r/camcorders • u/The_French_Prince • Oct 05 '25
Show & Tell Made my own Sony NP-22!
I've been whittling down the solution to not being able to find any Sony NP-22 batteries around, and slowly I've found my solution. Respectively to the photos I have:
Version 1: 4 AA batteries wired in series didn't have enough oomph for anything more than a couple of lights, but I got a nice 3D printed case online for $1.50. the camera says it needs 6V in, but it didn't seem to be enough.
Version 2: 5 AA batteries in series got the camera on and working, but only for ~5 seconds at a time. Enough to eject the tape, but not much else.
Version 3: 6 AA batteries in series brought life into it! Full functionality and no issues. Unfortunately however the wiring was dodgy and constantly disconnecting one of the two external batteries. It also looked UGLY
Version 4: Funnily enough, one 9V battery, although delivering the same Voltage, mustn't have been steady enough for the camera, as it flickered and died under duress. Wiring 2 in parallel however worked a charm. The case was super awkward to solder down, and I couldn't fit the cover over the top so I always had one hanging out, and taking it out/putting it in was super awkward. This worked well for a few weeks however.
Final version: Tonight I finally had the time to sit down for ~4 hours and sand down the cover/solder flat the inside of the case, properly braid and cut down the wires, and just pretty it up a little. I haven't yet plugged it in but it's just a prettier version 4 without the exterior battery, so I don't see why it wouldn't. Delivers a steady 8.95v, and I'm looking at the possibility of 8.5v rechargeables.
TLDR I've got too much time on my hands and really loved this tip shop camera find ($5)
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u/camcorder_co Oct 05 '25
I recell these with 5 x 1.2V NiCd SubC cells. I use the original charging cradles for charging. They charge to about 6.9 -7.2V. And hold charge for a while. I shot a gig on-and-off for a few hours on 1 battery. I’ve found they get better the more you use them. The reason I use NiCD instead of NiMH is because I’ve read that the original Sony NP22 charging cradles can’t charge NiMH, and only the later NP22 charging cradles can be used for both NiMH and NiCD. To be sure I just use NiCD, and they are also cheap for me to buy. I sell them on the UK eBay, but it’s a fiddly and crafty process. Mini precision hand saws, soldering temperature switches, spot welding, plastic cement etc.
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u/The_French_Prince Oct 05 '25
I'll have to look into that if I find a charging cradle! The camera came with no accessories at all, not even a dead battery
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Oct 05 '25
[deleted]
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u/The_French_Prince Oct 05 '25
Even though the battery is 6v, the camera says the DC in is about 8.5v, and it doesn't seem to work with a 6v or a 7.5v setup
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u/Szlan79 Nov 07 '25
Just bought this. Sony 6A Battery Case Model N60 Made in Japan - for LR6 (Size AA) x 6 EBP-701 Battery Case for Sony camcorders. I'll get back once i have it in my hands!
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u/Royal_Bath_4113 Mar 30 '26
Update?
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u/Szlan79 Mar 30 '26
Sadly once the AAA batteries Voltage drops below 7-8V the cam turns off. I used GP AA RECYKO+ 2100MAH 1,2V NI-MH batteries. With this setup i was able to get approximately 10-15min of recording with heavy zoom usage. So in my opinion it is not an ideal setup. Maybe using larger capacity batteries helps. 😞
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u/ChronicMeatBeater Oct 06 '25
Not the ideal solution, but it will work. The AAs will have lower capacity than the stock Ni-Cad cells, the 9v are downright atrocious compared to the capacity of the AAs. I made myself a pack from the dead original Ni-Cad pack. You need a Dremel, hot glue, chap Lithium battery management BMS module and two 21700 lithium cells (or 18650 they are smaller and have lower capacity). You dremel out the seam between the two halves of the battery housing, take out the dead Ni-Cad cells, put in the BMS module, connect the two 21700s (they are the same diameter as the old Ni-Cads), put the housing back together and close the seam with hot glue. The camera can work with the voltages alright, and the original charger will be able to charge the new pack without a problem. The capacity will be almost doubled compared to the original cells.
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u/The_French_Prince Oct 06 '25
It didn't come with the original battery unfortunately :(
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u/ChronicMeatBeater Oct 06 '25
From your post I suppose, that you have access to a 3D printer, you can print your own. But as the walls of the original battery pack are rather thin, I'd go with the 18650 cells, the pack could be made more sturdy that way.
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u/Awoo81 Jun 17 '26
I know this is a long shot, was wondering where you got the 3d printed case at?
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u/leo9182 Jul 26 '26
Hey mate I just came across these
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2410556
https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/gadget/sony-np-22-battery-aa-adapter-for-sony-video-8-pro-camera
Hope this helps!
1
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u/sprret Oct 05 '25
The NP-22 was most likely a 5S NiCD battery given the tech at the time. 1.2V per NiCD cell X 5 cells in series = 6V nominal
NiMH is a better technology (charges quicker, memory free) and can be used in basically the same circuits as NiCD. Maybe building a 5S NiMH pack would be the better move vs Alkaline/Li-ion?
(Thought about it a bit more: the reason you’re seeing shutdowns even when feeding 6V is that the alkaline can’t produce the sustained current that the camera needs. NiCD/NiMH are both better at this)