battery for bolex h8/h16 light meter

[milesandjules]

Hi Guys.... got one of the light meters that clip on the top of the h8/h16 camera. Just wondering if there is a replacement battery for this? I tried a 625 and made an adaptor to hold it centre but that didn't do anything.
Thanks for any help
Cheers
Miles

[BAC]

Gossen made an adapter, I'm not sure if it's still available and it's made to replace 2 PX13 batteries. If I remember right the Bolex meter takes one.

http://www.gossen-photo.de/english/foto_s_batterie.php

If your meter didn't register at all when you put batteries in it could be dead unless you didn't have proper contact. Sometimes you may need to put in a spacer to make contact. You can fold tin foil to make the spacer or gently bend the spring contact to make up for the thinner batteries. I would make sure you can get it to react to light before investing in an adapter. Put some white vinegar on a cotton swab and clean the corrosion off the contacts in the battery compartment then Dry it out good. Even if they don't look corroded they may be.

Weinn cell batteries work but they will only last a few months. That's what I usually use in my Bolex meter.

http://www.weincell.com/

You can also use 675 hearing aid batteries to replace PX13 you just have to roll up a piece of cardboard around them to make them fit properly. I think the Weinn cell batteries are 675's in a casing to make them fit properly. Here are some good articles on replacing PX13 batteries.

[url]http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-111.html[/url]

http://www.butkus.org/chinon/batt-adapt-us.pdf

[milesandjules]

Hi bac
Thanks for all the info...can you tell me which way the polarity is?.... and also how many volts needed to run the light meter.

Cheers
miles

[BAC]

When you put the batteries in you should be looking at the + on the battery so it's facing out. I don't have my meter in front of me right now but if it takes one battery then the voltage is 1.35, if it takes two then double that to 2.7 volts.

[milesandjules]

Yeah only seems to have room for one 625 battery.

[milesandjules]

Ah there we go ....it does work....I think I must have had the battery in the wrong way. :oops:

How would I test it ....to see how accurate it is?

[BAC]

If you have an iPhone there's a free light meter app that works pretty good, you can compare the readings to it.

[milesandjules]

Genius I'm going to give that a go. :lol: