Symptoms
- Charger's light doesn't turn on when the battery is inserted
- Light blinks or flashes an error pattern instead of solid charging
- Battery seats loosely in the charger cradle
- Charger worked fine with a different battery of the same model
Likely causes
- CommonDirty contacts on the battery or charger cradleCamera batteries often sit in bags where dust and grit build up on the contact points.
- CommonBattery inserted slightly misalignedCamera battery slots can be finicky about exact seating.
- PossibleBattery has aged and no longer holds a usable chargeCamera batteries typically last a few years of regular use before degrading noticeably.
- PossibleCharger's internal contacts or circuit have worn outRepeated insertion over years can wear spring contacts in the cradle.
- Less commonUsing a third-party battery not fully compatible with the chargerSome official chargers are picky about non-original batteries.
What to do
- Wipe both the battery's contact points and the charger's cradle contacts with a dry cloth.
- Reseat the battery firmly, making sure it clicks or seats fully into the cradle.
- Try a different known-good battery of the same model in the charger to isolate battery versus charger.
- Check for any blinking light pattern in the manual, since some cameras use specific blink codes for battery faults.
- If a different good battery also fails to charge, the charger's cradle contacts or circuit have likely worn out.
- Consider an original manufacturer battery if you've been using a third-party one and having reliability issues.
Tools and parts
- Dry cloth
Replacement camera batterySearch: “camera battery replacement”
Replacement battery chargerSearch: “camera battery charger replacement”
When to call a pro
No professional service needed; testing with a known-good battery quickly isolates whether to replace the battery or the charger.
Safety
Generally low risk
Generally low risk for a careful person. Stop if anything looks different from what this guide describes.