Battery issue since installing the Leica grip on the Q3

[GWEIL]

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I just added the Leica grip, and two days later, the Q3 battery is drained. I recharge it, the scenario repeats. I remove the grip, repeat the process. The battery holds the charge normally. I added a thin PVC pad between the camera contacts and the grip base. No more issues, but no more wireless charging! Is there a solution to restore normal 100% Leica device functionality?

[MikeD70]

Are you, by chance, leaving the camera sitting on the charging pad, with the power off?  It might be possible for the magnetic charging base to put a drain back on the battery, sort of working in reverse.  I'm thinking this might be acting like a short in the power ckt's of the battery.   I'm using the base/pad system, and the batteries hold full for weeks.

[David Wien]

I think we need more data to daignose what is going on here. E.g:

What happens when you charge the battery on the battery charger that plugs into the wall?

Does the battery charge fully from zero with the charging pad?

David

[MikeD70]

12 minutes ago, David Wien said:

I think we need more data to daignose what is going on here. E.g:

What happens when you charge the battery on the battery charger that plugs into the wall?

Does the battery charge fully from zero with the charging pad?

David

Contact vs magnetic charging circuit, the wired or smart chargers sense when the battery is full(ish), and can maintain s float charge.  The pads, when plugged in, offer a constant voltage, until unplugged.  Either way, the magnetic loop is still in "contact" with the battery.  I haven't tried charging a completely dead battery on the pad.  Remember on the older batteries, we used a conditioner/charger from time to time to kind of renew the battery, the new tech. batteries supposedly don't need this.  Interesting post.

[GWEIL]

1 hour ago, David Wien said:

I think we need more data to daignose what is going on here. E.g:

What happens when you charge the battery on the battery charger that plugs into the wall?

Does the battery charge fully from zero with the charging pad?

David

Full charge via USB or full charge from the induction base, I have successfully performed both operations. However, I do not use the Leica base; I already have an 18W wireless charger, which is theoretically compatible.

 

[David Wien]

52 minutes ago, GWEIL said:

Full charge via USB or full charge from the induction base, I have successfully performed both operations. However, I do not use the Leica base; I already have an 18W wireless charger, which is theoretically compatible.

 

Hmm. I have no idea what it can be,  but perhaps your 18w charger is not actally compatible when the battery is actually charged...

David

Edited December 2, 2023 by David Wien

[David Wien]

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2 hours ago, MikeD70 said:

Contact vs magnetic charging circuit, the wired or smart chargers sense when the battery is full(ish), and can maintain s float charge.  The pads, when plugged in, offer a constant voltage, until unplugged.  Either way, the magnetic loop is still in "contact" with the battery.  I haven't tried charging a completely dead battery on the pad.  Remember on the older batteries, we used a conditioner/charger from time to time to kind of renew the battery, the new tech. batteries supposedly don't need this.  Interesting post.

Hi Mike from a former Hoosier!

For extended battery life, there is a recommendation only to charge to 80%, as allowed for by the supplied charger. If the wireless charger goes to 100%, the regular plug in charger would appear to have the edge.

Best,

David

[MikeD70]

1 hour ago, David Wien said:

Hi Mike from a former Hoosier!

For extended battery life, there is a recommendation only to charge to 80%, as allowed for by the supplied charger. If the wireless charger goes to 100%, the regular plug in charger would appear to have the edge.

Best,

David

Agreed!  I have three batteries, and try not to leave them on the charger, pad or regular.

[Nayward]

I have the same issue. Upon adding battery grip to Q3, it just leaks battery charge. No matter if bluetooth on or off, none of that mattered in my case.

 

Fix was both elegant and horrible - remove the grip, scotch tape the contacts on camera that are being used by a grip, attach the grip back. I don't care about wireless charge - but do care about grip.

Voila, all fixed, no more battery leak.

Great job testing this, Leica :)

[volatileagent]

I’ve seen the same problem with my Q3 and the charging grip. Battery life is terrible and it felt like it was leaking charge. Good to know it’s not just me. I took the grip off and now use the IDS grip and battery life is fine now. Do not recommend the Leica charging grip. 

[luetz]

On 12/8/2023 at 10:07 AM, volatileagent said:

I’ve seen the same problem with my Q3 and the charging grip. Battery life is terrible and it felt like it was leaking charge. Good to know it’s not just me. I took the grip off and now use the IDS grip and battery life is fine now. Do not recommend the Leica charging grip. 

JJC HG-Q3. Grip and Arca Swiss bottom mount....$75.00 CDN

[Velo-city]

On 12/7/2023 at 9:44 PM, Nayward said:

I have the same issue. Upon adding battery grip to Q3, it just leaks battery charge. No matter if bluetooth on or off, none of that mattered in my case.

