battery check

CMoore · Oct 14, 2015

I do not own a Fluke, but I do own a decent Amprobe and ExTech auto-ranging DMM.

1. Do you guys introduce (or is it important to) any type of load, or do you simply put the probes across the +/- of the battery.?
2. Just for example, on your typical AA Battery, where do you call it "bad".?
That is...when does it no longer have the balls to accurately operate the light meter in a Nikon F2 or Canon A-1.....1.3 Volts maybe.?
Thank You

Chan Tran · Oct 14, 2015

For AA battery under no load (10 MegaOhm load) I would throw it away if it reads less than 1.5V.

CMoore · Oct 14, 2015

Wow...OK.
Worse than I thought.
Maybe it varies from camera to camera, but...do the in camera battery checks mean anything, or is the battery pretty far gone by the time they say a battery needs replacing.?
Thank You

CMoore · Oct 14, 2015

10-4
Thank You

gone · Oct 15, 2015

An AA is not in a Nikon??? Funny, my N80, N8008s, N90, etc, etc all took AA batteries.

Battery checks in cameras tell you a lot, depending on the camera. Some cameras need the full voltage, some will work fine w/ considerably less. Just depends on the camera. I bought a $5 multimeter at Salvage Freight 6 years ago and it is invaluable for checking battery voltage, because unless you measure it, you just don't know. I have had new batteries that were flat. You simply measure the voltage on the batteries (out of the camera) across the poles w/o a load.

fotch · Oct 15, 2015

momus said:
An AA is not in a Nikon??? Funny, my N80, N8008s, N90, etc, etc all took AA batteries.

Battery checks in cameras tell you a lot, depending on the camera. Some cameras need the full voltage, some will work fine w/ considerably less. Just depends on the camera. I bought a $5 multimeter at Salvage Freight 6 years ago and it is invaluable for checking battery voltage, because unless you measure it, you just don't know. I have had new batteries that were flat. You simply measure the voltage on the batteries (out of the camera) across the poles w/o a load.

The original post states "That is...when does it no longer have the balls to accurately operate the light meter in a Nikon F2 or Canon A-1.....1.3 Volts maybe.?
Thank You"

gone · Oct 15, 2015

As I said, it depends on the camera. A Nikon F2 is not a Canon A-1. And thank YOU!

Where on earth do you people come from? And is there a train for you to go back on?

Xmas · Oct 15, 2015

An arts and an electronics major dont get the same training...

The battery test was excellent for the recommended mercury cell, wont tell you anything for a different cell.

If you use a cell with a different voltage it will only be accurate at one light level!

The zinc hearing aid cells are only useful for some cameras... You need a plumbers rubber ring and to test bright and dark comparing with a working meter. They also weep and last 4 months in service at 10-15C.

Some cameras are ok with any battery eg K1000s have a differential galvonometer and will indicate when an alkaline cell has started to fail, but they are better on silver.

CMoore · Oct 15, 2015

Sorry for the confusion.....my fault.
'AA' battery was just meant to be an example about testing, regardless of what camera it might or might not fit in.
Thanks

Xmas · Oct 15, 2015

You need to start by down loading the user manual for your camera, if it is an F2 you need the the manual for your prism type.

It may say silver cells/lithium in which case you are ok.

Then you need to test the meter works in bright light and dim light.

Maybe new light sensitive cells if readings are wrong.

If it does not say silver you probably need to test with silver in the hope that it has been recalibrated for silver high and low light.

If you have a post 1980 camera it will probably be ok with silver.

Eg a K1000 is ok with any cell even when the manual says mercury!

But id still test it as the meter cells may be time expired.

Chan Tran · Oct 15, 2015

fotch said:
The original post states "That is...when does it no longer have the balls to accurately operate the light meter in a Nikon F2 or Canon A-1.....1.3 Volts maybe.?
Thank You"

The Canon A1 has a 6V battery. Any way newer camera just won't work with low battery and not having wrong exposure like the old camera that used mercury cells.

Xmas · Oct 15, 2015

APUGuser19 said:
an F2 was always a 357 silver battery camera all the way beck to '71.

Yes my Dp-1 needs two silver cells, and the battery test works.

Sirius Glass · Oct 15, 2015

momus said:
An AA is not in a Nikon??? Funny, my N80, N8008s, N90, etc, etc all took AA batteries.

