How to Make Your Camcorder Battery Last Longer

It’s always very frustrating when you are recording an important event and the low battery warning begins to flash. You stress out and wonder when it's going to die. To combat this, follow a few simple guidelines to make your camcorder battery last longer.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Owner's manual
• Camcorder battery
• Camcorder

1. Make sure that you keep the camcorder turned off when you are not using it for long periods of time. Leaving it on the charger for days at a time could damage the battery, so place it in a safe place.

2. Know that if you continuously shut the camera off and turn it back on in a short period of time, the power will drain quickly. It takes a lot of energy to turn on and off.

3. Follow the guidelines in the owner's manual about recharging the batteries. Some batteries work better when drained completely, then recharged.

4. If you use the playback feature excessively, it will also drain the battery. Wait until you can watch the video on a television, instead of previewing it all on your camcorder.

5. Always charge your battery to its fullest power. If you take it off the charger before it is done charging, it will lose its capacity.

Tips & Warnings

• Follow the guidelines posted in your owner's manual. It can often give you more accurate tips for your exact battery.
• Keep the batteries stored in a cool, dry place when not in use.
• Buy batteries with long shelf lives. Research batteries in consumer magazines.
• Don’t leave the batteries in a vehicle for long periods of time. It can get extremely hot or extremely cold quickly.
• Never use an incorrect battery in your camcorder.