Different Ways To Charge A Camcorder Battery

INTRODUCTION

Being video shooters, we all know how a fully-charged camcorder make us smile before going out to shoot. As an expert, I always suggest keeping extra batteries. But what happens if you only have a set of batteries attached to the camcorder and you forgot to bring the charger?

Let's see. In this article, I’ll explain different ways through which you can charge your camcorder with the power adapter or without having to need a charger.

DIFFERENT WAYS TO CHARGE A CAMCORDER

I. CHARGE CAMCORDER BATTERY WITH CHARGER

It’s the simplest way of charging, where you only need a working electrical outlet, a power adapter or camcorder charger. And, follow these easy steps -

1. Attach the battery into the camcorder and don't Power On the camcorder.

2. Plug in the AC power cord into the battery charging block and the charging cable into the camcorder.

3. Then, plug the AC power cord into a nearby electrical outlet.

4. Wait until the camcorder will indicate to you about a fully-charged battery.

Conditions for charging with the supplied AC adapter:

Ensure your camcorder is powered OFF.
Only use the original AC power adapter; that you received with your device.
Make sure the wall electrical outlet is working properly. Otherwise, it can create a huge problem afterward.
Make sure you’ve correctly inserted the battery into the camcorder.
The charge indicator will not light up if the battery is already fully charged. In that case, disconnect the AC adapter, and turn on the camcorder to check the current battery level. If the battery isn’t full, then something is going wrong. Check the troubleshooting tips below to fix the issue.

II. CHARGE CAMCORDER BATTERY WITHOUT A CHARGER

The USB charging feature really comes in handy during outdoor shootings. It lets you charge the batteries during shooting without interrupting the recording. You can charge the batteries attached to the camcorder from a computer and power bank.

A. USING COMPUTER’S USB PORT

1. Turn off the camcorder.

2. Connect the camcorder to the computer or laptop using the supplied or built-in USB cable. Make sure you’ve inserted the USB interface of the cable directly into the USB port of the laptop or computer.

NOTE: Make sure the USB cable works properly with your camcorder model. Generally, you’ll get more information regarding compatible external accessories related to the model from the official website of your camcorder’s brand.

It's not necessary that you purchase an external USB hub. You can use a reliable external USB cable; if you feel the built-in USB cable is short.

B. USING POWER BANK

Using a power bank for outdoor video shoots is extremely handy. But before you step out to shoot, ensure that the power bank is fully charged.

1. Turn off the camcorder.

2. Connect it to the power bank using the supplied or built-in USB cable.

NOTE: Lots of products are available on the online portal. Choose a power bank, which is meant for camcorder; plus offers fast charging features.

Conditions for USB charging:

Only use the built-in USB cable or supplied external USB.
Make sure the camcorder is powered off; you have the battery correctly in it.
Ensure the USB cable has properly connected the camcorder to the computer or power bank. If not, safely remove the USB cable and reconnect the proper interfaces to both devices.
Make sure the computer is not off or not in Stand BY or Sleep Mode.
If you’re using a power bank ensure it has enough power.

Camcorder's USB charging not working properly? Troubleshooting Tips!

The following methods work for all; hopefully, one of them could fix your problem. But always check for charging status after each move.

Check whether the computer is in standby mode / Sleep Mode or not? If yes, disconnect the USB cable from the computer; then, start up the computer again, and re-connect your camcorder after the computer is completely started up.
If the computer is not recognizing your camcorder or the charging process is not starting, try another USB port of the computer.
If the problem persists, keep trying with another USB cable, another battery of the same model, or even another laptop or computer or power bank.

PROPER WAY OF STORING A RECHARGEABLE BATTERY

If you have a Lithium-Ion battery, store it in a cool and dry place. You can store the battery without discharging it before storage.
In the case of the Nickel Cadmium NiCad battery, you should discharge it before storage. You could store it in a cool and dry place for longer than a year. But I suggest charging it completely and discharging the power using the camcorder at least once a year to maintain the performance.

CONCLUSION

These are the basic methods of charging camcorder batteries. I feel easy and comfortable charging my camcorder using USB charging when on an outdoor shoot. As I need not care about whether I’ll get an electrical outlet nearby the shooting spot or not? Now, tell me, which method do you find the most useful?

If you’re still having any issues with a camcorder, look through my article on how to fix camcorder malfunctioning issues. I also recommend another article on connectivity issues to them, who’re facing issues while connecting their camcorder to the computer using a USB cable.

Evangeline

Evangeline is one of our expert authors based out of Fort Collins, Colorado. she is recognized as one of the leading educators in the photography industry, conducting workshops and teaches many aspects of photography; hence she started to produce educational content about photography and frequently writes content for Filmosphere.

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