Camera batteries.

[virgo]

Hello,
A few nights ago I was waiting for a break in the clouds.
I had my Nikon D60 on a tripod ready and waiting. After about 10 minutes the battery light on the camera started flashing, strange as it had been recently charged.
I returned to the house, camera in hand to replace the battery as I had a spare one already charged. Problem!! the battery in the camera had "swollen" and could not be removed. Not wanting to cause any damage to the camera, I left it to the following morning. Still no way it would come out. I eventually drilled a small hole in the battery top and screwed a selftapping screw in.By this method I was able to remove the offending battery without damage. The battery seemed to have developed a slight leak, as well as distortion of the case.
I hasten to add that this was not a genuine Nikon battery, but one of the cheaper clones available. I also noticed that the clone batteries do not last as long as the genuine ones.
The old saying again, you only get what you pay for!

[brianb]

Interesting. Sounds like a manufacturing/design fault, there should be a tiny vent hole which is supposed to prevent excessive pressure in the battery case.

I haven't had any issues with my Canon BP-511 substitutes (obtained through 7dayshop). They're about 1/5 the price of the genuine Canon ones, they hold about 25% more charge, the charge leaks away in storage more slowly than genuine Canon parts of about the same age ... and the only battery I've had actually "fail" (after about 5 years) was the original Canon battery supplied with the camera (it didn't do anything nasty, just refused to hold a charge for more than an hour or so).

[virgo]

Hi Brian,
Looking at the battery now, the case has split, presumably from internal pressure. I think the battery suffered from an internal short circuit, as the camera body was somewhat warm in the battery compartment area.
The battery was a subsitute for an EN-EL9, and labelled Blumax.
From what I remember, it was bought about 18 months ago.