[kfdmarketing]

My Pentax battery charger received with K20D (about 2 1/2 years old) has started acting strangely.

The 'charging' light used to just stay on and then turn off when the battery was charged as it should. Now, when the battery is placed in the charger, the light indicator turns red for a split second and turns off even if I know the battery charge is low and needs charging.

Is this an indicator that I need new batteries, a charger or both? I don't want to screw up the battery if the charger is actually working.

Anyone had this problem? Ideas? Just curious before another battery charger (and batteries) are purchased.

Thank you.

[Adam]

I would recommend getting another battery to identify the cause of the issue. I doubt the charger is at fault, though- at that age, it's more likely that the battery has reached the end of its service life (which is several hundred cycles if charged and drained fully each time).

[kfdmarketing]

Thanks, Adam. I have two batteries and the charger was acting the same for both however it appears one battery is now charging and the other may have indeed reached the end of its service life.

[twey]

Thanks, Adam. I have two batteries and the charger was acting the same for both however it appears one battery is now charging and the other may have indeed reached the end of its service life.

Check the voltage of battery. If the battery been over drain (very low voltage), the charger may stop charging by protect itself from over current. I normally deal with such with a trickle charge a dumb charger with the same rating as the battery) to give it a boost before put back to regular charger. Sometime (not always) it will bring it back to service.