[LargeFormat] more on batteries
Lee Carmichael
largeformat@f32.net
Thu Dec 14 15:27:01 2000
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Clive,
I got this link from Steve Grimes today. I was inquiring about a
part for my Copal #1 shutter and this link is where he gets the
parts. http://www.criscam.com/
At 01:49 PM 12/14/00 +0000, you wrote:
>At 13:58 13/12/00 -0800, Don Wilkes wrote:
>> >>http://www.acecam.com/magazine/battery1.html
>>
>> >The URL above did not work for me.
>>
>>I don't know what to suggest, Clive; I just clicked on the link as
>>presented in your reply, and got to the appropriate page immediately. It's
>>an older article, but still reachable through the index. Try this:
>> Go to www.acecam.com
>> Click on "magazines"
>> Click on "Archive" from the list on the left.
>> Under product reviews, look for: "MR-9 Battery Adapter saves old cameras
>>from..."
>>That'll be it.
>>
>> >A quick recommendation - I bought a silver oxide battery to mercury
>> >converter a while ago.
>>
>>Ah -- this must be the MR-9 or equivalent.
>>
>> >replaces PN625, PX625, HD625, RM625, 4625, H-D and MR9 1.35 Volt
>> >batteries.
>>
>>Varta still makes the PX-625, according to this article:
>>
>>"Varta in Germany continues to manufacture mercury photo cells, according
>>to a recent visit to their web site. Some recent postings in newsgroups
>>indicate there are Canadian mail order sources for mercury batteries.
>>Mercury batteries are still manufactured in Asia and Europe and will
>>continue to be available there for the foreseeable future. (Availability is
>>subject to change at any time.)"
>>
>>If you have further trouble accessing that web site, let me know, and I'll
>>grab the whole text and forward it to you, Clive.
>>
>>All the best,
>>\don
>
>Hello Don,
>
>Thanks for the follow up and the kind offer. The server must have been
>down when I tried the link before as it is now working perfectly :-)
>
>The text in the article is a great overview of the current situation on
>mercury oxide batteries, however does contain a few factual errors.
>
>Varta stopped selling mercury batteries a long while ago - they have a
>very "green" government right now. Also, the sale of such batteries is
>banned throughout Europe - except the UK :-)
>
>The only source that I know of is Asia for new mercury batteries - all
>Varta mercury batteries being sold now are around two years old from the
>last manufacturing run. If kept in a fridge they should have a shelf life
>of at least five years and probably a lot more. Freezing them is a really
>bad idea as this damages the electrolyte.
>
>The MR-9 is indeed the converter that I was referring to. This is a
>well-made device and does the job, however the Shottky diode inside which
>does the voltage conversion from the silver oxide battery 1.5v does not
>match 1.35v exactly. Will have to look up the exact figures. So, the
>bottom line is that the MR-9 is probably the best bet unless you have
>625px batteries in the fridge - I have both :-)
>
>You can do your own conversion using a Shottky diode if you are happy
>about opening up a meter and wielding the soldering iron to place the
>diode in the power supply lead to the circuit board in the meter. You
>would also have to change the size of the battery compartment to suit the
>smaller silver oxide battery.
>
>All the best,
> Clive http://www.f32.net
> Large Format Travel and Stock Photography
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>LargeFormat mailing list
>LargeFormat@f32.net
>http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/largeformat
As usual,
Lee Carmichael
check out: http://www.f32.net/Services/Photographers/LeeCarmichael.html
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<html>
Clive,<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>I got this
link from Steve Grimes today. I was inquiring about a part for my
Copal #1 shutter and this link is where he gets the
parts.
<a href="http://www.criscam.com/" eudora="autourl"><font color="#0000FF"><u>http://www.criscam.com/</a></u></font>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
At 01:49 PM 12/14/00 +0000, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite cite>At 13:58 13/12/00 -0800, Don Wilkes
wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite cite>>><a href="http://www.acecam.com/magazine/battery1.html" eudora="autourl">http://www.acecam.com/magazine/battery1.html</a><br>
<br>
>The URL above did not work for me.<br>
<br>
I don't know what to suggest, Clive; I just clicked on the link as<br>
presented in your reply, and got to the appropriate page
immediately. It's<br>
an older article, but still reachable through the index. Try
this:<br>
Go to
<a href="http://www.acecam.com/" eudora="autourl">www.acecam.com</a><br>
Click on "magazines"<br>
Click on "Archive" from the list on the left.<br>
Under product reviews, look for: "MR-9 Battery Adapter saves
old cameras<br>
from..."<br>
That'll be it.<br>
<br>
>A quick recommendation - I bought a silver oxide battery to
mercury<br>
>converter a while ago.<br>
<br>
Ah -- this must be the MR-9 or equivalent.<br>
<br>
>replaces PN625, PX625, HD625, RM625, 4625, H-D and MR9 1.35
Volt<br>
>batteries.<br>
<br>
Varta still makes the PX-625, according to this article:<br>
<br>
"Varta in Germany continues to manufacture mercury photo cells,
according<br>
to a recent visit to their web site. Some recent postings in
newsgroups<br>
indicate there are Canadian mail order sources for mercury
batteries.<br>
Mercury batteries are still manufactured in Asia and Europe and
will<br>
continue to be available there for the foreseeable future. (Availability
is<br>
subject to change at any time.)"<br>
<br>
If you have further trouble accessing that web site, let me know, and
I'll<br>
grab the whole text and forward it to you, Clive.<br>
<br>
All the best,<br>
\don</blockquote><br>
Hello Don,<br>
<br>
Thanks for the follow up and the kind offer. The server must have
been down when I tried the link before as it is now working perfectly
:-)<br>
<br>
The text in the article is a great overview of the current situation on
mercury oxide batteries, however does contain a few factual errors.<br>
<br>
Varta stopped selling mercury batteries a long while ago - they have a
very "green" government right now. Also, the sale of such
batteries is banned throughout Europe - except the UK :-)<br>
<br>
The only source that I know of is Asia for new mercury batteries - all
Varta mercury batteries being sold now are around two years old from the
last manufacturing run. If kept in a fridge they should have a
shelf life of at least five years and probably a lot more. Freezing
them is a really bad idea as this damages the electrolyte.<br>
<br>
The MR-9 is indeed the converter that I was referring to. This is a
well-made device and does the job, however the Shottky diode inside which
does the voltage conversion from the silver oxide battery 1.5v does not
match 1.35v exactly. Will have to look up the exact figures.
So, the bottom line is that the MR-9 is probably the best bet unless you
have 625px batteries in the fridge - I have both :-)<br>
<br>
You can do your own conversion using a Shottky diode if you are happy
about opening up a meter and wielding the soldering iron to place the
diode in the power supply lead to the circuit board in the meter.
You would also have to change the size of the battery compartment to suit
the smaller silver oxide battery.<br>
<br>
All the best,<br>
Clive
<a href="http://www.f32.net/" eudora="autourl">http://www.f32.net</a><br>
Large Format Travel and Stock Photography<br>
<br>
<br>
_______________________________________________<br>
LargeFormat mailing list<br>
LargeFormat@f32.net<br>
<a href="http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/largeformat" eudora="autourl">http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/largeformat</a><br>
</blockquote><br>
<div>As usual,</div>
<div>Lee Carmichael</div>
<br>
<div>check out:
<a href="http://www.f32.net/Services/Photographers/LeeCarmichael.html" EUDORA=AUTOURL>http://www.f32.net/Services/Photographers/LeeCarmichael.html</a></div>
<br>
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