Dead Z9 Battery Charger

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M R Opp

M R Opp

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So...after months of waiting, I picked up my Z9 today. Rushed home ... unboxed faster than Jared Polin, plugged the charger into the wall, inserted the battery, and ... NOTHING. No blinking lights, no nothing. Verified socket worked ... nothing. Tried another socket ... nothing. Inserted battery into Z9, plugged charger cable into the USB port on the body ... nothing. It appears I have a dead charger, or I am seriously missing something about charging batteries. Anyone else experience anything like this? Any hacks or quick fixes come to mind? I'm heading to Big Bend National Park on Wednesday and was debating whether to take my Z6ii, with which I am more familiar, or cram and take the Z9. This will be a moot point if I can't charge the battery.
 
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simple things first: have you properly put in the batterie into the charger and is it seated fully in the charger?
Is the power cord correctly connected in the charging unit?

It can take a few seconds until the charger "comes to live" once the battery has been inserted.
 
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I'm not sure if my problem was the same as yours but maybe the following will help if you have not already tried it.

Got my Z9 yesterday and plugged the battery into the charger - nothing. I knew the socket worked so in desperation I pressed the calibration button on the MH-33 charger, got a solid red on the 2h/50% led and a flashing red on the 4h/80% led and left it alone for over two hours while I researched the Reference Manual and took care of some other tasks. Other than the battery balance information I did not find anything specific to my specific problem.

Anyway, I then removed the battery, unplugged the charger, waited a minute or two, plugged the charger back into the wall socket, inserted the battery and after about 10 seconds (typical delay for this setup) the battery started to charge with the relevant led's showing green. It then took over three hours to fully charge the battery. All now appears to be OK.
 
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I do not know if this will make a difference, but….. every battery charger that I’ve been involved with from the various auto battery chargers that I have had, up to the 125vdc battery chargers used at a power station where I worked have all insisted that the load (battery) is connected BEFORE the charger is connected to its power source. I‘m not an electrical engineer but I have always followed this guidance. I recognize that this is not iaw Nikon instructions, but it’s how I charge my 18c batteries with the Wasabi charger, which appears to be identical to the MH-26. Just to put out another possible option.
 
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12markus12 said:
simple things first: have you properly put in the batterie into the charger and is it seated fully in the charger?
Is the power cord correctly connected in the charging unit?

It can take a few seconds until the charger "comes to live" once the battery has been inserted.
Click to expand...
Thanks 12markus12, and yes ... all those things checked, multiple times with multiple outlets.
 
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BrianMM said:
I'm not sure if my problem was the same as yours but maybe the following will help if you have not already tried it.

Got my Z9 yesterday and plugged the battery into the charger - nothing. I knew the socket worked so in desperation I pressed the calibration button on the MH-33 charger, got a solid red on the 2h/50% led and a flashing red on the 4h/80% led and left it alone for over two hours while I researched the Reference Manual and took care of some other tasks. Other than the battery balance information I did not find anything specific to my specific problem.

Anyway, I then removed the battery, unplugged the charger, waited a minute or two, plugged the charger back into the wall socket, inserted the battery and after about 10 seconds (typical delay for this setup) the battery started to charge with the relevant led's showing green. It then took over three hours to fully charge the battery. All now appears to be OK.
Click to expand...
I also have not been unable to find anything specific about this issue, other than "if it doesn't work, it could be a faulty battery". I tried pressing the calibration button ... nothing. I also tried charging in the Z9 body, and got 1 (literally) amber flash on the charge indicator LED. I can't find anything referencing what 1 flash means. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience.
 
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Fishboy1952 said:
I do not know if this will make a difference, but….. every battery charger that I’ve been involved with from the various auto battery chargers that I have had, up to the 125vdc battery chargers used at a power station where I worked have all insisted that the load (battery) is connected BEFORE the charger is connected to its power source. I‘m not an electrical engineer but I have always followed this guidance. I recognize that this is not iaw Nikon instructions, but it’s how I charge my 18c batteries with the Wasabi charger, which appears to be identical to the MH-26. Just to put out another possible option.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I tried this approach and ... nothing. I appreciate your suggestion.
 
