istDL drains the batteries

old_vagrant · 08-01-2011, 11:57 AM

I wonder if anyone has experienced this problem - my istDL started to drain the batteries within seconds. Any idea or recommendations?

**Ash** · 08-01-2011, 12:15 PM

Hi there.
Have you considered whether your batteries (if rechargeable) are getting old and do not hold charge well even when fully charged, or (if non-rechargeable) are not high powered enough or are faulty?

This is more of a beginner's question/issue, not a discussion on the dSLR, so:

Click on the image to open gallery

old_vagrant · 08-01-2011, 12:56 PM

OK,

I don't really care what category this question falls into - as soon as I can get any suggestions a tiny bit better than recommendation to change the batteries... Been there, done that....
ALL kind of batteries (including fresh CR-V3) are drained as soon as I put them in camera. Checked with voltmeter before and after - yes, they are empty after 15 sec in camera...

**Ash** · 08-01-2011, 01:04 PM

I wouldn't have suggested new batteries if you mentioned it earlier.
Nevertheless, it sounds as if your camera is causing some sort of short circuiting to effectively drain a new set of batteries in 15sec. Can you confirm this by investigating your battery contacts and compartment?

**Just1MoreDave** · 08-01-2011, 01:11 PM

There are a couple of long-running threads in the DSLR forum about peculiar *ist DL battery problems. I wonder if there's some kind of part used in that model that just dies. First thread doesn't have a lot of answers, second has a lot of things to try:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/17429-%2Aist-dl-wont-power-up.html

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/13335-%2Aist-dl-batteries.html

Dead in 15 seconds is a little extreme. The batteries would at least get quite hot, and several attempts like this might have melted something in the camera's battery compartment. Check that, and see if the contacts are clean too.

old_vagrant · 08-01-2011, 04:13 PM

Originally posted by Ash

I wouldn't have suggested new batteries if you mentioned it earlier.
Nevertheless, it sounds as if your camera is causing some sort of short circuiting to effectively drain a new set of batteries in 15sec. Can you confirm this by investigating your battery contacts and compartment?

Thanks, I actually suspected that it might be a circuit somewhere. Yes, I
checked the battery compartment - looks like new, no slightest damage (I take good care of it - it's my secondary camera body and it didn't see much of use at all...). Could it be somewhere else? Though, having said that - where in a hell it can possibly be? Camera has never been opened, has never been even slightly wet, never been dropped, etc... The only thing that come to my mind is that once upon a time (I was in a hurry) I tried to plug a remote into power supply plug (which is next to remote)... Again, there is no visible damage... Is it worth to open camera and have a look at it? I was hesitating in doing it - I am not that good with precise devices...

old_vagrant · 08-01-2011, 04:14 PM

Thanks, will read them ASAP

gp1806 · 08-01-2011, 06:40 PM

I think it was in the second thread above that got into much more detail. Look there for a description of the battery contacts that carry the current into the camera. With the power switch set to off, check the resistance between these two contacts, it should be very very high resistance. I don't remember you saying if your DL drains the batteries while on or off or both. Check the resistance again with the power switch set to on, the resistance should not be zero or even close to zero. If you get a zero, or near zero resistance reading in either test, you could sell the camera as broken (not worth much) or try to fix it yourself. If you are not good with such problems, best to sell it as a broken camera. There might be costs for doing your own repair. Do you have the needed tools? Like a set of JIS screwdrivers? Soldering pencil? Etc? Repair cost from Pentax would exceed the price of a working used DL.

old_vagrant · 08-02-2011, 07:03 AM

gp1806,

I do have needed tools (used to repair mechanical cameras for a hobby) but everything with electrical or electronic is almost Greek to me. Seems though that I can get help from friend of mine, at least now I can pass your suggestions to him and see if it the problem can be identified. Thanks!

08-01-2011, 11:57 AM	#1
old_vagrant New Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Montreal Posts: 5	istDL drains the batteries I wonder if anyone has experienced this problem - my istDL started to drain the batteries within seconds. Any idea or recommendations?

