Z9 Battery - 3 blinking lights

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marlowtravelsoften

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I recently purchased a 2nd Z9 body and an extra battery. The battery that came with the Z9 charged fine, but the new OEM Nikon battery sent separately wouldn't charge correctly (kept getting the fast 3 blinking lights, even after calibration) so I sent it back as an exchange for another Nikon OEM battery.

This 2nd battery B&H sent me is doing the same exact thing.

Any suggestions? I've tried charging it on (2) separate battery chargers and same result with the 3 lights blinking rapidly.
 
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marlowtravelsoften said:
I recently purchased a 2nd Z9 body and an extra battery. The battery that came with the Z9 charged fine, but the new OEM Nikon battery sent separately wouldn't charge correctly (kept getting the fast 3 blinking lights, even after calibration) so I sent it back as an exchange for another Nikon OEM battery.

This 2nd battery B&H sent me is doing the same exact thing.

Any suggestions? I've tried charging it on (2) separate battery chargers and same result with the 3 lights blinking rapidly.
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1. Let it sit there over night
2. Try charging in body

There is a thread somewhere on this, and someone gave another method to "jump start" a depleted battery, after which time it charges normally.
 
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Nimi said:
1. Let it sit there over night
2. Try charging in body

There is a thread somewhere on this, and someone gave another method to "jump start" a depleted battery, after which time it charges normally.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I thought I remembered seeing that on here somewhere as well, but couldn't relocate once I logged in.

Tbh, I'm a little leery on putting it in the camera if there's something wrong with it, but if the consensus is it would be fine, I can try it.

I put (2) older batteries on each of the same chargers and they both started charging normally immediately.
 
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marlowtravelsoften said:
Thanks. I thought I remembered seeing that on here somewhere as well, but couldn't relocate once I logged in.

Tbh, I'm a little leery on putting it in the camera if there's something wrong with it, but if the consensus is it would be fine, I can try it.

I put (2) older batteries on each of the same chargers and they both started charging normally immediately.
Click to expand...
Leave it overnight and if that doesn't work, try hitting the calibration button.
 
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Lance B said:
Leave it overnight and if that doesn't work, try hitting the calibration button.
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I already hit the calibration button, multiple times. It stays blinking on the 50% green light until it eventually blinks all 3 lights rapidly.

I'll try leaving it on overnight.

Up to this point the longest its been on the charger has been several hours.
 
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marlowtravelsoften said:
I already hit the calibration button, multiple times. It stays blinking on the 50% green light until it eventually blinks all 3 lights rapidly.

I'll try leaving it on overnight.

Up to this point the longest its been on the charger has been several hours.
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If it’s not charging normally in the morning, I’d return it for a refund. Try buying a from another retailer. Perhaps B&H was shipped a defective batch.
 
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Happened to me as well a few months back with a brand new battery from B&H just blinking lights (which I think means it won't charge). Turns out the battery was bad from what I could tell so sent it back and got a new one which works perfectly. My guess is they got a bad set of batteries but like I said just a guess!
 
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Similar happened several years ago with the ENEL 18b. I was able to get mine started, I left it in the charger for a couple of hours with the 3 lights blinking. I took it out, let it sit overnight and put it back in. It charged fine and has worked fine ever since. According to the date code, it had been sitting on the shelf for 18 months before sale. Nikon puts a minimal charge on batteries before they ship. (It might have something to do with shipping LIon batteries with a full charge). When the new battery sits on the shelf for an extended period of time the minimal charge depletes below the minimal threshold and the battery will refuse to take a charge. I got lucky with mine but it doesn't always work. It sounds like either B&H has a bad batch or they have a batch that has been sitting around too long. I would also wonder if these are from Nikon USA or have come from a different, roundabout, source. The advice about returning, refund and buying elsewhere is sound advice.
 
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I contacted B&H this morning. They indicated that the batteries never sit long enough where they would fully deplete and have suggested that the battery may be faulty. I"m going to just return it for a refund at this point and order through another vendor as suggested.

I noticed that Nikon is still selling the OEM battery for $220 whereas B&H is selling them for $149.

I found where Amazon sells them through the Nikon store for the same price as B&H and it would be free next-day shipping.
 
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