# 6D Temporary Battery Drain 'Work Around'



## freedom (Sep 9, 2013)

Using your Canon 'BG-E13' battery grip. (Other Grips might also work similarly)

Turn your Battery Tray latch to the open/remove position

Place a sturdy rubber band around the battery tray to keep the tray from falling out

The battery is now disconnected....No battery drain whatsoever.

=========================

I also now leave my camera switched *on* and use the battery tray latch as my on/off for everything.

After a few times using the 'latch as a switch, it becomes routine and always ready to take pictures


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Sep 10, 2013)

Why!! The batteries will drain a little over several weeks, but not enough to matter. If your batteries are draining rapidly, you need to get your equipment repaired while its under warranty.

There were some bad 3rd party grips that had a reversed diode. The manufacturer replaced them.


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## freedom (Sep 10, 2013)

Why? 

Because the 6D camera has an internal GPS and even when (on the menu) it is turned off: it still updates the satellite positions. This updating causes the battery(s) to drain and can go dead in a matter of days. The battery drain is contingent on the updating interval time that is chosen.

If you have a GP-E1 or E2 on your 1D, they may operate differently...I have no experience with them. The 6D GPS is internal not external like the E-1 or E-2, which no doubt could be the difference, especially, if you experience no battery drain.

Do you have a friend or acquaintance that has a 6D.? You might discuss the matter with them.

I basically buy Canon Products for their quality. I recently purchased a TAMRON 24-70 f2.8 because Canon's 24-70 and for that matter Nikon's 24-70 do not have stabilization. Tamron's 24-70 has their own form of stabilization. It works very well.

I know nothing about 3rd party battery grips.


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## Janbo Makimbo (Sep 10, 2013)

freedom said:


> Why?
> 
> Because the 6D camera has an internal GPS and even when (on the menu) it is turned off: it still updates the satellite positions. This updating causes the battery(s) to drain and can go dead in a matter of days. The battery drain is contingent on the updating interval time that is chosen.
> 
> ...



Nonsense!! When the GPS is disabled in the menu there is no battery drain!!!


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## batotman (Sep 10, 2013)

Janbo Makimbo said:


> freedom said:
> 
> 
> > Why?
> ...



Exactly. If its disabled, it's not doing anything. I've never had mine drain at all, with or without the grip.


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## freedom (Sep 10, 2013)

I think it's wonderful if your 6D has no battery drain when you have the GPS disabled.

What is its Serial Number? That may explain the difference between yours and mine.

The production day, time of day, facility location, assembly line, etc. will all be contained in the Serial number.

The Serial number on mine is: 022023003212

The serial number is located on the bottom of the 6D camera body.


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## Janbo Makimbo (Sep 10, 2013)

freedom said:


> I think it's wonderful if your 6D has no battery drain when you have the GPS disabled.
> 
> What is its Serial Number? That may explain the difference between yours and mine.
> 
> ...



I think you will find that the difference is that I bought mine on earth... not sure what planet you got yours......


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## thgmuffin (Sep 10, 2013)

batotman said:


> Janbo Makimbo said:
> 
> 
> > freedom said:
> ...


There you go, problem solved!


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## Lichtgestalt (Sep 12, 2013)

i normaly disable GPS when i don´t use my 6D.
and im pretty sure i had it disabled.... but once i was puzzled to find the batteries drained.

i put fully loaded batteries (i have a BG) in my 6D two days before and did not use my 6D much in the following days.

when i tried to turn the 6D on, the batteries where totaly drained. 
the camera was dead, no lights no function at all... completely drained. 
after i put new batteries in, i found GPS was disabled.

this did not happend again and i still don´t know what caused it.

maybe a issue with the BG? a shorten circuit that drains the batteries?
but then i wonder why this did not happen again in the past months.


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## Etienne (Sep 12, 2013)

freedom said:


> Why?
> 
> Because the 6D camera has an internal GPS and even when (on the menu) it is turned off: it still updates the satellite positions. This updating causes the battery(s) to drain and can go dead in a matter of days. The battery drain is contingent on the updating interval time that is chosen.
> 
> ...



The Tamron 24-70 2.8 IS lens could be your problem. Lenses made before the 6D was released will drain the 6D battery, even with the power switched off. This is a known defect of that Tamron lens. Tamron knows of the problem and will repair or exchange your lens. One of my friends with the 6D and Tamron 24-70 2.8 IS had this problem.


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## Lichtgestalt (Sep 12, 2013)

Etienne said:


> The Tamron 24-70 2.8 IS lens could be your problem. Lenses made before the 6D was released will drain the 6D battery, even with the power switched off. This is a known defect of that Tamron lens. Tamron knows of the problem and will repair or exchange your lens. One of my friends with the 6D and Tamron 24-70 2.8 IS had this problem.



mhm... at this time, when it happend in my case, i had my 90mm tamron makro on the 6D.
short after that i replaces it with the EF 100mm L IS makro.

could it be that was the issue.... but the tamron has no IS.
how is the lens draining so much power?


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## freedom (Oct 1, 2013)

Lichtgestalt said:


> Etienne said:
> 
> 
> > The Tamron 24-70 2.8 IS lens could be your problem. Lenses made before the 6D was released will drain the 6D battery, even with the power switched off. This is a known defect of that Tamron lens. Tamron knows of the problem and will repair or exchange your lens. One of my friends with the 6D and Tamron 24-70 2.8 IS had this problem.
> ...





Lichtgestalt said:


> Etienne said:
> 
> 
> > The Tamron 24-70 2.8 IS lens could be your problem. Lenses made before the 6D was released will drain the 6D battery, even with the power switched off. This is a known defect of that Tamron lens. Tamron knows of the problem and will repair or exchange your lens. One of my friends with the 6D and Tamron 24-70 2.8 IS had this problem.
> ...


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## jm (Oct 24, 2013)

its a pain....i've gotten used to always taking the battery out when I'm not shooting.


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