked B&H, they also have a dual charger for 79 $ but shipment to germany is about another 59 $ and I don´t know if this is fully 220V compatible , so I am looking now into a solution that will last for some time and improve the whole handling.
As we also use the same batteries on the HCam this is of great interest for me.

Can you tell me the Canon Part number or exact device name of your charger ?

Regards

Stefan
 

Stefan Steib

Active member
Thanks Yatlee
I will take a look and hope this is still available.
Alternatively I have decided I will invest into a 4 slot luxury device now,
this has 3 slots which are slowloaders (but still probably faster than the Hähnel) and 1x fast one- will be for the BP930 and BP945 large batteries that we use on the HCam twice/triple the power of the BP915- also possible to use in case of emergency - will heat the standard BP915 very much but will probably work for some cycles with double speed. Device has also charge and discharge electronic control and analysis for Battery life - so I can be sure the batteries show me their real potential and when I need to replace them.
I think if someone uses a 35000 $ device, these 800 $ for a perfect power supply will be a good investment. And I have decided that we will sell this to our customers also. Will get my test device probably until end of August, then I will run it for some weeks (if I go to The workshop I will bring it with me and show it). This comes from a video Pro Gear maker and will be custom modified for this 3slow+1fast Phase/HCam version that I wanted.

These cheapo Ebay loaders made me sick...........no more:thumbup:

Regards

Stefan
 

vjbelle

Well-known member
Stefan,

The Canon CH-910 does not allow for the charging of two batteries at once. I have one of those chargers and it charges sequentially. It was, at the time, very expensive..... you know how Canon is! I wouldn't bother unless you can pick one up very cheap.

Victor
 

Stefan Steib

Active member
Vjbelle

I see- like the one that came with my Canon D60 in 2002. was a good charger but also died 1-2 years ago. And yes I once tried to buy a second one but after hearing the price gave up the plan.....;-(

Regards
Stefan
 
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