Panasonic NV-DS65, DS60, moisture, dew sensor, condensation, not working

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There is a common fault in Panasonic camcorders in which the "dew sensor", "condensation indicator", or "moisture sensor" is triggered (whether due to dew or not) and thus prevents the use of the camcorder.

:thumbsdow
The "dew icon" (a small red drop in a box on the LCD screen) appears and the "power light" starts flashing, then the cam corder switches itself off.

Does this sound like you? :blush:

Well... I have a....

SOLUTION!:clap:
SOLUTION!:rotfl:
SOLUTION!
SOLUTION!


This is for a Panasonic NV-DS65. Probably works for other models too.

I researched for about a week, tried everything. Eventually fixed it.

OK..

:lesson:
FIRST.. take out the battery, and in the space where the battery sits- hit it. Yes, physically hit where the battery goes- not too hard, not too soft. Firmly. No more than 10 times (I actually did it about 50 times, didn't work for me). Either with fingers in a tapping motion, with the palm or your hand in a shoving motion, or with the side of your hand like a Karate Chop! Apparently this works for lots of people (just google it if you don't bellieve me). It didn't work for me, but I sincerely hope it works for you.

IF THAT DOESN'T WORK..:lesson:


:lesson:
it might be actual dew.. so take the battery out, take the MiniDV casette out, unplug it, leave the casette door open, and leave it in a warm room with a heater, fire, etc.. or even a hair dryer. Don't go overboard with the heat, just enough to evaporate it over 2 - 3 hours. Even overnight is fine. Also, you could even put the cam corder in a sealed plastic bag (GLAD bag) with some Silica Gel, that might work too.


If the "hit where the battery goes" trick doesn't work...:facepalm:

and the "eject the tape and let it dry out in a warm room" trick doesn't work...:facepalm:

here is a FINAL..:eek:

SOLUTION:

1. Get a "2.4mm" screw driver. Dick smith electronics, radio shack, etc.. any electronics shop sells them. As of August 2010, it costs about a dollar.

2. Undo the bottom/side screws (8 of them) of the camcorder, and remove the black bottom "plate" or "layer".

3. you will see various orange, brown, white wires etc.. plugs etc..

This is where the problem, and the solution, lie.

4. Get something firm yet soft (I used the end of a shoelace, the end thats wrapped in plastic. You could possibly use a cotton bud but I don't know if they are potentially dangerous to the electronics.. use at your own risk).

5. Gently nudge/push down on all the connections/plugs you can see. Not hard. Even if they appear to be in firmly, just very gently push down on them with your shoelace/cotton bud/etc..

6. With the bottom cover still off, plug in the power cord into the camera and try turn it on. Is the problem fixed? Sweet, glad I could help. Is the problem still there? Keep trying, you'll get it. Took me a few tries. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:



This worked for me. I hope it works for you. This is probably last thing to try before getting all technical and having to start removing components, soldering things, etc.... GOOD LUCK!!! GET THAT CAM CORDER WORKING!!!
 
oh yeah, Hi i'm Dan, an amateur film maker from Wellington New Zealand. I recently bought a 2nd hand Panasonic NV-DS65 and I had the above problem.

After scouring google for over a week, getting bits of info here & there, I thought I might make a comprehensive post (above) to help out anyone in the future with the same problem, as most similiar posts found on google are years old etc..

Anyway, since i've got it working i'll probably be posting here often, annoying the veterans with questions! But could I ask a special favor to the mods: please don't delete this thread? I genuinely hope it helps someone out in the future :)

Thanks! :)
 
The post above is not the way to go about this apart from checking connections.

Found this post while looking for specs on a Canon XL1s

More dew sensor problems start because people clean their play head with a cotton bud and alcohol, but by mistake clean the black stuff off the dew sensor which is supposed to be there to collect the dew and give the sensor a lower resistance reading as water conducts electric, so if you clean all the black carbon off sensor it will always read open circuit and the camera brain will not be able to make any reading to say dew is ok to go. I have attached a photo of the dew sensor, which is actually on the side of a motor for the tape tension mech, I have read people pushing on top of this where the two solder joints are but this is for the motor and nothing todo with the sensor.

If you are handy with a solder iron, clean all black stuff off if the sensor is actually not read correctly or if you did this already by mistake causing the problem. solder a very small blob of solder on each small contact you can now see after cleaning black carbon off. Find or by a 10k surface mount resistor from maplins or RS somewhere will have one or use one off and old board. This will give the camera brain a nice steady reading tricking the camera into everything is ok. Now you have done this obviously the dew sensor will not work now you have by passed it and to use common sense when going in or out building when filming, you will probably see the lens mist anyway if dew is about to happen.

Hope this helps someone out.

regards

DJs but which DJ. Danny K Mobile Disco hire. Traveling the UK from Nottingham, London to Newcastle.
 

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There is a common fault in Panasonic camcorders in which the "dew sensor", "condensation indicator", or "moisture sensor" is triggered (whether due to dew or not) and thus prevents the use of the camcorder.

:thumbsdow
The "dew icon" (a small red drop in a box on the LCD screen) appears and the "power light" starts flashing, then the cam corder switches itself off.