 

Fix was both elegant and horrible - remove the grip, scotch tape the contacts on camera that are being used by a grip, attach the grip back. I don't care about wireless charge - but do care about grip.

Voila, all fixed, no more battery leak.

Great job testing this, Leica

Glad I found this. 
My wife’s grip got swapped from the half case (that blocked the sd card so was a pain) to this wireless charging one.  
Was surprised the battery keeps  going flat on the shelf when powered off. 
Have tried taping off the pins as you did to see if that works - it’s not actually used as a charging grip anyway - it was just the only similar one that could be swapped for. 
Not overly impressed with either grip now. Anyone at Leica actually test their (expensive) accessories?

[nykv]

On 12/2/2023 at 5:57 PM, GWEIL said:

Full charge via USB or full charge from the induction base, I have successfully performed both operations. However, I do not use the Leica base; I already have an 18W wireless charger, which is theoretically compatible.

 

Practically, too. 

[Le Chef]

To me it’s a complete waste of time and money. You can just as easily charge through the port and choose a grip that works for you as a grip.

[nykv]

Have you ever tried the Leica fingerloop on the Leica grip? 

These two Leica components only + charging with the simplest iphone wireless charger, while all plugs on the left are additionally isolated with black tape. On amazon I found a thumb rest being identical to the original under 100€. 

I wish I knew the name of the chap / lady, who came up with the Leica fingerloop! It's of cause Mandler and Karbe for PR because the lenses are of paramount importance, but holding any digital Leica all day long with a fingerloop makes me appreciate genius in detail. Too bad the old small plastic handgrips for film cameras don't have the built-in nut to attach the fingerloop, too. Good chance for an independent small manufacturer?

[nykv]

On 12/7/2023 at 9:44 PM, Nayward said:

I have the same issue. Upon adding battery grip to Q3, it just leaks battery charge. No matter if bluetooth on or off, none of that mattered in my case.

 

Fix was both elegant and horrible - remove the grip, scotch tape the contacts on camera that are being used by a grip, attach the grip back. I don't care about wireless charge - but do care about grip.

Voila, all fixed, no more battery leak.

Great job testing this, Leica

Yep, unfortunately it started happening with mine, too.

I'm back to changing via the USB-C port, with the contacts towards the Leica grip taped.

(emojis of your choice for products with the price tags).

[nykv]

On 12/4/2024 at 9:10 AM, AussieQ said:

The only thing I can think is that the charging grip is comprised of coils hence the ' inductive ' charge aspect of it. Because the coils are in circuit in order to induce a voltage from the base and onto the battery charge circuit, the coils would have a certain impedance which would create a load similar to a resistor on a battery and of course this would create a scenario of battery discharge. By isolating the connectors like you did, you have removed the inductive charge coils from the circuit which now stops battery drain. In order to stop the self discharge, the circuitry in the grip should stop this from happening. Perhaps the charge circuit in your grip is faulty?

Our hope being, that Leica reads this and passes it on to their contractors in Asia.

[Velo-city]

On 11/10/2024 at 8:30 PM, Velo-city said:

Glad I found this. 
My wife’s grip got swapped from the half case (that blocked the sd card so was a pain) to this wireless charging one.  
Was surprised the battery keeps  going flat on the shelf when powered off. 
Have tried taping off the pins as you did to see if that works - it’s not actually used as a charging grip anyway - it was just the only similar one that could be swapped for. 
Not overly impressed with either grip now. Anyone at Leica actually test their (expensive) accessories?

Update: while the taping of the pins helped, I still find the Q343 loses its charge over the space of days, or sometimes a week or so.  Like from full, to fully flat.  The M in the same period loses maybe about 5-10%.

So I think there's a bit of drain on the Q3 in any case, which means it really needs to be charged before going out if it's been idle for a shortish time.  Pretty disappointing.

Edited December 22, 2024 by Velo-city

[goldgranada]

I chose to bypass the charging function and put a Q2 grip on the Q3, yes it must be removed to access the battery and SD card slot but it has a large thumb wheel and takes seconds to remove. Here's the unit I purchased and saved the $100 difference in price for the same functionality, without charging feature, of having a grip on the camera.

https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/leica-q2-handgrip/sku-2835395

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica Q

[boojum]

I got the JJC handgrip.  It works fine, has battery access and that Swiss Arca grip hole in it, which I have not tested.  I paid 1/3 pf what Leica gets for the battery draining grip they sell.  This is kind of a no-brainer.