Hasselblad PME 3 problem

[ELXUser]

dear friends of medium format,
iI just purchased a used TTL-prism for my Hasselblad 500 ELX. I fed it with a 4LR44 battery. It gives correct exposure meterings in sunshine or well lit situations, but it measures total nonsense in low light. It never shows something less then EV 12 - even when I point it to a dark wall in a dark room... I chose the right aparture on the prism (5,6 for the 250mm lens) and I corrected for not having an acute matte screen (ISO 200 for a ISO 100 film). Is the meter faulty or am I using it in some wrong way? I might still send it back to the seller for refund; that´s why I am interested in users information. Thanks!

 

[bdial]

There isn't much of a way to use it wrong, assuming you have the lens's max aperture set correctly for it. IT sounds like it either needs repair or calibration.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Check that the new batteries are providing the proper voltage. It sound like the new batteries might not be so new after all. I have had similar problems with newly purchased batteries which were not fresh.

 

[Chris Livsey]

This series of meters have two adjustment circuits, low and high range, I think the low range is dead, may only be a short circuit, the seller probably never tested low range. Return as faulty.
Just for completeness the later meters PME45 and 90 cannot be user adjusted they have programmed EEPROMS.