How to Charge Camera Battery on Safari

Old Mar 4th, 2009, 01:01 PM
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How to Charge Camera Battery on Safari

Hello. For those of you that have been on Safari and without electricity for numerous days, how did you charge your batteries? I've been trying to find a wireless battery charger but have not had much luck. Did you just bring extra batteries? Thanks, KIrsten
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Old Mar 4th, 2009, 01:37 PM
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How about a car charger...one that can go into the lighter thing?
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Old Mar 4th, 2009, 01:47 PM
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It helps to bring extra batteries, but our guide had a charger in the car that we could use to recharge our batteries. Since there will probably be several people who need to recharge at any given time you'll be glad you have extras anyway. Some camps may have limited generator electricity available but I don't know how that works for recharging batteries.
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Old Mar 4th, 2009, 02:11 PM
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Kiki0033,

if battery charging isn't available in camp the guide is likely to have an inverter that will charge batteries in the vehicle.

At Ruaha River Lodge in Selous charging facilities weren't available in the rooms, but they were available in the common 'library' area. Similarly, while on a mobile safari in Botswana last year with Massons, Ewan would charge batteries in the vehicle for us. Good Earth were in the process of installing charging facilities in their new vehicles.

I had two camera batteries with me and found I could save battery power by turning off the LCD and using the EVF, however, next year I will purchase an additional battery so I have a spare, spare.

Cheers,


Pol.
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Old Mar 4th, 2009, 02:26 PM
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I always have extra batteries. Though mine are rechargeable AAs, still have 3/sets. One set in camera, one as extra when on drives, one recharging at camp. Even camps run on generator, can recharge at night, during daytime when you're out on drives; otherwise, car batteries can be used. Some chargers actually come with adapter for vehicle recharging.

I'd never leave home with only one (or 1/set of) battery. Anything can go wrong. Last year I actually blew out my charger, but was fortunate to have a camp manager a "jack-of-all-trades" that somehow got my batteries recharged and he didn't have a AA charger... a miracle!
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Old Mar 4th, 2009, 02:44 PM
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My first safari in Zambia the camp electrical system fried my battery charger. I had a spare charger. Now with three different types of camera batteries I take a spare charger only for the AA batteries. Should the special chargers for the Canon or Nikon batteries goes kaput, there's ways to still charge those specialty batteries using AA cells. If you're really desperate and understand DC circuits.

regards - tom
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Old Mar 4th, 2009, 03:14 PM
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My cell phone battery was fried in Kenya and I couldn't use it the rest of the trip (only used it every couple of days to text msg to the kids to let them know I was ok). I think the camp staff left it charging when the generator was turned off/on and that's what messed it up.

I agree with the others. In camps without electricity in your room, they usually have a central charging area. If there truly is no electricity then you can charge off the car batteries with an inverter. By now camps and mobile safari operators are very used to people needing to charge batteries and have a way to do it.
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Old Mar 4th, 2009, 03:34 PM
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Charging using the 12 Volt from the vehicle cig lihgter is sometimes a possibility but in many safari vehicles (Rovers and Land Cruisers) the cig lighter outlets don't work. If they do the guide may keep his phone or a portable two way radio plugged in. Another consideration is that safari vehicles tuyrn their engines off at each sighting. When the car restarts, most have a momentary voltage surge that can, and often does, blow a fuse or the entire charging device. If you are fortunate enough to have a vehicle with a good 12 volt cig lighter power supply, then I would recommend using a splitter http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2062276 This device will allow you to charge three devices simultaneously. See if you can get a 12 Volt charger that fits your batteries rather than using an inverter. A good inexpensive source for these devices is a company called Sterlingtek http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2062276 Inverters are not really built to take the constant on and off the typical vehicle undergoes. By the way, it is this same inability of even large inverters to regulate momentary voltage surge that cause the whole camp electrical system to blow out devices, just as reported in the above posts. I hope this is clear and helpful. If I can explain further, please ask further.
Have a wonderful safari Kirsten-Chuck
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Old Mar 4th, 2009, 03:36 PM
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Sorry the Sterlintek site is:

http://sterlingtek.com/

Chuck
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Old Mar 4th, 2009, 05:41 PM
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One more suggestion. Write your name with a permanent marker on your batteries. Since you won't be the only one recharging and some batteries look alike you'll know which ones are yours.
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Old Mar 6th, 2009, 08:35 AM
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I am a photographer and so batteries were an essential part of my trip for many different things. For my camera battery I purchased a car charger and kept my spare charging most of the time we were driving. I camped most of the trip but had a couple of lodge stays here and there so I made sure to bring enough to last long enough for each leg between lodges. Be sure you have a power converter if you are from the states.
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Old Mar 6th, 2009, 08:48 AM
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MHW - why power converter? My chargers are dual voltage and cycle. I have not used power converters in last 5 years. Plug adapters, yes.
Chuck do you use power converters in lodges/camps?

