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**kmccanta** · 02-20-2007, 05:09 PM

I purchased the Moby RCRV3's from thomasdistributing based on advice from here and the "other" forum...

I received my K100D today! Hooray! but the batteries do not touch the camera battery contacts... BOOO...

What gives? I thought many users were happily snapping away with this combination... I've never owned a CRV3 battery before. are they not supposed to have recessed contacts?

How did anyone else use the Moby batteries then?

I am confused about the advice a received. Did I miss part of it?

signed "waiting-for-my-NIMH-batts-to-charge"

MPrince · 02-20-2007, 05:29 PM

If by RCRV3 you mean rechargeable CRV3 batteries, the manual states specifically not to use rechargeable CRV3 batteries. See page 26 of the manual.

I have used regular CRV3 batteries in my K100D, they fit perfectly.

**kmccanta** · 02-20-2007, 05:34 PM

thanks, I am aware of the warning in the manual. I have also read in these forums of other users who have confirmed that regulated recharable CRV3 batteries pose no risk to the camera. The issue apparently is related to some brands of unregulated RCRV3 having too high of voltage for the camera.

My question relates to the shape of the battery. Do your CRV3 batteris have recessed battery terminals? On AA batts, the ends are all metal and the positive terminal has a metal bump protruding. On these RCRV3 batts I have, all the terminals are recessed. so when inserting in the cam, the cameras contacts only touch the plastic ends of the batteries.

could you confirm the shape of your batteries and camera contacts? Are mine different?

-k

MPrince · 02-20-2007, 05:48 PM

The terminals are recessed. The CRV3 batteries only fit one way, and it is the opposite of the way AA batteries fit in.

Hold your camera upside down with lens side facing away from you. On the battery compartment closest to you, with AA batteries, the positive side up battery goes on the left, the negative side up battery goes on the right.

With the CRV3, the recessed terminals should face down, placing the positive terminal on the right side of the compartment.

I hope my description is lucid, and if that doesn't work, then I don't know what the problem is, sorry.

Tom Brown · 02-20-2007, 05:56 PM

Originally posted by kmccanta

I have also read in these forums of other users who have confirmed that regulated recharable CRV3 batteries pose no risk to the camera.

I've read quite a bit but I've never read there is no risk. Getting away with it and no risk are two different things.

I really enjoy my K100D and wish to treat it well so I'm sticking to NiMH to keep the cost down and I back them up with couple of sets of lithium cells in case I'm ever caught short on power.

I'm currently just over 700 shots (only about 50 with flash) in about two weeks with NiMH cells I put in the camera the second day I got it. When I'm out in the cold, the display indicates half charge but when I come back in, it goes back to full. These cameras are amazingly efficient on power. I wonder how long I'll get on a charge?

**kmccanta** · 02-20-2007, 05:57 PM

Your description is lucid. thanks. but the batts I have are keyed. I cant insert them in any other configuration; spinning or flipping them, they just dont go in.

The problem seems to be the terminals onthe battery door itself. they do not touch any part of the batteries except the plastic surrounding the recessed terminals.

Does your camera have pointy metal things on the terminals in the battery compartment door to reach the recessed battery terminals?

this is so frustrating.

SpecialK · 02-20-2007, 06:12 PM

Originally posted by kmccanta

Your description is lucid. thanks. but the batts I have are keyed. I cant insert them in any other configuration; spinning or flipping them, they just dont go in.

The problem seems to be the terminals onthe battery door itself. they do not touch any part of the batteries except the plastic surrounding the recessed terminals.

Does your camera have pointy metal things on the terminals in the battery compartment door to reach the recessed battery terminals?

this is so frustrating.

How about popping in some AA's so you can take and post a picture of your CRV's for us ? :-)

**kmccanta** · 02-20-2007, 07:37 PM

OK, thanks for the suggestions... I did charge some NIMHs I had in the drawer and got to turn on the camera finally...

I also went back and looked more carefully at the camera and batteries. The metal things on the battery compartment door are only used to connect AA's together. The CRV3's have terminals there, but I guess its only for charging or something... I remembered that I also charged my backup set of RCRV#'s so I tried those.

AND they work! So I swapped around and was able to isolate one battery as a culprit. I am going to take it to work tomorrow and measure the voltage, give them another charge and see how the react. Maybe one of the batts is just bad. maybe it just didnt get charged somehow.

Anyway, it mostly working and I will report if I find anything interesting...

chedoy · 02-21-2007, 09:56 AM

Originally posted by kmccanta

The metal things on the battery compartment door are only used to connect AA's together. The CRV3's have terminals there, but I guess its only for charging or something...

