Nikon MD-12 mod

[MFstooges]

After its long hiatus I picked up my MD-12 and it didn't work. No sound no light nothing. I replace the battery and still didn't work. Then I put the battery tray into another MD-12, same thing. With this second MD-12 I pulled the battery tray and reinsert with firmer movement and then it worked. So it wasn't the battery with the first MD. I reinsert the battery tray into the first MD-12 and same thing happened, it didn't work. Then I tried to wiggle the tray so the contacts can scratch against the battery contacts, and finally it whirred!

Any of you ever made a modification to your MD-12?
I think the combination of weak battery spring and small overlap of battery and motor contacts can be improved to enhance reliability. I need some ideas to make a neat mod.

 

[480sparky]

Are the contacts on either the tray or inside the drive corroded?

 

[frank]

Only mod needed is clean terminal contacts.

 

[MFstooges]

Are the contacts on either the tray or inside the drive corroded?

Nope. They are shiny.

Only mod needed is clean terminal contacts.

That is called maintenance

 

[Arvee]

Nope. They are shiny.


That is called maintenance

If the battery leaks the slightest bit it coats the metal contacts with a hard invisible coating and unit stops working. Take a pencil eraser and thoroughly clean all contacts. Occasionally I have had to use emery paper to polish contacts because the coating was so hard and thick.

 

[shutterfinger]

I had a MD15 that developed a similar problem. Batteries did not leak in it. I had to replace the battery holder to fix it. The bad battery holder checked good with a VOM.

 

[480sparky]

Nope. They are shiny.


That is called maintenance

There will be a total of 12 contacts on and in the battery tray. Don't just clean the 4 that make contact with the drive unit.