Hot Battery

[lars_bergquist]

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The other day I charged a M9 battery fully and placed it in the camera. I checked 'Info' and everything looked OK. A couple of hours later I touched the camera, and it was hot! I checked Info again, and the battery was dead. Out went the battery, and I allowed the camera to cool down. Then I changed to another full battery, and everything functioned as it should -- fortunately. I admit I was scared ...

 

The empty battery took a new charge, but I have not used it in the camera yet. Anybody has an idea of what happened? Internal short -- but in that case, how come it took a new full charge? Should I dump the battery?

 

The old man from the Carbon-Zinc Age

[Shootist]

I would say it has nothing to do with that particular battery.

This problem was reported with the M8 also. It is some type of internal camera fault that the camera doesn't really turn off, go into it's deep sleep state, after you turn the switch to the off position.

 

I'd keep an eye on it and if it happens again it might need to go for service.

[farnz]

Lars,

 

A circuit in your M9 is causing very high battery drain, hence the hot camera from excess current and the flat battery. From what you write it sounds like the first time it's happened and hasn't happened since so it could have just been something causing a temporary short across a terminals on your circuit board or something mechanical that hasn't reset itself properly perhaps.

 

I presume that you're using Leica proprietary batteries? (If you're using third party batteries then all bets are off because there's no telling what safety circuitry they have inside them and therefore how they'll behave.)

 

I agree with Ed: keep a watch on it and if it happens it'll need a visit to Leica Hospital.

 

Pete.

[lars_bergquist]

Yes, I use proprietary batteries only. I gave that flat battery a new charge, it works all right in the camera and nothing spooky has happened again. Knock on wood.

 

Clearly, it is not a matter of the camera just failing to switch off properly. Prolonged use of the camera does not heat it up like that (ok -- the camera was about as hot as the top of my laptop after half an hour of continuous use). So it's a mystery.

 

Electronic gear -- contacts, electromechanical interfaces, and the like -- is of course subject to glitches that are basically impossible to diagnose, because they are gone when you pull out the stethoscope, and pop up again when you turn your back. Malignant Imps, I presume. Maybe I forgot to put out that bowl of porridge for the Ancestor this Yule night. Have to get into contact (!) with him.

 

The old man from the C-Zn Age