PX625 battery from Russia

[kingbuzzie]

Has anyone had any experience with the guy claiming to sell mercury px625 batteries from Russia?

 

[Eric Rose]

Now that would be interesting.

 

[kingbuzzie]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/282012562905?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

He claims they are new for military use, but they could be old stock.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

The big question: How are you going to dispose of this battery at its end-of-life?
The USA banned mercury batteries in, I think, 1992, unless a reclamation facility exists to take them back.
Doesn't surprise me that Russia would buck long-standing conventions.
It is probable that mercury batteries cannot be carried by air (freight) or post. Doing so without declaring what the item is (a mercury battery) would incur a penalty. Seek out a 1.55v silver-oxide battery as a worthy and safe substitute.

 

[Gerald C Koch]

The electrolyte in these mercury cells is extremely corrosive. Failure to remove them when the camera was not in use probably damaged more cameras than any other cause. There are now better alternatives such as Wein cells or altering the camera electronics. There is also a direct replacement which takes a silver cell and supplies the electronics in a space no bigger than the original cell.

 

[TheRook]

Interesting, but I've learned to live with the alternatives. For the photography I do, they're good enough, even if they may not last as long as true mercury cells.

 

[AgX]

The big question: How are you going to dispose of this battery at its end-of-life?

In Germany any store selling batteries must by law take back used batteries. Such collection is handled by commercial recyclers offering boxes you can practically throw in any kind of battery/cell. They can handle mercury cells too.

 

[Eric Rose]

$18USD for one battery, nah I don't think so.

 

[railwayman3]

There is also a direct replacement which takes a silver cell and supplies the electronics in a space no bigger than the original cell.

I have one of these in my Yashica TLR, works fine. Wasn't cheap (OTOH, it cost no more than a couple of the Russian mercury cells), but allows me to use the inexpensive silver cells which last well.

 

[kingbuzzie]

I have one of these in my Yashica TLR, works fine. Wasn't cheap (OTOH, it cost no more than a couple of the Russian mercury cells), but allows me to use the inexpensive silver cells which last well.

The gentleman I bought my zinc air adapter from insists the silver cell adapters are supply inconsistent voltage on load.

 

[RauschenOderKorn]

In Germany any store selling batteries must by law take back used batteries. Such collection is handled by commercial recyclers offering boxes you can practically throw in any kind of battery/cell. They can handle mercury cells too.

They cannot avoid recollecting these cells, yet handling them adequately is a different story. Besides, you should consider that mercury batteries have been banned for a a very good reason.

With a little effort, you can adapt your electronics to use all other types of cells. That is better than using mecury.

 

[AgX]

I did not advocated their use, but hinted at their disposal. I often come along old mercury cells, they are thus still in the circuit, and I have to dispose of them too.

Also quite some alkalines I dispose of comtain Mercury.

Battery recycling firms are aware of Mercury-containg cells in their intake and Mercury recuperation makes part of their processing.

 

[railwayman3]

The gentleman I bought my zinc air adapter from insists the silver cell adapters are supply inconsistent voltage on load.

This is the one which I use....I've found it works fine. Got mine from ths company, "The Small Battery Company", it seems to be made by a small firm in Japan:-

http://www.smallbattery.company.org.uk/sbc_mr9_adapter.htm

 

[Eric Rose]

What's the big deal with mercury cells. All those CFC light bulbs have plenty of mercury in them. Seems they are allowed, why them and not batteries. Yes I know mercury is bad, it's just the double standards that bug me.

 

[mgb74]

As it turns out, I have a couple of "Crown" brand mercury batteries, still in original packaging, from when they were commonly available. Don't know if they're still good, will have to test. And find out about disposal.

 

[John Koehrer]

The gentleman I bought my zinc air adapter from insists the silver cell adapters are supply inconsistent voltage on load.

Do you see a conflict there? The silver cell w/adapter give a far more constant voltage and
longer life with the MR-9 that railroad man refers to than any zinc air cell does.

 

[Chan Tran]

The big question: How are you going to dispose of this battery at its end-of-life?
The USA banned mercury batteries in, I think, 1992, unless a reclamation facility exists to take them back.
Doesn't surprise me that Russia would buck long-standing conventions.
It is probable that mercury batteries cannot be carried by air (freight) or post. Doing so without declaring what the item is (a mercury battery) would incur a penalty. Seek out a 1.55v silver-oxide battery as a worthy and safe substitute.

I rather have real mercury but without them I would rather go no batteries at all. Silver Oxide may be safe but not a worthy substitute.

 

[AgX]

A silver cell and the appropriate voltage reduction (diode) either within the camera or the cells container should indeed be a worthy substitute.
Furthermore some cameras already were designed to work properly with somewhat different voltages.
Those can take without electronic adaption silver-oxcide, even alkaline cells.

 

[RauschenOderKorn]

A silver cell and the appropriate voltage reduction (diode) either within the camera or the cells container should indeed be a worthy substitute.
Furthermore some cameras already were designed to work properly with somewhat different voltages.
Those can take without electronic adaption silver-oxcide, even alkaline cells.

+1

 

[zanxion72]

Mercury batteries may be disposed as any other battery (you don't dispose them by throwing them to the dustbin anyway). They last for many years. I have bought two batteries from that seller. The one I use in a Leicameter MR has no problems at all. The meter is very accurate, on par with the readings from my gossen lunalite.

 

[RauschenOderKorn]

you don't dispose them by throwing them to the dustbin anyway

You should not. But of the small sizes, only about 20% of the batteries are disposed properly and recycled. Unfortunately, 80% end up in normal household trash.

 

[mgb74]

Here's what my county (in US) says about battery recycling:

Batteries accepted: alkaline, button, lithium ion (often found in laptops) and other rechargeable batteries. (NO lead acid batteries and other types of vehicle batteries in the battery recycling containers--for options, see Vehicle batteries.)​

No explicit mention of mercury batteries either as acceptable or not. However, they do accept other items (such as thermostats and switches) that contain mercury.

 

[Peter Simpson]

This is the one which I use....I've found it works fine. Got mine from ths company, "The Small Battery Company", it seems to be made by a small firm in Japan:-

http://www.smallbattery.company.org.uk/sbc_mr9_adapter.htm

There's an analysis of the series diode approach here: http://www.butkus.org/chinon/batt-adapt-us.pdf
The MR-9 adapter is the way to go. Sure, they're pricy, but for the cost of a couple of those dubious Russian mercury cells, you could have an MR-9 adapter and use commonly available SR-44 cells. And the MR-9 output is constant enough for Gossen and me, because it's how their Luna-Pro adapter works.

 

[Paul J Muldoon]

Yes I bought one from him off eBay and it's legit.

 

[BMbikerider]

All this fuss about a tiny battery that contains an equally of tiny quantity mercury, but they totally ignore the millions of fluorescent strip light tubes sold thoughout the world which also contain a quantity of mercury. Also as far as I am aware dentists still use mercury in teeth fillings. Also the very accurate mercury thermometers. Can somone explain to me why batteries containing mercury have become the modern pariah.