Yikes. If the RCRV3's fit that way (upside down) , and you were able to close the battery door, that would be a wonderful short circuit on the battery. Kaboom if the battery circuits doesn't protect you.

I can't find my RCRV3's, so dunno if they would actually go in that way into a K100D. I don't use them because they put out 4.2 volts (unregulated cheap ebay junk).

**barondla** · 02-21-2007, 09:19 PM

I helped a friend send in a DS that used rechargeble crv3 batts. It locked the camera up on the main menu. Could not even turn camera off, except taking batts out. I would just use Sanyo Eneloops.
thanks
barondla

**kmccanta** · 02-22-2007, 12:35 AM

Hmmm, that is the first post that I have encountered that said more than speculation about the risk of using RCRV3.

Were they regulated to 3Volts? or pumping out 4+??

Anyway, it seems my initial troubles were due to a stupid mixup charging the batteries. One of them was not charged... maybe I made a mistake when swapping the fresh ones out of the charger, and put a charged one back in... I dont know. Anyway, I checked em with a multimeter today and they are all 3V

The troublesome one charged fine, and all is well.

Thanks for everyones attention and help.

RiceHigh · 02-22-2007, 12:47 AM

Originally posted by kmccanta

Hmmm, that is the first post that I have encountered that said more than speculation about the risk of using RCRV3.

Were they regulated to 3Volts? or pumping out 4+??

Anyway, it seems my initial troubles were due to a stupid mixup charging the batteries. One of them was not charged... maybe I made a mistake when swapping the fresh ones out of the charger, and put a charged one back in... I dont know. Anyway, I checked em with a multimeter today and they are all 3V

The troublesome one charged fine, and all is well.

Thanks for everyones attention and help.

Congrats then. I bet you're the few ones of Pentax "AA battery DSLR" users who have solved the rechargeable battery issue completely and will have a fully performed and stable DSLR!

Happy shooting and no more half-depleted battery warning most of the time and no more slow AF and hunting! :-))

02-20-2007, 05:09 PM	#1
kmccanta Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Portland, Oregon Photos: Gallery Posts: 218	K100D needs modification to use RCRV3? I purchased the Moby RCRV3's from thomasdistributing based on advice from here and the "other" forum... I received my K100D today! Hooray! but the batteries do not touch the camera battery contacts... BOOO... What gives? I thought many users were happily snapping away with this combination... I've never owned a CRV3 battery before. are they not supposed to have recessed contacts? How did anyone else use the Moby batteries then? I am confused about the advice a received. Did I miss part of it? signed "waiting-for-my-NIMH-batts-to-charge"

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02-20-2007, 05:29 PM	#2
MPrince Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: WV Posts: 1,495	If by RCRV3 you mean rechargeable CRV3 batteries, the manual states specifically not to use rechargeable CRV3 batteries. See page 26 of the manual. I have used regular CRV3 batteries in my K100D, they fit perfectly.

02-20-2007, 05:34 PM	#3
kmccanta Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Portland, Oregon Photos: Gallery Posts: 218 Original Poster	thanks, I am aware of the warning in the manual. I have also read in these forums of other users who have confirmed that regulated recharable CRV3 batteries pose no risk to the camera. The issue apparently is related to some brands of unregulated RCRV3 having too high of voltage for the camera. My question relates to the shape of the battery. Do your CRV3 batteris have recessed battery terminals? On AA batts, the ends are all metal and the positive terminal has a metal bump protruding. On these RCRV3 batts I have, all the terminals are recessed. so when inserting in the cam, the cameras contacts only touch the plastic ends of the batteries. could you confirm the shape of your batteries and camera contacts? Are mine different? -k

02-20-2007, 05:48 PM	#4
MPrince Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: WV Posts: 1,495	The terminals are recessed. The CRV3 batteries only fit one way, and it is the opposite of the way AA batteries fit in. Hold your camera upside down with lens side facing away from you. On the battery compartment closest to you, with AA batteries, the positive side up battery goes on the left, the negative side up battery goes on the right. With the CRV3, the recessed terminals should face down, placing the positive terminal on the right side of the compartment. I hope my description is lucid, and if that doesn't work, then I don't know what the problem is, sorry.

