Canon PowerShot A20 camera problem

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DaveC - 25 Feb 2005 20:32 GMT

Found someone selling a Canon A20 digital camera that has a problem: it will
only operate with the AC adapter, not batteries. He says that Canon tells him
that this is a "semi-common" problem that crops up in older A20's. Sez Canon
will fix for $100. Not really worth it unless I can fix it myself.

Is anyone familiar with this fault and know what the cause is, and possibly a
fix?

Another forum that might be better to ask such a question?

Thanks,

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spudnuty - 26 Feb 2005 00:20 GMT

Hmm,
Don't know much about this particular model but I've met a lot of
people on vacation using a belt pack to power their digital cameras.
Richard

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Jerry G. - 26 Feb 2005 01:41 GMT

It may be the battery contacts where they are soldered or wired to the
circuit board. In many of these cameras, to service them, they change the
complete module or board, depending on the nature of the fault. Most of the
cost is the labour.

When Canon does a service job, they will check the complete camera for
calibration and operation. When you get it back, it will be calibrated, and
properly checked.

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Jerry G.
=====

Found someone selling a Canon A20 digital camera that has a problem: it will
only operate with the AC adapter, not batteries. He says that Canon tells
him
that this is a "semi-common" problem that crops up in older A20's. Sez Canon
will fix for $100. Not really worth it unless I can fix it myself.

Is anyone familiar with this fault and know what the cause is, and possibly
a
fix?

Another forum that might be better to ask such a question?

Thanks,

Signature

Please, no "Go Google this" replies. I wouldn't
ask a question here if I hadn't done that already.

DaveC
me@privacy.net
This is an invalid return address
Please reply in the news group

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DaveC - 26 Feb 2005 08:10 GMT

> It may be the battery contacts where they are soldered or wired to the
> circuit board. In many of these cameras, to service them, they change the
> complete module or board, depending on the nature of the fault. Most of the
> cost is the labour.

Do digital cameras have micro fuses in the battery circuit?
Polarity-protection diodes? Something that might have burnt out if someone
installed batteries backward, for example.

Thanks,

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spudnuty - 27 Feb 2005 04:59 GMT

Yes they do have fuses and polarity diodes. Both are easy to check. If
you are adept enough to take this camera apart, deal with the tiny
screws and keep them in the correct place. Know how to deal with the
flex cables that are all over these things. Even if you could get down
to the power board it might be easier and cheaper to buy a parts camera
on eBay and swap out the whole power board.
I recently did this with a Fuji 2600Z that had been dropped and
wouldn't write. I swapped out the read/write board and it works fine.
Upon close examination I found a tiny IC (.5mm X 1MM) that had been
ripped off the board in the drop. It took a half hour to solder that
sucker back but now I have a spare read/write board and another parts
camera on the way.
Richard

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DaveC - 27 Feb 2005 06:40 GMT

Any service information (manual, schematic, etc.) for any of the PowerShot
A-series would be very helpful.

Thanks,

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Jim Douglas - 28 Feb 2005 01:09 GMT

You call canon and see if you get the same story and how much it's to fix.

> Found someone selling a Canon A20 digital camera that has a problem: it will
> only operate with the AC adapter, not batteries. He says that Canon tells him
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> Thanks,

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DaveC - 28 Feb 2005 05:41 GMT

> You call canon and see if you get the same story and how much it's to fix.

And so I did. Repair estimates start at $100. Or "trade up" to an A70 for
$170 (which is about what they're selling at discount with no trade-in).

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