M8 Battery Buzzes While Charging & More???

[D&A]

Hi,

I have three original Leica M8 batteries which have received light use. One of these when charged in the Leica charger begins to emit a audible "zzzzz" or slightly louder buzzing sound during it's enire charge, even when finished. The other two are completely silent from beginning to end. I'm not sure, but I think it's been doing this for quite some tiime but noticed it becuase the location this time was quite quiet. It even noticeable a couple feet away. Doesn't matter which electrical (110-120V) outlet or location I use the charger, so that is not the issue.

Yes, I know, it's a ticking time bomb just waiting to explode ( this thread ripe for such ribbing).

Yet on a more serious note, since it would be impossible to tell what is happening sound or otherwise while in actual use and whether this sound continues while the M8 with this battery is in use, I'd hate to find one day that the battery did something untold inside an M8. Anyone else notice this with any of their batteries?

On a seperate issue, with one of the other batteries (not the one that buzzes), I've noticed what appears to the cells on (or whatever unit is inside these batteries), slide around when turned or slightly shakened, as though the outer casing is seperate (or sepearted) or even slightly larger than the cells inside. I think I might have noticed this on some other original M8 batteries a friend uses, but not certain. It works and charges fine though and the other two batteries (including the buzzing one) feel solid as a signle unit. Any personal observations with this or the more importantly the "buzzing" question above?

Thanks!

 

[achi4]

Hi,
I have also had one battery of the three I have with loose units inside. I don't know if it's bad. but I bought a new one and stopped using it.
The buzzing doesn't seem good to me and I would e-mail Solms with a question about it.
cs@leica-camera.com
They have always been most helpful with technical questions.
Maurice

 

[aniMal]

My M8 actually makes a very faint sound when the shutter is half depressed! It is medium to high in pitch, and is continuos. Anybody having this? It happens with all my 3 batteries...

Makes me wonder exactly what parts may generate this, but I am not too disturbed as I know electrical circuits often make these strange but almost inaudible sounds...

Could perhaps be a soldering problem in you battery? A connection that is part torn off?

 

[D&A]

Well the loose inside of one of the batteries is less of of a concern for me as it just might be the cells (cell pack) are a seperate unit from the outer casing that are electronically attached to the contacts by wires.

The other battery that buzzes while charging in the Leica charger is a bit more of a concern. It may be nothing more than some small circuit board inside vibrating slightly when a cuurent is passed through it...or then again it might be something more. I don't know how these batteries are constructed.

I'll see if anyone else here reports the same thing with one of their batteries while charging.

Thanks!

 

[tightsqueez]

Page 127 in the Leica M8 instruction manual.

This is normal.

Sleep tight

 

[D&A]

Hi tightsqueez,

I very much appreciate the response and suggestion but when I re-read pg 127 as you suggested, my interpretation of what they expressed, was somewhat different than my particular situation.

Here is their quote (in Leica manual):

>>>"When the charger is in use, it can make a noise (buzzing)...this is quite normal and is not a malfunction"<<<

My charger is not making a buzzing sound...it is definitely the battery making the buzzing sound. As soon as remove the buzzing battery from the charger and pop in one of the other two batteries, they are completely silent. If I at any time during charging, I pop out one of the quiet batteries and put in (or put back in) the one that orginally buzzed...., I will immediately hear the buzzing sound from it. So unless the manual didn't express things clearly, it definitely is one of my batteries that is buzzing, not the charger. Thanks!

 

[tightsqueez]

D&A,

Well, there you go... Since you have two other batteries, keep this one as an emergency backup until you can pick another up. My whole profession seems to run on batteries ranging from a cost of $1.00 to $10,000.00 and have seen quite a few with this same condition. While I don't feel there's anything to worry about, the instruction manual will tell you that using a damaged battery could damage the M8. Think of the camera as in the "weakest link" point of view, the battery being the part that can be easier to replace. Guess that makes it the 120 dollar question.

Personally, I have put my batteries through some of the worst conditions that ANY have seen period. In your situation I'd probably drop it off at the nearest recycling center. Batteries are meant to be replaced.

Good luck and hope this helps.

 

[D&A]

Thanks again tightsqueeze,

I do think along the lines you do and normally would never risk a battery who's worth is far below that of the camera it's going to be used in, especially if the camera has as much electronics as a M8. The thing that doesn't make it so easy to just toss out, is that the battery has seen very limited use and at a $120.00 a pop, not exactly the thing one tosses out, in that it has rarely been used.

I wonder does anyone know what Leica's policy is on their batteries and how long the warrenty is? That would probably be my best course of action.

D&A

 

[jaapv]

My M8 actually makes a very faint sound when the shutter is half depressed! It is medium to high in pitch, and is continuos. Anybody having this? It happens with all my 3 batteries...

Yes- this is totally normal.

 

[Spleenrippa]

Electronics whine. Try listening to radar transmitters and other assorted equipment all day. Hell, the Geforce 9800 in the computer beside me must ring at 40 db...