Does this sound like you? :blush:

Well... I have a....

SOLUTION!:clap:
SOLUTION!:rotfl:
SOLUTION!
SOLUTION!



This is for a Panasonic NV-DS65. Probably works for other models too.

I researched for about a week, tried everything. Eventually fixed it.

OK..

:lesson:
FIRST.. take out the battery, and in the space where the battery sits- hit it. Yes, physically hit where the battery goes- not too hard, not too soft. Firmly. No more than 10 times (I actually did it about 50 times, didn't work for me). Either with fingers in a tapping motion, with the palm or your hand in a shoving motion, or with the side of your hand like a Karate Chop! Apparently this works for lots of people (just google it if you don't bellieve me). It didn't work for me, but I sincerely hope it works for you.

IF THAT DOESN'T WORK..:lesson:


:lesson:
it might be actual dew.. so take the battery out, take the MiniDV casette out, unplug it, leave the casette door open, and leave it in a warm room with a heater, fire, etc.. or even a hair dryer. Don't go overboard with the heat, just enough to evaporate it over 2 - 3 hours. Even overnight is fine. Also, you could even put the cam corder in a sealed plastic bag (GLAD bag) with some Silica Gel, that might work too.


If the "hit where the battery goes" trick doesn't work...:facepalm:

and the "eject the tape and let it dry out in a warm room" trick doesn't work...:facepalm:

here is a FINAL..:eek:

SOLUTION:

1. Get a "2.4mm" screw driver. Dick smith electronics, radio shack, etc.. any electronics shop sells them. As of August 2010, it costs about a dollar.

2. Undo the bottom/side screws (8 of them) of the camcorder, and remove the black bottom "plate" or "layer".

3. you will see various orange, brown, white wires etc.. plugs etc..

This is where the problem, and the solution, lie.

4. Get something firm yet soft (I used the end of a shoelace, the end thats wrapped in plastic. You could possibly use a cotton bud but I don't know if they are potentially dangerous to the electronics.. use at your own risk).

5. Gently nudge/push down on all the connections/plugs you can see. Not hard. Even if they appear to be in firmly, just very gently push down on them with your shoelace/cotton bud/etc..

6. With the bottom cover still off, plug in the power cord into the camera and try turn it on. Is the problem fixed? Sweet, glad I could help. Is the problem still there? Keep trying, you'll get it. Took me a few tries. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:



This worked for me. I hope it works for you. This is probably last thing to try before getting all technical and having to start removing components, soldering things, etc.... GOOD LUCK!!! GET THAT CAM CORDER WORKING!!!

Thanks! Opened the bottom of the Camera and poked around at the connections and low and behold it works! The camera is way too old to take to any shop now so figured I had nothing to lose
 
dannyk - I presume yr handy with a soldering iron, steady of hand and sharp with eye - so those pesky sm resistors always lie flat! But IMHO, few folks are able to perform such operations, although a repair centre for laptops might be willing to help.
What I don't understand is why tapping the battery compartment has any effect on the dew sensor?...still if a fix works . . . . Also, it's interesting to learn about head-cleaning Mal-practice...Oooer.
 
IMG_20200612_131026.jpg


I have a panasonic NV-DS65 it keeps flashing this icon on the screen, I cant make out what it is, is it the same issue as the moisture sensor? I have replaced the small CR2025 battery as I thought the warning was related to this, I tried opening up the panel and checking the connectors but still get this warning? It won't allow any tapes to be played.
 
The OP's method 3 is easy and very successful. I have just brought two DS60s back from the dead. Both had the moisture warning and one had a flicker as well. The point is lots of the the sub-boards are connected to the mainboard via ribbon terminals which are accessed at the base. After a while some of these start to slip and are not seated correctly. So, as he says, remove the base with the 8 screws. It comes off easily, not forgetting to remove the strap (they are all different sizes, so lay them out so you won't forget which went where). Then carefully push all of the ribbon connectors firmly back into their sockets. The cables are easy to damage and impossible to repair, so I held them firmly with needle nose pliers. Both cameras are now perfect - first time. Thanks and a big well done to the OP. Bashing on the back is not a good idea - just as likely to make more cables come out than the important one go back in.
 
The OP's method 3 is easy and very successful. I have just brought two DS60s back from the dead. Both had the moisture warning and one had a flicker as well. The point is lots of the the sub-boards are connected to the mainboard via ribbon terminals which are accessed at the base. After a while some of these start to slip and are not seated correctly. So, as he says, remove the base with the 8 screws. It comes off easily, not forgetting to remove the strap (they are all different sizes, so lay them out so you won't forget which went where). Then carefully push all of the ribbon connectors firmly back into their sockets. The cables are easy to damage and impossible to repair, so I held them firmly with needle nose pliers. Both cameras are now perfect - first time. Thanks and a big well done to the OP. Bashing on the back is not a good idea - just as likely to make more cables come out than the important one go back in.
 
Could u show me the information about the location of ribbon connectors?
I'm using panasonic NV-GS 17E which have the same problems with you.

Thank You!

Trang Uyen
 

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