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Butlerkid said:
Perhaps it is the battery that is faulty. Any stores near you and/or fellow shooters that could help you diagnose the problem?
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My local camera store (from where I got the Z9) doesn't have the EN-EL 18d batteries in stock. I'm contemplating trying and EN-EL18c to see if that battery works. Fewer amp hours and not rechargeable in camera, but is compatible and would give me a second battery. Importantly, as you suggest, should tell me if it is the battery or the charger.
 
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M R Opp said:
My local camera store (from where I got the Z9) doesn't have the EN-EL 18d batteries in stock. I'm contemplating trying and EN-EL18c to see if that battery works. Fewer amp hours and not rechargeable in camera, but is compatible and would give me a second battery. Importantly, as you suggest, should tell me if it is the battery or the charger.
Click to expand...
I believe the 18c will work fine in the Z9. Definitely try it in the charger. Even the 18a will work in a Z9 I think.... just lower capacity. But at least you would have an indication if it's the charger or the battery with a problem.
 
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IainD said:
Try plugging another USB-C PD device into the charger. My MacBook Pro charger works with the Z9 charger. Then at least you can try the camera.
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Ha, I have grabbed every charger in the house that delivers 5V and anything close to 3amp. No luck.
IainD said:
Or plug the USB-C charger into the Z9 and charge the battery in the camera. This would bypass the charger and PD supplied and show the battery is the problem
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Yup, tried that, so am now thinking it must be the battery.
 
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Charger not likely the problem since the battery wouldn't charge in camera. Problem could be a defective EN-EL18d battery. Or it could be a defective EH-7P charging adapter that comes with the MH-33 charger.
You can get a hold of any EN-EL18 battery and that will at least let you use the Z9. The EN-EL18c battery works very well with the Z9 and if you can get a hold of one it will also let you test your charger and charging adapter which charges both the EN-EL18c and d batteries (not the EN-EL18a).
 
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UPDATE: I grabbed the charger from one of my Dell laptops that uses USB-C PD and IT WORKS for the charger and for in camera charging. This pinpoints the EH-7P adapter, as IAN ROTHMAN suggested.

Thanks all, and it's great to be in business after months of waiting.
 
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I have encountered Z's that stop charging with the standard charger.

Happened to a friend of mine (with a Z7ii) while we were sitting in the airport. He knew what to do and asked to borrow my Anker USB-C 100 watt laptop charger. Plugged it in, it started to charge.

He said "Thank you very much. Here's your charger back." and his standard charger now worked.

Go figure?
 
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I have two Z9 chargers and I find them both to be a bit finicky. On a recent trip to Ecuador I did all my charging in-camera and it worked every time. I don’t even bother with the charger anymore.
 
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On long photo trips for example to Africa, I've always worried that if I am the only one using Nikon, and my charger breaks, then I will be out of business with no battery power and will be taking all my pictures with my iPhone. Actually happened to me a good number of years ago on a trip, although it was short trip and with the few extra batteries I had I just made it through.
So I got in the habit of always carrying 2 chargers, unless I knew someone else on the trip was using same camera as I was. But with the D5 or 6, this meant carrying two rather bulky chargers.
Now with the Z9, I just make sure to have and carry two EH-7P charge adapters along with one charger. If the charger breaks, I can still charge with the EH-7P directly in camera.
 
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Ivan Rothman said:
On long photo trips for example to Africa, I've always worried that if I am the only one using Nikon, and my charger breaks, then I will be out of business with no battery power and will be taking all my pictures with my iPhone. Actually happened to me a good number of years ago on a trip, although it was short trip and with the few extra batteries I had I just made it through.
So I got in the habit of always carrying 2 chargers, unless I knew someone else on the trip was using same camera as I was. But with the D5 or 6, this meant carrying two rather bulky chargers.
Now with the Z9, I just make sure to have and carry two EH-7P charge adapters along with one charger. If the charger breaks, I can still charge with the EH-7P directly in camera.
Click to expand...

I’ve always carried 2 chargers as well (for the reasons you stated), but now I can just charge my Z9s with the same charger I use for my phone and laptop and any of the multiple USB C cords I carry. Much easier for me. I consider this a major advantageous feature of the Z9, especially for travel.
 
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