Battery checks in cameras tell you a lot, depending on the camera. Some cameras need the full voltage, some will work fine w/ considerably less. Just depends on the camera. I bought a $5 multimeter at Salvage Freight 6 years ago and it is invaluable for checking battery voltage, because unless you measure it, you just don't know. I have had new batteries that were flat. You simply measure the voltage on the batteries (out of the camera) across the poles w/o a load.

The Nikon F-100 takes AA batteries. The Nikon N-75 takes two CR2 batteries.

Quite often Harbor Freight has coupons for a free multimeter.

John Koehrer · Oct 15, 2015

FWIW Nikon F2's with metering head ALWAYS came with MS-76 silver batteries. Their manual for the camera says a 1.5V button cell.

The use of any Photomic head requires that batteries (two S76 or A76, or SR44 or LR44) be installed in the F2 body to power the head's electronics.

Re: battery tester. As above, a voltmeter doesn't put a load on a battery. A "battery tester" does A simple 5 Ohm load in parallel does the trick.
With Canon A series cameras using the 544/PX28 6V battery WILL NOT work with the cell at 5.9V But the meter will still give correct exposure information.

DWThomas · Oct 15, 2015

John Koehrer said:
[ ... ]Re: battery tester. As above, a voltmeter doesn't put a load on a battery. A "battery tester" does A simple 5 Ohm load in parallel does the trick.[ ...]

True concept -- except shouldn't that be 5K Ohm? Or at least something larger than 5 Ohms, which would be attempting over a one ampere load on a PX28 or whatever. Off the top of my head I have no idea what a manufacturer might suggest, but even a D cell winces at currents in the ampere range.

Allicio · Oct 15, 2015

Sorry to hijack a little and stray off topic a touch but can anybody tell me if there is a difference between japanese lr44 and uk ones? My voitlander came with japanese maxwell lr44 and I was wondering whether to source some more or get some duracell ones.
I read somewhere that the Japanese ones are a touch thicker but I'm not sure if this is correct???

CMoore · Oct 16, 2015

DWThomas said:
True concept -- except shouldn't that be 5K Ohm? Or at least something larger than 5 Ohms, which would be attempting over a one ampere load on a PX28 or whatever. Off the top of my head I have no idea what a manufacturer might suggest, but even a D cell winces at currents in the ampere range.

Yeah...I am confused.
Is the light meter In Parallel with the battery.?
I assumed it would be in series.
A 5 Ohm resistor (in parallel) would drop all the voltage across it in a hurry. That would almost be a short to a battery wouldn't it.?

CMoore · Oct 16, 2015

I hear you, and it makes sense.
With a "typical" DMM at 10M Ohms, that would be about what.....1/2 micro amp with a 6 Volt battery.?
That is right there with your calculations of 3 mics.
OK...suffice it to say, a camera (circa 1975) draws Very Little current.
From now on I will just install a new battery (cell) and if the meter reads different, I will simply toss the old battery out.....no test necessary.
Thank You Again

CMoore · Oct 16, 2015

Yeah, those are pretty amazing observations.
Like I said earlier.....way worse than I thought. 2/10 of a Volt basically.
I am new to all this, so I am still learning how big of a deal 1/2 half stop can be...pretty dramatic from what I have seen with my own, award winning, pics so far.
Thanks Again for your input.....really appreciate it.!

Xmas · Oct 16, 2015

APUGuser19 said:
I have found the useful range of a 357 in a Nikkormat FT/3, which has no voltage regulation, and is a rudimentary circuit design; to be 1.38 to the 1.55 (new). The 1.55 underexposes about 1/3 stop, and the 1.38 overexposes 1/2 stop. If you are happy using a battery until apparent exhaustion like most people, be prepared for all sorts of negative consistency issues.

That would not be good with E6 today if you planned on projection.
The F2 DP/1 is also a simple circuit but the battery test will reject earlier.
But I compare the DP1 reading with a Weston each day before leaving home.
And that is for mono, with Transparency at a wedding it was Weston incident dome on brides nose.

John Koehrer · Oct 16, 2015

DWThomas said:
True concept -- except shouldn't that be 5K Ohm? Or at least something larger than 5 Ohms, which would be attempting over a one ampere load on a PX28 or whatever. Off the top of my head I have no idea what a manufacturer might suggest, but even a D cell winces at currents in the ampere range.

DOH!

battery check

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