Strange M 240 battery charger problem

[MartinGC]

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My less than 2 years old Leica M battery charger (14 498) for BP-SCL2 batteries died in mid charge—the charging light went out with battery about 50% charged. At the time it was on mains power. It remains dead while on mains power. Before you ask, I have checked the power supply and it is okay. There is no apparent damage to the pins in the power socket. The charger was not dropped or otherwise misused. 

 

The strange thing is that the charger still works perfectly when on a 12 volt supply! I checked it in my car.

 

Has anyone else experienced this strange problem? Any suggestions other than replacing the charger—or spending a lot of time driving around to charge batteries?

[jaapv]

So something in the mains circuit died. Replace or send in....

[Schrödinger's cat]

 Any suggestions other than replacing the charger—or spending a lot of time driving around to charge batteries?

 

I suppose you could get a cheap converter to plug into the wall that would then output 12 volts.  Not a very elegant solution for such an expensive camera.

 

I think I'd just replace it.

[Overgaard]

Yes, send it in for replacement.

 

I have two chargers with me always (in separate bags) for two reasons: 

 

1) A friend told me some years back that his M9 charger stopped working when he was in a place in the world where there were no stores nearby. Silly problem.

 

2) I once had a suitcase delayed when I went to London to do an assignment for three days, and my charger was in there. Silly problem. Red Dot Cameras was kind enough to borrow me a charger. After that I decided to always have one with the carry-on camera bag and one in the checked luggage. That solves both 1) and 2). 

(A little annoying when if travel with a Q, M240, M9 and SL).

[pico]

Hazards abound. I loaned a digital camera to a chap who was going to Mongolia. You know, the place where you have to switch trains as you enter because they use different width tracks. Standards bedamned.

 

When he returned the camera he said, "It stopped working when I charged it. It got real bright and smoked a little."

[jmahto]

...

I have two chargers with me always (in separate bags) .....

 

Great tip for travelling.... Thanks.

[jaapv]

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standard practice for me.

[MartinGC]

Thanks your comments. 

 

Yesterday I took the charger to Conns Cameras, my Leica dealer in Dublin, who were kind enough to change it for me—much appreciated. Now I'll take your advice and get a second one as backup.

[farnz]

At a guess a spike in the supply voltage (fairly common) blew the fuse or primary winding of the mains transformer in your charger but didn't affect the 12 Volt transformer circuit.  

 

Pete.

[jto555]

Hi Martin, I fine Conns Cameras look after their customers very well.