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Help: Cannot remove the battery cover from a leicaflex sl


gonzo

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Hello all:

 

This is my first post so if I have mistakenly put this post in the wrong place, please let me know and I can gladly post in the appropriate forum. I just bought a beautiful leicaflex sl in amazing condition. I bought the replacement battery and was excited to finally use the camera until I realized that the battery cover is stuck (for a lack of a better term). It seems to be stuck on the wrong thread because I can almost remove it but then it tightens and doesn't move. Is there anything I can do to help it along (it worked when I bought it because I removed it to check the battery compartment for damage and corrosion) before I take it to the camera guy and pay a fortune for the repair or a part. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

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Hello all:

 

This is my first post so if I have mistakenly put this post in the wrong place, please let me know and I can gladly post in the appropriate forum. I just bought a beautiful leicaflex sl in amazing condition. I bought the replacement battery and was excited to finally use the camera until I realized that the battery cover is stuck (for a lack of a better term). It seems to be stuck on the wrong thread because I can almost remove it but then it tightens and doesn't move. Is there anything I can do to help it along (it worked when I bought it because I removed it to check the battery compartment for damage and corrosion) before I take it to the camera guy and pay a fortune for the repair or a part. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

May be a stupid question

are you sure you unscrew : anti clockwise ?

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Hi there: Not a stupid question. I thought that I was unscrewing it in the wrong direction too but nope I had it right. It is really, really stuck. It is as if it landed on the wrong thread as it seems crooked and is nearly out but then it tightens and will not drop out of the compartment.

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I have just checked the battery cover on my SL (1257663).The battery cover is a normal, clockwise, single start thread. From the time the thread starts to engage it will take between a half and three quarters of a turn before it is closed. It sounds as if you don't have the correct battery. Turn the camera upside down resting on the accessory shoe, place two adjoining marks (use a flt tipped pen) on the camera base and cover and then using a sixpence or similar18 - 19mm coin about 2mm thick, start to undo the cover still leaving the camera upside down, when you have turned it just less than a half turn pick up the camera and give it a shake to try and dislodge the battery out of the recess within the cover. If this is not the reason then the incorrect battery has damaged the thread on the base of the cover and you will need to take it to a competent mechanic to have it repaired. The correct battery is the PX625, a mercury cell, which is very difficult if not impossible to buy as the Greenies stopped their manufacture. There are NO suitable replacements that I am aware of as the current batteries have a different voltage which gives misleading readings on the exposure meter.

Enjoy the camera, I purchased mine in 1980 and still use it albeit without the meter

 

Regards

 

Bob Showers

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I'm not sure if these are suitable for the SL their site lists the SL2. The adapters use a shottky diode to drop the silver oxide battery voltage to that of the discontinued mercury batteries. The voltage drop does depend somewhat upon the current drawn so the adapters may not be suitable for all cameras.

 

I have used the adapter in the distant past but I can't remember if it was for the SL or SL2.

 

Bob.

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Hello Bob

 

Thanks! I did finally manage to get the battery cover of my SL using a small amount of WD40 (applied with a q-tip). I waited until it seeped into the thread, then let it rest upside down on its accessory shoe. I tried it after about an hour and it still wouldn't budge; I let it rest for about a day and this time used a coin and pliers to help dislodge it and indeed it finally gave. The battery compartment itself was empty (I had checked the compartment when I bought it and am not sure why the cover suddenly wanted to stick; the guy at the photo shop replaced it for me and I am not sure if it fell into the wrong thread as he secured it). I suspect that it was already an issue as I noticed that when I tried to remove it I turned it three times or so and it would only fall out if I held the camera right side up and wiggled the thing out. In any case I will try the Weincell replacement for the PX625 as I read quite a bit about it, including those that have used it with nice results for years. My understanding is that it is made to mimic the original voltage. The only gripe is that once you peel off the green sticker it lasts for about 2-3 months. I'm unsure if I should still take it in for repair, or if it necessary to replace the entire battery compartment. I would love to be able to use the meter but really don't want to have to go through that again!!

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I use the Weincell on my SL2 and it works fine ... I use the camera only intermittently, so after a shoot I take the battery out, reapply the green sticker (to prevent air from getting to the inside) and store it in the original plastic case until next time. This seems to prolong the life of the battery considerably.

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Some folks have said they have had problems with the CRIS adapters, but I've used them in SL bodies with no problems. Prefer them to the Wein cell solution, because you can use the same batteries as the other R cameras [other than R8 or 9] and these batteries last lots longer than the Weins.

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I read mostly negative reviews of the CRIS system and thought to give the Weincell a chance before I go the adapter route. But it is good to know that it can work in case I get annoyed with the Weincell. Plus I read that if you do as arpey does and replace the green tab and return it to its package (while kinda annoying) seems to extend the battery life. I've never tried it but I really look forward to it! Other than the mercury cell or the alkaline, I'm not aware of any other option...

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