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mulo

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Aug 22, 2010
2,267
5
Behind you
Woke up this morning to my 7d that wouldn't turn on. So I charged the batteries and ended up with the result that my 7d says it cant communicate with either battery, in the body or in the grip?

does anyone have any idea what can be done about this?
 

nabbet

macrumors newbie
Jul 22, 2011
13
0
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=870455

----------

From that thread this would be my advice:

"Originally Posted by Keyan
You could also try pulling the backup battery and then using a cotton swab with just a drop or two of isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol on it and cleaning the contacts where the main battery interfaces with the camera.

I was having intermittent communications problems with batteries.....
I followed these instructions and it worked fine with my 7D."
 

nabbet

macrumors newbie
Jul 22, 2011
13
0
With rubbing alcohol?

If so, you most likely will have to turn the camera in for repair.
 

Designer Dale

macrumors 68040
Mar 25, 2009
3,950
101
Folding space
With rubbing alcohol?

If so, you most likely will have to turn the camera in for repair.

Rubbing alcohol is a very common cleaner for electrical contacts and there is no issue here. Even if you use a bit too much it evaporates quickly and leaves no residue to muck things up.

OP: if both batteries don't work when installed directly in the camera body there may be something in the circuitry that needs repair. If you have a voltage meter check each battery to see if they are putting out any juice. I think one bad battery can kill all of them in a series, which is what a grip is.

Dale
 

mulo

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Aug 22, 2010
2,267
5
Behind you
Rubbing alcohol is a very common cleaner for electrical contacts and there is no issue here. Even if you use a bit too much it evaporates quickly and leaves no residue to muck things up.

OP: if both batteries don't work when installed directly in the camera body there may be something in the circuitry that needs repair. If you have a voltage meter check each battery to see if they are putting out any juice. I think one bad battery can kill all of them in a series, which is what a grip is.

Dale

with rubbing alcohol and all, both batteries power the camera on their own, in the grip or in the body, and they do too with both in the grip. while their in the grip it recognises that there are two batteries in, but cannot communicate with either.

I do have a multimeter which i tried to use, but its made for my work as an electrician and therefor is far too big and robust, so I couldn't get anywhere near the contact pins.
 

JoeFkling

macrumors regular
Feb 3, 2013
169
61
The other thing of course is to find another 7d and try your batteries in it and visa versa. Then you can know for sure if its the batteries or the body.
 

7enderbender

macrumors 6502a
May 11, 2012
513
12
North East US
Woke up this morning to my 7d that wouldn't turn on. So I charged the batteries and ended up with the result that my 7d says it cant communicate with either battery, in the body or in the grip?

does anyone have any idea what can be done about this?

Hm, trying to sort through what you're saying here. So you have two batteries, right? And you have a battery grip attached?

And you have tried both batteries in the grip and directly in the body with the grip detached?

Is the grip original Canon or third party? How about the batteries? Any chance the charger is busted (any chance you can test the battery with a multimeter?)? Do you take the grip on and off often? Any chance you've bent one of the contacts inside?
And how does the camera tell you it can't communicate without juice? So there must be something else going on.

You might also want to change the little backup battery (CR-something) and then see if you can reset the camera.
 

mulo

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Aug 22, 2010
2,267
5
Behind you
Hm, trying to sort through what you're saying here. So you have two batteries, right? And you have a battery grip attached?

And you have tried both batteries in the grip and directly in the body with the grip detached?

Is the grip original Canon or third party? How about the batteries? Any chance the charger is busted (any chance you can test the battery with a multimeter?)? Do you take the grip on and off often? Any chance you've bent one of the contacts inside?
And how does the camera tell you it can't communicate without juice? So there must be something else going on.

You might also want to change the little backup battery (CR-something) and then see if you can reset the camera.

Yes, two batteries. and the grip hardly ever comes off.

The camera in fact works just fine, but I get this message every time i turn it on: (not my own image)
camera_error.jpg


everything is OEM, well except my CF card which is sandisk :)

and your absolutely right, I tried with both batteries in the grip, either battery in either grip slot, and either battery in the body, all of which produce the above result...

I was using the camera yesterday with no issues at all and 50% power left on both batteries, I did forget to turn it off but auto power off shuold have taken care of that in three minutes. When i woke up this morning it was dead, after charing the batteries back up, this is what i get..

I was going to try my batteries in a friends 60d and vice versa but she's out of town for the weekend, and bought her camera with her.

I'm trying a cleaning again, seems i forgot a pin or two! - same result
 
Last edited:

ijohn.8.80

macrumors 65816
Jul 7, 2012
1,246
2
Adelaide, Oztwaylya.
mulo, it doesn't look good for you I'm afraid.

Over on dpreview is this thread about it. The final post was most interesting. Also mentioned in that thread was that it would drain quickly, even when physically turned off.

Are you using Magic Lantern at all, because your battery must be chipped to do this with the 7D.

Also on dpreview is this thread about it. This post further into it was interesting.

