Soligor Meter Repair in UK

DavidClapp · Apr 29, 2015

I recently bought a dud Soligor Digital Spot Meter from Ebay in the USA and after shipping it was too costly to return. An amicable end to the auction was concluded, so I now have a meter I would like to repair.

The light meter reads 88.8 instead of a variable value.

Is there anywhere in the UK I could get this looked at?

David

R.Gould · Apr 29, 2015

http://newtonellis.co.uk worth contacting them to see if they can help, very good service, and nice people to talk to

DavidClapp · Apr 29, 2015

Cheers. I just gave them a ring but they wont do the repair on a digital one... any other ideas?

AgX · Apr 29, 2015

Your meter is likely not broken at all.

The "88.8" is the indication of a low battery.

(Reading the manual can be helpful...)

AgX · Apr 29, 2015

In case there should a fault indeed: the electronics seem general, thus anyone with a thorough understanding of electronics of that era should be able to repair it.

DavidClapp · Apr 29, 2015

AgX said:
Your meter is likely not broken at all.

The "88.8" is the indication of a low battery.

(Reading the manual can be helpful...)

No it's a brand new one... but that narrows down what the fault is so thanks...

benjiboy · Apr 29, 2015

I suggest you give Sandean a call http://www.sendeancameras.co.uk/
or H Lehmann Ltd., one of them should be able to repair it http://www.hlehmann.co.uk/

AgX · Apr 29, 2015

AgX said:
In case there should a fault indeed: the electronics seem general, thus anyone with a thorough understanding of electronics of that era should be able to repair it.

Well, if recalibrating would be necessary, even with general electronics it would imply the repairer to be knowledgeable on exposure meters.

DavidClapp · Apr 30, 2015

benjiboy said:
I suggest you give Sandean a call http://www.sendeancameras.co.uk/
or H Lehmann Ltd., one of them should be able to repair it http://www.hlehmann.co.uk/

Great news Sendean cameras said they can repair it, so I'm very grateful for that Benjiboy... I'll keep you all posted as to how they get on and more importantly how much it cost

Alex Muir · May 1, 2015

I had a problem with one of these caused by the battery contacts touching each other when the battery was pushed into place. I put a small piece of foam rubber between the spring contacts and that solved the problem.
Alex

DavidClapp · May 2, 2015

Alex Muir said:
I had a problem with one of these caused by the battery contacts touching each other when the battery was pushed into place. I put a small piece of foam rubber between the spring contacts and that solved the problem.
Alex

Thats really interesting... I'm going to try that tonight. Was it showing the 88.8 error or was it not working at all?

Alex Muir · May 3, 2015

I think it was showing the error, if I recall correctly, as it seemed to be going through batteries rapidly. I think the terminal springs were being pushed together. Another thing to check is the type of battery you use. I think that older equipment like this doesn't always work well with modern high power batteries. Cheaper types are sometimes better.
Alex

DavidClapp · May 3, 2015

Alex Muir said:
I think it was showing the error, if I recall correctly, as it seemed to be going through batteries rapidly. I think the terminal springs were being pushed together. Another thing to check is the type of battery you use. I think that older equipment like this doesn't always work well with modern high power batteries. Cheaper types are sometimes better.
Alex

I just had a look at the battery terminals and they are far from touching. Interesting comment about the battery power - i'll try it with some other half power batteries and see what happens.

DavidClapp · May 4, 2015

Alex Muir said:
I had a problem with one of these caused by the battery contacts touching each other when the battery was pushed into place. I put a small piece of foam rubber between the spring contacts and that solved the problem.
Alex

Alex your a life saver. I tried three different batteries, two of them brand new, the other had been in a guitar pedal for a week or so.... And it works perfectly. I had no idea this could ever be the case so THANK YOU for this.

Case Closed!

AgX · May 4, 2015

I had no idea this could ever be the case.

Hard for me to imagine too. What type of batteries we are talking of?
Typicallly there are no two helical springs (that could touch) next to each other, but a helical spring and a plate.
Or two flat springs.

Alex Muir · May 4, 2015

I'm glad to hear it is fixed.
For AgX, the battery is the square 9v type PP3. It goes into the handgrip of this meter with the connections at the innermost end. There are two springs side by side. This means you have to push the battery in quite hard against the springs to close the sliding cover. I felt the pressure was causing my contacts to touch, so I put some foam rubber between them. I think that modern batteries have grown in size, probably due to leakproof coverings. AAs are generally bigger than early examples. If you have a Leitz battery case for the Leicina, modern AAs don't fit, unless you remove the plastic casing.
I also find that these high-tech batteries seem too powerful for some older devices. Cheap zinc-carbon examples are sometimes better.
Alex

AgX · May 4, 2015

I experienced differences in the distance between cap and shoulder between cuurent AA cells. Leading to contact problems in devices with a contact in a recess.

And I sometimes have problems fitting new AA or AAA cells into new devices, due to too small spacing between contact, but never with old devices.

I also find that these high-tech batteries seem too powerful for some older devices.

Alkali cells have the same nominal voltage as zinc-carbon ones and should not behave differently at the start.

DavidClapp · May 5, 2015

AgX said:
I experienced differences in the distance between cap and shoulder between cuurent AA cells. Leading to contact problems in devices with a contact in a recess.

And I sometimes have problems fitting new AA or AAA cells into new devices, due to too small spacing between contact, but never with old devices.

Alkali cells have the same nominal voltage as zinc-carbon ones and should not behave differently at the start.

It's been a real surprise to me. I'll ensure I buy cheap batteries from now on

Soligor Meter Repair in UK

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