Replacement battery for Phase One IQ back

[chrismuc]

I tried to find online a BP-915 type replacement battery for my IQ back. According to Capture Integration it should have at least 2600, better 2900 mAh to ensure proper function. The ones usually offered online are typically only 2000 - 2300 mAh.
I bought one 2900 mAh battery from Phase One but about EUR 70 + tax is a really steep price. And even the Phase One one is not a qualified brand product (like Canon, Sanyo, ...) but a 3rd party/no-name.
I still use a bunch of older 2200 and 2600 mA batteries from my former P65+ back. But the Phase One 2600 mAh batteries are the ones to loose capacity first and the 2200 ones sometimes lead to malfunction in the IQ back (back does not recognize card, refuses any function), so I really want to get some more with 2900 mAh for a reasonable price.
Any recommendations?

[Doug Peterson]

We now have 3400 mAh official p1 batteries in stock - compatible with all phase one backs which accept batteries (P/P+/IQ/IQ2). The extra mAh really helps. We don't have them in our eStore yet but you can call our office during business hours.

I strongly advise against 3rd party batteries for the IQ or Credo backs. It has a fully enclosed chassis around the battery bay which has no give. If a battery is just very slightly larger, or expands slightly when it gets warm from use then it can get stuck in the back. Most of the time it's just a major annoyance and you can get it out by using something like making a circle of gaffe tape and using that as a pullstring to pull out the battery. But I've seen them get stuck so badly that you can't even do that and must wait until the battery has cooled down to pull it out. I consider that a major issue.

In contrast, using a 3rd party battery in the P or P+ was usually non-problematic. I'd still recommend official batteries for those backs just for peace of mind but it's a soft recommendation and not of that much consequence one way or the other.

[Paul2660]

Doug.

Great news on 3400. What is the US cost?

Will be calling Monday.

Paul

[Doug Peterson]

Great news on 3400. What is the US cost?

Will be calling Monday.

Look forward to it. Ali can check you out over the phone.

New batteries cost the same as the old batteries: $70.

[Paul2660]

Sweet

Paul

[chrismuc]

Hi Doug
I can copy that batteries getting warm get stuck in the IQ back. But that's IMO more a construction flaw of the IQ back series giving the battery not enough clearance (why did Phase make the battery chamber of the IQ smaller than of the P if they share the same battery?).
Anyhow, does CI sell the 3400 mAh batteries also in Europe/Germany and in China/Hong Kong?
Are the 3400 mAh batteries also offered by Phase One?
What's the charging time with the standard Phase One double charger?
Why are neither the Phase One nor the Capture Integrations batteries branded by either P1/CI or the real producer to differentiate them from no-name batteries?
Christoph

[Doug Peterson]

I can copy that batteries getting warm get stuck in the IQ back. But that's IMO more a construction flaw of the IQ back series giving the battery not enough clearance (why did Phase make the battery chamber of the IQ smaller than of the P if they share the same battery?).

You're saying you've had official Phase One batteries get stuck?? I have not seen this. I would report this to your dealer immediately so they can investigate.

As far as I can tell the battery chamber is the same side, but since all four sides are enclosed there is no wiggle room for an offbrand battery to expand into should it start to expand. In the P+ one of the four sides is open-sided and would allow for slight expansion. But in any case - the point is if you use the recommended/official batteries you should not have any problem.

Anyhow, does CI sell the 3400 mAh batteries also in Europe/Germany and in China/Hong Kong?

You would have to ask CI. I work for Digital Transitions. We (DT) do not ship oversees, but do have many oversees users visit us while in NYC.

Are the 3400 mAh batteries also offered by Phase One?

The only 3400 mAh batteries I'm aware of are official Phase One batteries. If there are others out there I would not recommend them. I only recommend official Phase One batteries for use in the IQ.

What's the charging time with the standard Phase One double charger?

I have not tested this yet. The charging rate is almost surely the same but the charge time, given that it has a greater capacity to fill, is almost surely longer.

Why are neither the Phase One nor the Capture Integrations batteries branded by either P1/CI or the real producer to differentiate them from no-name batteries?

There is no need. To insure you are purchasing an official Phase One battery (and not a generic, 3rd party, or knock off) simply purchase them from an official Phase One dealer.

[Steve Hendrix]

Hi Doug
I can copy that batteries getting warm get stuck in the IQ back. But that's IMO more a construction flaw of the IQ back series giving the battery not enough clearance (why did Phase make the battery chamber of the IQ smaller than of the P if they share the same battery?).
Anyhow, does CI sell the 3400 mAh batteries also in Europe/Germany and in China/Hong Kong?
Are the 3400 mAh batteries also offered by Phase One?
What's the charging time with the standard Phase One double charger?
Why are neither the Phase One nor the Capture Integrations batteries branded by either P1/CI or the real producer to differentiate them from no-name batteries?
Christoph

Hi Chris -

I have seen (on very rare occasions) all batteries get stuck - whether it is in a P+ back or an IQ, whether it is a "P1" battery or 3rd party. For Phase One batteries though, it is very rare, and my sense is that it's so rare it likely is an issue only with significantly older batteries that have undergone unusual variations in heat/cold. It seems to occur more frequently with 3rd party batteries. I personally feel it is a good idea (well, except from an environmental perspective) to refresh batteries at least every 2-3 years.

