Leicameter MR-4 Recalibration from Mercury cell to Alkaline 1.55V in Germany

[wlaidlaw]

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I have a number of MR-4 Leicameters for my various meter-less M cameras. My chrome one I have had for around 40 years and once mercury cells (1.35V) became unobtainable, for a while I managed on the Wein Zinc Air hearing aid batteries but these are designed for devices which are left continuously switched on, where the cell will get used up quite quickly. On devices like an MR-4, where they are only used occasionally, they are a pain because they run down whether in use or not and when you actually come to use the Leicameter, you find the battery is flat. The alternative is to use the Small Battery Company's MR-9 voltage regulated PX625 replacer, which reduces the 1.55V of the SR43 cell to 1.35V. Unfortunately I have found these very unreliable and sometimes they work but sometimes they don't. I have the same issue with the MR-9 625 replacer in my film CL camera. 

 

I sent one of my black MR-4 Leicameters, which had a number of other issues apart from the battery, to George Milton of Quality Light Metrics in Hollywood, CA. He found it had a corroded circuit board (very common, usually due to mercury cell leakage) and rebuilt the meter, at the same time re-calibrating it to a modern 625A 1.55V alkaline button cell. It was not cheap at $180 service charge plus postage. Sadly it has only lasted 4 weeks before it failed with more than one issue and has had to be sent back again for a complete re-repair. What with having to deal with the customs forms for repair items, which is a total pain, especially having to do it all again after just 4 weeks and being used about 3 times. 

 

I therefore did not want to send my chrome MR-4 meter to QLM in the USA just for a recalibration, as apart from the MR-9 battery replacer problem, I think the meter is OK. I spoke to the dealer in Germany from whom I had bought another MR-4 some time ago, which had been recalibrated to a 1.55V button cell to ask them if they knew who had done it, as that meter works perfectly and consistently. "We did the recalibration" was the answer and they charge €60 plus €17 postage for the service. 

 

For others who might want to avail themselves of this service they are:

 

Kamera Technik Langer 

Karlstrasse 28
76133 Karlsruhe

Germany

https://kameralanger.com 

 

Wilson

[AdamSinger]

I have a number of MR-4 Leicameters for my various meter-less M cameras. My chrome one I have had for around 40 years and once mercury cells (1.35V) became unobtainable, for a while I managed on the Wein Zinc Air hearing aid batteries but these are designed for devices which are left continuously switched on, where the cell will get used up quite quickly. On devices like an MR-4, where they are only used occasionally, they are a pain because they run down whether in use or not and when you actually come to use the Leicameter, you find the battery is flat. The alternative is to use the Small Battery Company's MR-9 voltage regulated PX625 replacer, which reduces the 1.55V of the SR43 cell to 1.35V. Unfortunately I have found these very unreliable and sometimes they work but sometimes they don't. I have the same issue with the MR-9 625 replacer in my film CL camera. 

 

I sent one of my black MR-4 Leicameters, which had a number of other issues apart from the battery, to George Milton of Quality Light Metrics in Hollywood, CA. He found it had a corroded circuit board (very common, usually due to mercury cell leakage) and rebuilt the meter, at the same time re-calibrating it to a modern 625A 1.55V alkaline button cell. It was not cheap at $180 service charge plus postage. Sadly it has only lasted 4 weeks before it failed with more than one issue and has had to be sent back again for a complete re-repair. What with having to deal with the customs forms for repair items, which is a total pain, especially having to do it all again after just 4 weeks and being used about 3 times. 

 

I therefore did not want to send my chrome MR-4 meter to QLM in the USA just for a recalibration, as apart from the MR-9 battery replacer problem, I think the meter is OK. I spoke to the dealer in Germany from whom I had bought another MR-4 some time ago, which had been recalibrated to a 1.55V button cell to ask them if they knew who had done it, as that meter works perfectly and consistently. "We did the recalibration" was the answer and they charge €60 plus €17 postage for the service. 

 

For others who might want to avail themselves of this service they are:

 

Kamera Technik Langer 

Karlstrasse 28

76133 Karlsruhe

Germany

https://kameralanger.com 

 

Wilson

 

Hi I use an adapter in my meter , the adapter is the same seize as original MR-9 battery using 486 cells and puts out 1.35 volts same as the MR-9 , and it works just fine go here http://www.smallbattery.company.org.uk/sbc_mr9_adapter.htm

Edited August 6, 2018 by AdamSinger

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[wlaidlaw]

Adam, 

 

Those are the ones I am using and neither work well. You seem to have to do a whole lot of battery checks to "wake them up" before they will work properly. They are fine when they are new but after three or four years, they start to misbehave. As you know, they are not cheap, so I am going to "bite the bullet" and get my chrome MR-4 re-calibrated. I don't know if they have changed the design of the MR-9 adapters but mine use the smaller SR43/386 cells not the SR44/486.

 

Wilson

[AdamSinger]

Adam, 

 

Those are the ones I am using and neither work well. You seem to have to do a whole lot of battery checks to "wake them up" before they will work properly. They are fine when they are new but after three or four years, they start to misbehave. As you know, they are not cheap, so I am going to "bite the bullet" and get my chrome MR-4 re-calibrated. I don't know if they have changed the design of the MR-9 adapters but mine use the smaller SR43/386 cells not the SR44/486.

 

Wilson

er whoops you are right 386, strange I have had no problem, with the MR meter or my Lunnasix, and every thing else that is stuck in my localised pre 1973 time warp. BTW I have found the Gentleman at Small Battery most helpful, but that said getting the Meter upgraded makes sense