My Charger /Camera/Battery/Life Is Broken. Can I Buy Another?

Yes, of course you can. We sell cameras, chargers, batteries and lives as a matter of course. Indeed some of the lives in stock are as coarse as you can get. But you may be giving way to panic too soon*.

Our technical staff tells us that they have noticed people bringing in compact cameras that have had no use or exercise for six months or more and that are dead as a doornail - prompting the sad tale at the front counter. Certainly no response from the camera and the charger does not put any electricity into the battery. The user assumes the worst.

But once the camera is taken under the wing of the repair staff they test voltages and circuits and then try the procedure of applying a higher than normal voltage to the battery. If you were to use the term " kickstart " it would be as useful as anything. It's only a very small jolt for a small period of time but it helps to reverse the degradation of the battery and lets the charger recognise it and refill it at a slow trickle. There is still a couple of hours of charging needed but in this case you have a live battery again instead of a relic.

Note - The tech did not tell me the voltage or amperage so I cannot tell you. It's not exactly welding voltage but I would suggest that the readers do not try this one at home at all. Leave it to the trained professionals. If any one is going to fly backwards across the workshop emitting sparks and the smell of cooked fingers...let it be them.

Talk to Thomas at Repairs and see if Camera Electronic can help.

* We can tell you when to panic...