regards - tom
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Old Mar 6th, 2009, 09:56 AM
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Hi Tom,
With all due respect to MHW, I would say that all or nearly all AC or line Voltage battery chargers, sold here in the U.S. over the past decade have been dual voltage. It is easy to check this by looking at the part that plugs into the wall and looking for the statement "AC 100-240V". Every charger I own made by either Canon, Olympus, Nikon & Sony and purchased as over the past 10 years has such a notice printed on the part that plugs into the wall. In fact, often the so called "converters" will destroy a perfectly good dual voltage transformer. Many of these cheap converters do not suppy the kind of current needed by the charger and have warnings included with the original packaging. Inverters are a different story, unlike converters, inverters typically take 12 Volts DC from a automobile driven alternator or at a safari camp from a whole camp generator and modify it to 110-240 Volts AC. Under ideal conditions they work well but many are prone to providing high voltage spikes and will burn our delicate photographic battery chargers and other accessories. When charging in camp all you need is an adapter plug that conevrts your North American two prong flat blade plug into one of the European/African types. Be carful here as those used in Botswana and TAnzania are different from those used in South Africa. Do not use a voltage converter unless you understand exactly what you are doing. You can in fact disrup the entire camp electrical system if you do. Here is what I do to avoid problems. First I only chagre when I am physically present in the tent or lodge. Nearly all devices now recharge in 3 hours or less. As usggested by Lillipets, I put my name (magic marker) on all batteries and chargers. While I have devices for cahrging from the vehicle, I almost never use them either with direct 12V chargers or with inverters (12 Volt DC to 120 Volt AC). The reason for this is that safari vehicles are turned on and off constantly and voltage spikes are possible at each restart. Take a good look at your safari vehicle and decide for yourself. Most are pretty tired old horses. Last, I take along enough batteries to last the entire day (or 2) and really never give any of it a second thought. Cheap, servicable aftermarker batteries are available from the supplier I listed above and at these prices extra batteries are not a luxury. So the short answer is, skip the converter and buy the correct adapter plugs. If you must take an inverter to use in a vehicle, use it only wehn the vehicle is on a long transit drive and is not being turned on and off. Tom, I know you know all this stuff but I thought it might be helpful to others who might be confused. My high speed connection has finally been restored so I'll be looking at your audio files later.
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Old Mar 6th, 2009, 10:25 AM
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Thanks Chuck, good explanations, it should go into a FAQ here. I never charge batteries in the vehicle. But then again I'm back into the camp every night. I take three sets of batteries and never been close to exhausting all of them. So that's like 12 batteries all total!! No wonder my electronic kit weighs as much as my camera kit!

Your internet restored, huh. Did you also finish shoveling away the snow to your outhouse?

regards - tom
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Old Mar 6th, 2009, 06:12 PM
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I've also seen solar chargers in photo shops here in Australia. I'd always have 3 batteries just in case.
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Old Mar 7th, 2009, 05:06 AM
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Tom, Yup the "One Holer" is cleared but the "Two Holer" is too far back in the woods. All of the batteries and ancillary stuff add up to a lot of my travel weight. Recently we considered flying Virgin Air through Heathrow but discovered they have a 13 pound carry on weight limitation, at least for flights that lay over at Heathrow. Why does anyone (except the Brits) want to fly through Heathrow? My carry-on camera bag always meets size requirement but weighs approx. 35 pounds. On our last safari I gave those of our guides who were shooting Canon some of my extra batteries. They have to pay a fortune for that stuff and it is to everyones benefit to encourage their photography interests. Once they are comfortable with you, they ask questions and soak up techniques quickly and with enthusiasm. Another item they are unable to buy at reasonable cost is flash memory (compact flash or SD cards). I try to buy a few of these on sale before the trip and pass those out to the photographic inclined guides (still tip as usual but the additional smiles and the personal aspect are well worth it).
Regards-Chuck
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Old Mar 7th, 2009, 12:20 PM
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Nice place you have, two privies!! Or "heads" since you're a sailor. Bet they're built of brick also!!

Neat idea about giving camera cards to guides. I'm going to try and remember to do that. Give those to guides when you first get to camp and get their attention up front!!! Any other hints like that?

regards - tom
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