Hope something helps, or that you're still under warranty.
 

tgara

macrumors 65816
Jul 17, 2012
1,154
2,898
Connecticut, USA
Yes, two batteries. and the grip hardly ever comes off.

The camera in fact works just fine, but I get this message every time i turn it on: (not my own image)
camera_error.jpg


everything is OEM, well except my CF card which is sandisk :)

and your absolutely right, I tried with both batteries in the grip, either battery in either grip slot, and either battery in the body, all of which produce the above result...

I was using the camera yesterday with no issues at all and 50% power left on both batteries, I did forget to turn it off but auto power off shuold have taken care of that in three minutes. When i woke up this morning it was dead, after charing the batteries back up, this is what i get..

I was going to try my batteries in a friends 60d and vice versa but she's out of town for the weekend, and bought her camera with her.

I'm trying a cleaning again, seems i forgot a pin or two! - same result

I have a 7D. As you probably know, it uses the LP-E6 battery pack which includes a chip that allows the camera to keep track of the shutter count for that charge and the general health of the battery.

Since you say you can use your camera after clearing that warning, it seems to me that either (1) the chips in the batteries got fried, or (2) the circuit that monitors the battery inside the camera got fried.

Try this: Remove the grip, insert a battery, then go into third yellow Wrench menu and select Battery Info. What is displayed?
 

mulo

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Aug 22, 2010
2,267
5
Behind you
mulo, it doesn't look good for you I'm afraid.

Over on dpreview is this thread about it. The final post was most interesting. Also mentioned in that thread was that it would drain quickly, even when physically turned off.

Are you using Magic Lantern at all, because your battery must be chipped to do this with the 7D.

Also on dpreview is this thread about it. This post further into it was interesting.

Hope something helps, or that you're still under warranty.

No Lantern nor warranty...

i'm trying the freezer thing now....... - same ol same ol

Try this: Remove the grip, insert a battery, then go into third yellow Wrench menu and select Battery Info. What is displayed?

tried that many times, it shows the location of the battery and says it cant communicate with it.
 
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tgara

macrumors 65816
Jul 17, 2012
1,154
2,898
Connecticut, USA
No Lantern nor warranty...

i'm trying the freezer thing now....... - same ol same ol



tried that many times, it shows the location of the battery and says it cant communicate with it.

Well, then, it sounds like the chip inside the battery may be toast. I suggest that you start with a new, OEM Canon battery. If you get the same message with a brand new Canon battery, I'd send it in for service.
 

mulo

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Aug 22, 2010
2,267
5
Behind you
All-righties!...

Tested my camera with a friends batteries, same result.
Also tested my batteries in her camera, which worked fine....

So I guess I'll be taking my camera in for repair, like I can afford that, I just bought a brand new car!... :(

I wonder if i can get a discount on calibration with my lenses if i get it done at the same time?!
 

tgara

macrumors 65816
Jul 17, 2012
1,154
2,898
Connecticut, USA
All-righties!...

Tested my camera with a friends batteries, same result.
Also tested my batteries in her camera, which worked fine....

So I guess I'll be taking my camera in for repair, like I can afford that, I just bought a brand new car!... :(

I wonder if i can get a discount on calibration with my lenses if i get it done at the same time?!

Actually, you might. When I sent my 7D and 24-70 lens in for a cleaning, I also asked them to do a calibration. It's best to have the body calibrated to the lenses you actually use. In the US, Canon will provide you with a cost estimate prior to doing the work, so you can ask for an itemized list of services if you want them. FYI, when I had mine done (sensor clean, lens calibration to my body), it was $90US, including shipping back to me, which I thought was a reasonable price.

BTW, what kind of car did you get? Please don't say one of those European micro cars that remind me of rollerskates.... :) Hopefully, it's a BMW M3 or something.... :)
 

mulo

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Aug 22, 2010
2,267
5
Behind you
Actually, you might. When I sent my 7D and 24-70 lens in for a cleaning, I also asked them to do a calibration. It's best to have the body calibrated to the lenses you actually use. In the US, Canon will provide you with a cost estimate prior to doing the work, so you can ask for an itemized list of services if you want them. FYI, when I had mine done (sensor clean, lens calibration to my body), it was $90US, including shipping back to me, which I thought was a reasonable price.

BTW, what kind of car did you get? Please don't say one of those European micro cars that remind me of rollerskates.... :) Hopefully, it's a BMW M3 or something.... :)

kay, so $90 in the us should clock in at around $200 here..

oh and I did buy one of those horrible tiny cars! Thats all I could afford (the result of 205% tax on cars, its stupid!)
Its $24.000 paid it in full, no loan... - I could get a ford mustang for that amount of money in the us...

in regards to the BMW M3, my father has a 520d, clocking in at $100.000 here, with no extras. more expensive then the M5 in the us....
 
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mulo

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Aug 22, 2010
2,267
5
Behind you
Got my camera fixed.... $500 to find and retighten a loose screw inside the camera.....
 
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