02-20-2007, 05:56 PM	#5
Tom Brown Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 106	Originally posted by kmccanta I have also read in these forums of other users who have confirmed that regulated recharable CRV3 batteries pose no risk to the camera. I've read quite a bit but I've never read there is no risk. Getting away with it and no risk are two different things. I really enjoy my K100D and wish to treat it well so I'm sticking to NiMH to keep the cost down and I back them up with couple of sets of lithium cells in case I'm ever caught short on power. I'm currently just over 700 shots (only about 50 with flash) in about two weeks with NiMH cells I put in the camera the second day I got it. When I'm out in the cold, the display indicates half charge but when I come back in, it goes back to full. These cameras are amazingly efficient on power. I wonder how long I'll get on a charge?

02-20-2007, 05:57 PM	#6
kmccanta Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Portland, Oregon Photos: Gallery Posts: 218 Original Poster	Your description is lucid. thanks. but the batts I have are keyed. I cant insert them in any other configuration; spinning or flipping them, they just dont go in. The problem seems to be the terminals onthe battery door itself. they do not touch any part of the batteries except the plastic surrounding the recessed terminals. Does your camera have pointy metal things on the terminals in the battery compartment door to reach the recessed battery terminals? this is so frustrating.

02-20-2007, 06:12 PM	#7
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,482	Originally posted by kmccanta Your description is lucid. thanks. but the batts I have are keyed. I cant insert them in any other configuration; spinning or flipping them, they just dont go in. The problem seems to be the terminals onthe battery door itself. they do not touch any part of the batteries except the plastic surrounding the recessed terminals. Does your camera have pointy metal things on the terminals in the battery compartment door to reach the recessed battery terminals? this is so frustrating. How about popping in some AA's so you can take and post a picture of your CRV's for us ? :-)

02-20-2007, 07:37 PM	#8
kmccanta Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Portland, Oregon Photos: Gallery Posts: 218 Original Poster	OK, thanks for the suggestions... I did charge some NIMHs I had in the drawer and got to turn on the camera finally... I also went back and looked more carefully at the camera and batteries. The metal things on the battery compartment door are only used to connect AA's together. The CRV3's have terminals there, but I guess its only for charging or something... I remembered that I also charged my backup set of RCRV#'s so I tried those. AND they work! So I swapped around and was able to isolate one battery as a culprit. I am going to take it to work tomorrow and measure the voltage, give them another charge and see how the react. Maybe one of the batts is just bad. maybe it just didnt get charged somehow. Anyway, it mostly working and I will report if I find anything interesting...

02-21-2007, 09:56 AM	#9
chedoy Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 143	Originally posted by kmccanta The metal things on the battery compartment door are only used to connect AA's together. The CRV3's have terminals there, but I guess its only for charging or something... Yikes. If the RCRV3's fit that way (upside down) , and you were able to close the battery door, that would be a wonderful short circuit on the battery. Kaboom if the battery circuits doesn't protect you. I can't find my RCRV3's, so dunno if they would actually go in that way into a K100D. I don't use them because they put out 4.2 volts (unregulated cheap ebay junk).

02-21-2007, 09:19 PM	#10
barondla Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: midwest, United States Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,717	I helped a friend send in a DS that used rechargeble crv3 batts. It locked the camera up on the main menu. Could not even turn camera off, except taking batts out. I would just use Sanyo Eneloops. thanks barondla

02-22-2007, 12:35 AM	#11
kmccanta Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Portland, Oregon Photos: Gallery Posts: 218 Original Poster	Hmmm, that is the first post that I have encountered that said more than speculation about the risk of using RCRV3. Were they regulated to 3Volts? or pumping out 4+?? Anyway, it seems my initial troubles were due to a stupid mixup charging the batteries. One of them was not charged... maybe I made a mistake when swapping the fresh ones out of the charger, and put a charged one back in... I dont know. Anyway, I checked em with a multimeter today and they are all 3V The troublesome one charged fine, and all is well. Thanks for everyones attention and help.

02-22-2007, 12:47 AM	#12
RiceHigh Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 1,934	Originally posted by kmccanta Hmmm, that is the first post that I have encountered that said more than speculation about the risk of using RCRV3. Were they regulated to 3Volts? or pumping out 4+?? Anyway, it seems my initial troubles were due to a stupid mixup charging the batteries. One of them was not charged... maybe I made a mistake when swapping the fresh ones out of the charger, and put a charged one back in... I dont know. Anyway, I checked em with a multimeter today and they are all 3V The troublesome one charged fine, and all is well. Thanks for everyones attention and help. Congrats then. I bet you're the few ones of Pentax "AA battery DSLR" users who have solved the rechargeable battery issue completely and will have a fully performed and stable DSLR! Happy shooting and no more half-depleted battery warning most of the time and no more slow AF and hunting! :-))

K100D needs modification to use RCRV3?

Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!