60D AC Power adapter failure

[gbspictures]

Greetings, and thank you in advance for any help.

Here is my issue. I have a 60D, and it's been a workhorse for the past year. I shoot product 4 times a week, averaging about 125-150 shots a day. I've never had a problem. My camera is connected to my laptop and I use capture software. I was on vacation last week, and when I fired it up today to shoot, everything appeared normal, however, as soon as I pressed the shutter for AF, the battery went dead. My LCD display showed only the empty battery icon which was flashing. I shut down everything, including software, re-started it up and this time the camera didn't even show the display, it went straight to the flashing empty battery icon.

When I swapped out the AC battery for the DC one, the camera works fine. I tried cleaning the heads of both the battery and the inside of the camera, used a brand new battery (still AC) and the problem persists. Any ideas?

Thank you.

[amfoto1 · Accepted solution]

I don't have 60D or an ACK-E6, but use a very similar Canon AC power supply with another camera model.

First, the ACK-E6 is a "battery eliminator", not "a battery". I think part of the confusion is you referring to "DC battery" and "AC battery". There simply is no such thing as an "AC battery". What you are referring to as a "DC battery" is an LP-E6 battery pack.

The ACK-E6 is a kit consisting of three parts: a "hoiusehold AC" power cord, a voltage converter module, and a "dummy battery" power DC connector (on the end of a cord).

If the camera won't work with the ACK-E6, but does work when a standard, charged LP-E6 battery is fitted, then the camera is fine and something in the ACK-E6 has failed.

The household AC power cord is pretty simple, so long as it's not damaged and you have the right one.... Different power cords are provided in various parts of the world where different types of household sockets and other voltages are used.

The "dummy battery" also is pretty simple... It's actually little more than another cord that passes the modified DC power output from the voltage converter module through to the camera. There also are differnt types of these "dummy batteries" offered, depending upon what the camera uses. Yours uses an LP-E6 battery, but other Canon cameras use a smaller LP-E8 or a larger LP-E4, for example. An ACK-E? for those other cameras would simply come with a different size "dummy battery".

It's a little unclear, but sounds as if you might have replaced just the "dummy battery" portion of the ACK-E6. If that's the case, I'd suspect it's the power converter at fault. The dummy battery/DC power cord is pretty unlikely to fail unless it's been damaged, which should be fairly obvious upon inspection.  

The most likely part of the ACK-E6 to fail would be the power converter module.. or "power brick" as John calls it above. Is this the part you replaced? Or, did you buy a whole new ACK-E6 (all three parts) and that's not working?

If you replaced the power converter module or bought an entire new ACK-E3 and it's still not working, the first thing I'd suspect the wall socket that you're plugging the ACK-E6's power cord into! Have you tried different sockets? Or are you using an extension cord between the socket and the ACK-E6's power cord? That also might have failed, though usually it would be obviously damaged.

***********

Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7D(x2), 50D(x3), some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
FLICKR & EXPOSUREMANAGER 

[TCampbell]

I'm confused when you say "used a brand new battery (still AC) and the problem persists."

Batteries are, of course, DC power only.  

Are you using the genuine Canon ACK-E6... or a 3rd party?   (because I've read horrendous reviews about the poor quality of some 3rd party adapters.)

[gbspictures]

I am using the genuine Canon ACK-E6 battery and power cord, but needed to buy a replacement converter. 

[jrhoffman75]

Are you saying you had problem, bought a replacement power brick and still have problem?

[RobertTheFat · Accepted solution]

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@gbspictures wrote:

I am using the genuine Canon ACK-E6 battery and power cord, but needed to buy a replacement converter. 

---

Is that replacement converter genuine Canon or 3rd party? That's the most complex part of the device, consisting, in effect, of an AC transformer followed by a rectifier. If the voltage produced by the transformer is a bit off and/or the rectifier has an abnormally high internal resistance, the voltage fed to the camera may be too low. In the worst case, that could increase the current draw and possibly burn something out. But since the camera still works with an actual battery, you probably dodged that bullet. But there may be some protective circuitry in the camera to keep it from doing anything if the voltage is too low.

All this is just guesswork, of course. But if you have a reliable voltmeter, you may be able to check it out.

[amfoto1 · Accepted solution]

I don't have 60D or an ACK-E6, but use a very similar Canon AC power supply with another camera model.

First, the ACK-E6 is a "battery eliminator", not "a battery". I think part of the confusion is you referring to "DC battery" and "AC battery". There simply is no such thing as an "AC battery". What you are referring to as a "DC battery" is an LP-E6 battery pack.

The ACK-E6 is a kit consisting of three parts: a "hoiusehold AC" power cord, a voltage converter module, and a "dummy battery" power DC connector (on the end of a cord).

If the camera won't work with the ACK-E6, but does work when a standard, charged LP-E6 battery is fitted, then the camera is fine and something in the ACK-E6 has failed.

The household AC power cord is pretty simple, so long as it's not damaged and you have the right one.... Different power cords are provided in various parts of the world where different types of household sockets and other voltages are used.

The "dummy battery" also is pretty simple... It's actually little more than another cord that passes the modified DC power output from the voltage converter module through to the camera. There also are differnt types of these "dummy batteries" offered, depending upon what the camera uses. Yours uses an LP-E6 battery, but other Canon cameras use a smaller LP-E8 or a larger LP-E4, for example. An ACK-E? for those other cameras would simply come with a different size "dummy battery".

It's a little unclear, but sounds as if you might have replaced just the "dummy battery" portion of the ACK-E6. If that's the case, I'd suspect it's the power converter at fault. The dummy battery/DC power cord is pretty unlikely to fail unless it's been damaged, which should be fairly obvious upon inspection.  

The most likely part of the ACK-E6 to fail would be the power converter module.. or "power brick" as John calls it above. Is this the part you replaced? Or, did you buy a whole new ACK-E6 (all three parts) and that's not working?

If you replaced the power converter module or bought an entire new ACK-E3 and it's still not working, the first thing I'd suspect the wall socket that you're plugging the ACK-E6's power cord into! Have you tried different sockets? Or are you using an extension cord between the socket and the ACK-E6's power cord? That also might have failed, though usually it would be obviously damaged.

***********

Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7D(x2), 50D(x3), some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
FLICKR & EXPOSUREMANAGER 

[gbspictures]

Thanks all. After testing and trying different configs, the issue is with the power converter from the new unit. Originally had the genuine Canon ACK-E6 power supply. The converter broke, and was replaced with a 3rd party unit.

First mistake.

Last time I buy 3rd party parts. Trying to find a way to just purchase the converter or have it repaired as I don't like throwing away perfectly good parts just because one of the pieces failed. It makes no sense to me, but it's the disposable world we live in.

Thanks for all your help.

[lmichel]

I know this thread is a little dated, but I have developed a similar problem.

I have a Canon 7D MkII and a Canon 5Ds.

I have the genuine Canon ACK-E6.

The E6 works in the 7D MkII just fine but only shows an 'empty' blinking battery in the 5Ds.

I have a mix of third-party and Canon genuine LP-E6Ns.  The four or five I tested will power up either camera just fine.

Thoughts?

[Waddizzle]

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@lmichel wrote:

I know this thread is a little dated, but I have developed a similar problem.

I have a Canon 7D MkII and a Canon 5Ds.

I have the genuine Canon ACK-E6.

The E6 works in the 7D MkII just fine but only shows an 'empty' blinking battery in the 5Ds.

I have a mix of third-party and Canon genuine LP-E6Ns.  The four or five I tested will power up either camera just fine.

Thoughts?

---

  I suggest that you start a new thread for your issue.