NP-FM500H infolithium battery life span question

[mischof67]

I can understand that any battery will have a life span and that life will ultimately be governed by the way they have been charged/discharged, but do these infolithium batteries have an approximate life span in years; irrespective of how they are used?

For example, if one is bought and not used for a while, will it become defective after a period of time or will it remain 'on hold' until charged for use. If so, about how long?

No problems, I'm just wondering.

Also is it possible to determine when one of these batteries was made? (I hear there are lots of fakes around.)

I wonder how long a battery could have been sat on a shelf before being bought. At £70 a shot, these are not cheap and I wonder what is a reasonable life. A battery on one of my cars lasted 9 years before failing, though that didn't tell me the time of day etc! 

[Bieomax]

some info here

http://www.bealecorner.com/trv900/battery/lithium.html

same technology as whats in the camera's batteries

[mischof67]

Thanks for that article Bieomax, so if the batteries are used frequently they perform better up to the expected lifespan of 1000 charges.

I wonder how we can establish how long a battery has sat on the shelf before we first use it. I have read on another forum that there is a manufacturer date code on the batteries, but the code didn't match that on one of mine. What was mentioned on that other forum did not ring true to the markings on the battery I looked at and tried to establish how old it was.

I have genuine Sony vertical grips/battery extenders for all my bodies, with the A99 being capable of holding 3 batteries, I have quite a few batteries ready for use, I guess they will all have to be used in rotation.

Does anyone know what the letters/numbers mean that are stamped in the middle of the underside of the battery about 10mm from the none contact end.  

[mischof67]

What a shame Sony does not respond to comments on this web site. I have been doing some further research on the topic of Lithium Ion batteries, (sad I know, but it could save a lot of money in the long run). An excellent point of reference on how to treat the camera batteries is:-

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/everyday-tech/lithium-ion-battery3.htm

I have no connection, (forgive the pun), with that site.

In short, it would be very helpful to know the manufacturing date of the battery, though I doubt the seller would want the customer to know that there may be only a year or so life left in the battery!

[Bieomax]

you not the only one that looks up random stuff like this

[mischof67]

A friend of mine has a facility on the menu of her Nikon which tells her how old the battery is which is being used, how good is that! Fancy, micro a processor is fitted in the Sony battery, but so far we cannot establish how to tell how old a Sony battery is. Once again, Sony remains silent. 

[mischof67]

So I have decided to ask Sony Support. Here, in full, is the question I asked, followed by their reply!

I would like to know how to identify the date of manufacture of the Sony Lithium Ion camera batteries I have which are not holding their charge. I have a number of these batteries which I failed to mark so I don’t know which are the newest. Some could be well past their best before date and therefore deserve to be disposed of. On the other hand they may be faulty. At £70 a time I need to be able to identify what is reasonably coming to the end of it’s life.

"Thank you for contacting Sony support regarding the date of manufacture of your NP-FM500H.

In regards to your query, the year of manufacture is 2007.

I hope that this information has been helpful. Should you have any further questions, please feel free to reply to this email."

I have replied!

[Bieomax]

so all of sonys NP-FM500H batteries were made in 2007? seems odd, but then if a batteries life span is measured in charging & discharging cycles in stead of how long they've been made due to the chemicals in them keeping ok indefinately, it'd be a good plan on sony's behalf -  batteries produced at '07 prices sold at todays prices.

[mischof67]

I agree Bieomax, a truly cunning plan! Re life span being determined by charging/discharging cycles sadly the information I have read on the 'net is that a lithium ion battery has a life span of about 5 years from when it was first made and it is false economy to have one sitting on a shelf doing nothing. Perhaps this could be why Sony may be reluctant in allowing it's customers to know when the batteries were made and therefore how old they are, unlike some other manufacturers. I hope I am wrong with this thought, but to date......

[mischof67]

Well Bieomax and all interested users of the NP-FM500H battery, the latest response from Sony Support after I asked them how they obtained the year of manufacture of my affected batteries, without having given them any other information, is as follows:-

In regards to your query, we have obtained the year of manufacture by using the model number provided NP-FM500H.

I hope that this information has been helpful. Should you have any further questions, please feel free to reply to this email.

I have replied asked them to clarify that EVERY NP-FM500H battery was made in 2007. I await a response!