Yes the batteries can be purchased from CI - regardless of location. There may be some minimum purchase amount stipulations for international.

The 3400 mAh batteries that were referenced are in fact from Phase One, and any Phase One authorized dealer can sell them.

I would side with Doug's answer on the charger - unless the charger is faster, a higher capacity battery likely takes longer to charge, and generally in the percentage of increased capacity applied to the overall time of the former battery.

Your last question is an interesting one. I don't know if the included Phase One batteries have ever been branded Phase One. Leaf batteries have been branded Leaf, but...This could simply be a matter of either the OEM restrictions, or Phase One choosing to not go to the added expense or trouble of branding the battery, should they have the option to do so.


Steve Hendrix
Capture Integration

[Doug Peterson]

Quick Update: I was out of the office last week and didn't notice the email from our NY service team that they had some questions that arose when intensively testing samples from the first shipment of P1 3400 mAh batteries from Phase One. We are waiting until those are resolved before selling any to end users.

[chrismuc]

Thanks Doug and Steve for the quick reply.

Enclosed a pic of my BP-915 batteries for the IQ back.

1. 2900 mAh, bought a week ago from Phase One dealer in Guangzhou
2. 2600 mAh (one of several), probably came with the IQ back or with the P65+
3. 2200 mAh (one of several), probably came with the P65+ back (from previous owner) or 3rd party (bought by previous owner)

They look very much the same to me. All just called "PB-915 replacement battery", so how to know later which one was an original Phase One battery and which might stuck and which not ...
That's the reason I strongly would recommend Phase One to give their batteries a proper sticker if they are "better" (capacity, lifetime, dimensions at operating temperature) than regular replacement batteries.
(so btw, also the Phase One batteries are at the end knock-offs of original Canon batteries coz it's their standard ;-)

Also I am now wondering: Did the Phase One dealer sell me old stock if the actual ones are 3400 mAh or is that so very new?

Btw, here in China, every "official dealer" of Phase One, Leica, Canon, Fuji, Apple ... whatever ... sells original and knock-off parts at their stores, so one always has to keep one's eyes very open.

[pemihan]

May I ask what those issues were?
And are the issues solved?

Peter

Quick Update: I was out of the office last week and didn't notice the email from our NY service team that they had some questions that arose when intensively testing samples from the first shipment of P1 3400 mAh batteries from Phase One. We are waiting until those are resolved before selling any to end users.

[zuitomedia]

Wondering if they are fine for p40+ backs

[chrismuc]

My latest information from P1 Germany and P1 Denmark is that there are no particular issues with the new 3400 mA batteries.
But: there is a general issue with the IQ1 series backs: While any 2200/ 2600/ 2900/ 3400 mAh BP-915 size battery (from P1 or anywhere else) should not have any problem with P/P+ backs or IQ2 series backs, they might get stuck in the battery department of the IQ1 series back because only that department is too tight due to a design flaw.
P1 Denmark offers free of charge a "modification" of IQ1 back housings (I guess they slightly mill the opening larger).

I placed an order of six 3400 mAh at P1 Germany two weeks ago. They told me first that they had the batteries on stock and would immediately deliver them ... but I never received them. I asked P1 Germany twice when I would get them, no replies, very bad service. So maybe there is really "an issue" with the 3400 mAh batteries at the end ...

I tried to contact P1 Denmark directly which is quite impossible because I did not find any email address or postal address on their website. The only possibility to communicate with them is to open a "case" on their website. This leads to a totally anonymous communication via their website that nobody from P1 is signing personal, so nobody commits to be responsible at P1. I find that behavior very suspicious and unprofessional. P1 also refused me to bring the IQ1 back for repair personally to their Denmark headquarter, they ask me to deliver it via the (IMO pretty unreliable) German distributor which makes no sense at all :-(

[Paul2660]

I had an issue with a NON Phase one battery getting too hot and swelling in size, enough it would not fit out of the opening.  These were the "silver" clone batteries that were sold for a while by some dealers and on ebay.  They have overall better life than the "Phase One branded cells".  But would get a bit hot especially in summer. 

Your issue with P1, is not new.  Phase has no "phone number" email etc. they prefer the case method, or of course "the dealer".  They are 99% or so dependent on the dealer channel, but they do have an inside sales group, or at least they did in NY back in 2012. 

So far the dealer channel has been able to provide my needed support, but dealers come and go, change product lines etc.  Phase One should consider some type of phone support in the future. 

With all the fuss on the Pentax 645Z, it will be most interesting to see if Pentax/Ricoh upgrade their current support net, which currently is pretty limited for the the 645D in the U.S.  (at least it was 1 year ago when I helped a fellow photographer with a loaner camera when his 645D stopped working and had to go back to Japan to be fixed).  This might be different now. 

The  U.S. dealers will open support cases on hardware and software issues. 

I know that the 3400millamp batteries are now in stock at Digital Transitions in NY, but I don't believe they ship overseas, however you might try Capture Integration based in Atlanta, or now LA as they should also have the same batteries.

Paul

[Doug Peterson]

We are now filling all battery orders at our phase one online accessory store with the 3400mAh batteries after running a.... *battery* of tests. They can be a but more snug in some backs, but we used them in a random sampling of our large/diverse rental inventory and found them easy to insert and remove.