08-01-2011, 12:15 PM	#2
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	Hi there. Have you considered whether your batteries (if rechargeable) are getting old and do not hold charge well even when fully charged, or (if non-rechargeable) are not high powered enough or are faulty? This is more of a beginner's question/issue, not a discussion on the dSLR, so: Click on the image to open gallery Last edited by Ash; 08-01-2011 at 02:23 PM.

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08-01-2011, 12:56 PM	#3
old_vagrant New Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Montreal Posts: 5 Original Poster	OK, I don't really care what category this question falls into - as soon as I can get any suggestions a tiny bit better than recommendation to change the batteries... Been there, done that.... ALL kind of batteries (including fresh CR-V3) are drained as soon as I put them in camera. Checked with voltmeter before and after - yes, they are empty after 15 sec in camera...

08-01-2011, 01:04 PM	#4
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	I wouldn't have suggested new batteries if you mentioned it earlier. Nevertheless, it sounds as if your camera is causing some sort of short circuiting to effectively drain a new set of batteries in 15sec. Can you confirm this by investigating your battery contacts and compartment?

08-01-2011, 01:11 PM	#5
Just1MoreDave Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Aurora, CO Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,340	There are a couple of long-running threads in the DSLR forum about peculiar *ist DL battery problems. I wonder if there's some kind of part used in that model that just dies. First thread doesn't have a lot of answers, second has a lot of things to try: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/17429-%2Aist-dl-wont-power-up.html https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/13335-%2Aist-dl-batteries.html Dead in 15 seconds is a little extreme. The batteries would at least get quite hot, and several attempts like this might have melted something in the camera's battery compartment. Check that, and see if the contacts are clean too.

08-01-2011, 04:13 PM	#6
old_vagrant New Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Montreal Posts: 5 Original Poster	Originally posted by Ash I wouldn't have suggested new batteries if you mentioned it earlier. Nevertheless, it sounds as if your camera is causing some sort of short circuiting to effectively drain a new set of batteries in 15sec. Can you confirm this by investigating your battery contacts and compartment? Thanks, I actually suspected that it might be a circuit somewhere. Yes, I checked the battery compartment - looks like new, no slightest damage (I take good care of it - it's my secondary camera body and it didn't see much of use at all...). Could it be somewhere else? Though, having said that - where in a hell it can possibly be? Camera has never been opened, has never been even slightly wet, never been dropped, etc... The only thing that come to my mind is that once upon a time (I was in a hurry) I tried to plug a remote into power supply plug (which is next to remote)... Again, there is no visible damage... Is it worth to open camera and have a look at it? I was hesitating in doing it - I am not that good with precise devices...

08-01-2011, 04:14 PM	#7
old_vagrant New Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Montreal Posts: 5 Original Poster	Thanks, will read them ASAP

08-01-2011, 06:40 PM	#8
gp1806 Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chicago suburbs Photos: Albums Posts: 848	I think it was in the second thread above that got into much more detail. Look there for a description of the battery contacts that carry the current into the camera. With the power switch set to off, check the resistance between these two contacts, it should be very very high resistance. I don't remember you saying if your DL drains the batteries while on or off or both. Check the resistance again with the power switch set to on, the resistance should not be zero or even close to zero. If you get a zero, or near zero resistance reading in either test, you could sell the camera as broken (not worth much) or try to fix it yourself. If you are not good with such problems, best to sell it as a broken camera. There might be costs for doing your own repair. Do you have the needed tools? Like a set of JIS screwdrivers? Soldering pencil? Etc? Repair cost from Pentax would exceed the price of a working used DL.

08-02-2011, 07:03 AM	#9
old_vagrant New Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Montreal Posts: 5 Original Poster	gp1806, I do have needed tools (used to repair mechanical cameras for a hobby) but everything with electrical or electronic is almost Greek to me. Seems though that I can get help from friend of mine, at least now I can pass your suggestions to him and see if it the problem can be identified. Thanks!