Discharging and storing batteries.

As I don't expect to be taking pictures in the next month or so what is the best way to store the batteries. The K-5IIs and the K-3 use the same type and the K-S2 a slightly smaller battery. At the moment all are charged. Should I leave them in the camera and let them slowly discharge and hope I don't forget about them or should discharge them by use i.e. switch the camera on, use live view and or video and run the batteries down then remove and store. Reason for not taking photos is the inability to securely handle a camera, at present having to use my laptop with one finger. Hope this can be resolved sooner rather than later and don't end up having to give up on photography altogether

From memory officially the batteries should be discharged about 50%, but I've never had a problem storing fully charged batteries. My old backup GX20 gets used about once a year and has two old batteries plus a new one that I bought recently, just in case the old ones stop working...... they are quite old now. I've never had a problem with using them even without re-charging.

My 4 batteries for the K-5 are all fully charged. Two of them haven't been used since last summer.

Maybe I should store them in a steel cash box or something and keep in in the shed just in case they explode

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A month is not so long really. Just leave them be and perhaps check if they need recharging after three weeks or so.

Sorry to hear about your health problems Stan. I hope they can be resolved so you can continue with your photography.

I store my batteries fully charged. The often don't get used for months, but have never had a problem with them. Just make sure they are stored so the contacts can't accidentally touch.

It all depends on the type of battery.

Modern lithium batteries do not suffer from the memory effect and should retain charge will over long periods of time. To be honest a month is not a long time, if it was me I would probably not even think about it. If I know I'm not going to use a camera for a few months I would probably take the battery out of the camera and store it somewhere safe.

Just think how long some batteries and camera hang around store rooms, in some cases they could be in a warehouse for 12 months or more.

The other thing to think about is how long the cameras internal battery will last without power. You may have to reset up the time/date etc.

Some blah on Lithium Batteries
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Battery_Power/Lithium_Ion_Batteries

Thank you all for the helpful comments. I think I'll just leave them alone for now. They ar not hidden away so should be able to remind myself they are there. The most annoying thing at the moment is I've barely had a chance to use the K-3 and 16-50mm lens

Sorry to hear that Stan but hey bring them all down to me and I will use them for you don't want that gear going off now do you
I didnt use my gear for about 3 months last year and it was fine never even give it a thought
In fact I left a K-R in a drawer for over a year with a battery in it and it fired up straight away .

Hope you'll be well enough to use your batteries again very soon Stan.
David

Good luck Stan for a speedy recovery and a prompt resumption of your photography.

Best wishes for a full recovery, Stan. Medics are very clever these days.

I'll second that , good luck..... Sounds like the batteries will be fine, but I wonder if you might want to have the 16-50mm exercised a bit during this time ? Haven't we been hearing that SDM motors should not be left inactive for long?

'Haven't we been hearing that SDM motors should not be left inactive for long?' My thoughts exactly.

Don't fret about the batteries, but exercise any SDM lenses at least once in the month would be my advice.

Hope everything goes well and you're soon back shooting again. Good luck.

Stan all the best hope you get over it quickly and good luck

Stan J

I too hope you get better soon

David

If you want peace of mind you might just take the batteries out, which I think Pentax advise; I once dug out an old mobile phone to find that the battery had swelled up inside although that had been over a much longer period.