Beaulieu Battery Disaster

[JayneAmaraRoss]

Dear all,

I am having some problems with 3 batteries I bought for my beaulieu 4008 super 8 camera.

The person who sold these to me claimed to have serviced the batteries, and that they would be like new.

Unfortunately, I realized that instead of lasting (up to) 10 rolls of film, the batteries started to fail on the 2nd roll, and the camera began to slow down (I haven't processed these rolls yet but I suppose I will have a lot of footage with varying exposures).

Is this a problem with the batteries, the charger or the camera?

I would be very grateful to have your input and advice on this.

All the best,

Jayne

[Phil Rhodes]

Without further information it's impossible to say.

 

Rechargeable batteries can only be recharged a limited number of times. Cameras can have faults which might cause them to be harder to drive, and discharge the batteries more quickly. Chargers can have faults which stop them charging batteries properly. There isn't really any way to tell what's going on without performing some tests.

 

Is there any way you can run the camera from something other than the batteries you have, such as a mains power supply or other batteries? If the performance is normal, you know the problem is with the batteries or charger. Can you try those batteries on another identical camera? If they work fine, you know the problem is with the camera.

 

Unfortunately, I think the most likely explanation is that the batteries are at the end of their life, but that's nothing more than a guess based on my past experience. If that turns out to be the case, they'll have to be replaced or re-celled.

 

P

[Heikki Repo]

Hi Jayne,

 

what kind of batteries are they and for what kind of batteries is your charger for? It does sound like they weren't charged enough.

However, on thing to consider is also that if these batteries are new, you might need to charge and drain them through some cycles before they get to their full potential.

 

One more thing: You do have a separate charger for the batteries? If you are using a newer charger than the one supplied with the Bolex, you need to charge the batteries outside of the camera -- newer chargers might burn the Beaulieu battery charging electronics due to higher current (this happened to me -- it doesn't affect the camera operations, but you have to connect the battery directly to the charger).

[Jose luis villar]

Hi Jayne, I bought two batteries from this seller and I am very happy.

 

http://www.ebay.es/itm/BEAULIEU-4008-Battery-ACCU-1600-mA-Ni-Mh-Re-cell-NEW-/161019946211?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_186&hash=item257d8964e3

[Heikki Repo]

If you are using a newer charger than the one supplied with the Bolex, you need to charge the batteries outside of the camera -- newer chargers might burn the Beaulieu battery charging electronics due to higher current (this happened to me -- it doesn't affect the camera operations, but you have to connect the battery directly to the charger).

 

Whoops, meant of course to write "supplied with the Beaulieu", sorry!

[Alessandro Machi]

If you can hook your battery up to a dc light and discharge it, (but not until the light completely dims), then recharge and do it again and see if they power the light for a longer time, and if the light gets brighter with each recharge. If so, do another charge, then discharge via the light again. If the battery keeps getting stronger with each recycle, then you still have life in the battery to work with.

 

I tried this with a makita drill battery that I thought was was totally dead and to my surprise it began accepting a charge. However, in that instance, it's pretty much primarily good for a flashlight.

 

Once you have optimized the battery you might discover you can get more life out of them for your camera. Hopefully your camera is properly lubricated so that there is not internal friction reducing the batteries effectiveness.

[Phil Rhodes]

You need to be quite careful about doing that. Over-discharge can be quite damaging, and you really need to watch a voltmeter to detect it. Just trying to judge the brightness of a lightbulb is hard to recommend.

[christophernigel]

Dear all,

I am having some problems with 3 batteries I bought for my beaulieu 4008 super 8 camera.

The person who sold these to me claimed to have serviced the batteries, and that they would be like new.

Unfortunately, I realized that instead of lasting (up to) 10 rolls of film, the batteries started to fail on the 2nd roll, and the camera began to slow down (I haven't processed these rolls yet but I suppose I will have a lot of footage with varying exposures).

Is this a problem with the batteries, the charger or the camera?

I would be very grateful to have your input and advice on this.

All the best,

Jayne

Hello Jayne ,

 

The Beaulieu Batteries , is a real pain has failed me and took sometime to understand this Camera / she can have her moment 's ? , ie' when it has got cold outside , How was you using the camera ? was it in auto if so a this suck alot of juice ! , Did you pull the safe power switch back out when not using ? if not this suck juice even if you are not using the Camera ?

 

If I was you go and see the Guy who sold you the batteries / and have him check it with with a 2nd Beaulieu !

Hope this helps,

 

christopher ,

[Alessandro Machi]

You need to be quite careful about doing that. Over-discharge can be quite damaging, and you really need to watch a voltmeter to detect it. Just trying to judge the brightness of a lightbulb is hard to recommend.

 

Yes, if they are lead batteries, the voltage should not drop below 11 volts (maybe even a bit higher for the low point). I was assuming the makita's and beaulieu's were not lead but I don't know that for sure, I was assuming because both have quick charge modes and generally lead batteries don't do quick charge.

[JayneAmaraRoss]

Hello everyone,

Thanks for your thoughtful input!!!

I have been using this charger : http://www.materiel.net/chargeurs-et-adaptateurs/ansmann-chargeur-acs-410-traveller-mobile-63516.html

The batteries were supposedly re-celled so should work well. I am wondering if it may be the use of this new charger that has caused the problem. I will definitely get the guy who services my beaulieu to try the batteries with another camera.

I am currently charging one of the batteries through the camera (with the original beaulieu charger). I will give it 12 hours and see if I still have problems.

Have any of you heard of a system to hook up to beaulieu super 8 cameras that would result in better autonomy (like an external battery pack)?

[Andries Molenaar]

This acs410 Ansmann is a really nice apparatus. I use it all the time to charge all types of NiCd and NiMh around the house. I use it on a 4008 7.2 blocks and on 6008 large 8.4volt blocks. Mostly external though.

 

The only disadvantage with the Ansmann is that it cannot scan completely emptied batteries and will not start charging then either :(

[Andries Molenaar]

 

Yes, if they are lead batteries, the voltage should not drop below 11 volts (maybe even a bit higher for the low point). I was assuming the makita's and beaulieu's were not lead but I don't know that for sure, I was assuming because both have quick charge modes and generally lead batteries don't do quick charge.

Lead batteries? It is about the NiCd from a Beaulieu 4008.

[Heikki Repo]

 

Have any of you heard of a system to hook up to beaulieu super 8 cameras that would result in better autonomy (like an external battery pack)?

 

 

You could get a dummy block here http://www.beaulieu.de/pages/s8_azub8.php?rubr=s8_azub8 and then either buy from the same place an external battery ("Externer akku") or build one yourself.

 

My Beaulieu was modified by the former owner to only accept external battery, he supplied one with the camera and it has worked remarkably well.

[Bill Rodgers]

I hope you get this swiftly sorted out one way or another Jayne.

 

 

I've just purchased a 4008 for a friend's film project and amazingly the battery still holds a charge.

I'm kind of expecting to have to buy a new battery soon though. Though I actually paid a little over £100 for the camera itself, so I really mustn't grumble at the added expense.