Pentax Spotmeter V

[doris potter]

What batteries should be used to replace mercury batteries?

 

[Peter Schrager]

mercury replacement

Go to www.butkus.org and you will find a very comprehensive article and replacement information for the mercuery batteries.
Best, Peter

 

[PeterB]

Go to www.butkus.org and you will find a very comprehensive article and replacement information for the mercuery batteries.
Best, Peter

You can use either Silver Oxide (eg S76 or SR44) or Alkaline cells (eg A76 or LR44) to replace the Mercury batteries in this spotmeter. The former last longer and are about twice the price.

Now I don't have the spotmeter's circuit diagram to look at, but if it doesn't have a voltage regulator in it then you will have to get it recalibrated because there are slight voltage diffferences between Mercury, AgO and Alkaline cells. It's probably a good idea to get it calibrated anyway, or at least check it against another meter.

Don't use zinc air cells as this butkus website suggests, they have a very short shelf life (a few months depending on the environment and usage pattern) once activated.

see http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=007cpN
for more info

regards
Peter Badcock

 

[ChuckP]

The Spotmeter V does not use mercury batteries. Are you talking about an earlier model?

 

[juan]

The online Pentax Spotmeter V manual says it takes 1.5 volt mercury batteries, but I have never used anything but the standard 1.5 volt alkaline batteries in mine. Works fine with no adjustments needed. I believe that my paper manual calls for alkaline batteries - I'll check when I get home.

 

[juan]

I was right - the manual dated 1985 calls for "three G-13 type alkaline or equivalent 1.5v silver-oxide batteries."
That's exactly what I've used in mine for 20-years.
juan