I have a Gossen meter that takes two Mallory PX 625's or PX-13's and a Horseman 6x9 meter that takes a Mallory PX-26 and a Mallory PX-640 battery.

I need to replace them and have found them impossible to find. Does anyone know where the following batteries are available from? PX-625 PX-640 PX-26

Someone told me that there is an adapter available for the Horseman 6x9 meter which enables it to use modern available batteries but I have not been able to track this down.

What are other people using in hteir vintage cameras and meters? or are we destined to just shelve the older equipment?

thanks

Greg

-- Greg Kriss (74bug@hotbot.com), November 06, 2000

Answers

You need to find WeinB. replacement cells. These are not batteries, but a power cell designed to replace the old mercury batteries that were discontinued for environmental reasons. I've been using them to keep my old LunaPro functional and they seem to work well and last a year or more. A well-stocked camera store (if you can find such a thing anywhere these days) should have them, or you can try the big mail- order places like B&H.---Carl

-- Carl Weese (cweese@earthlink.net), November 06, 2000.

that's "Wein"--don't know where that B came in.

-- Carl Weese (cweese@earthlink.net), November 06, 2000.

I have purchased original cells for my Weston Ranger 9 from a place in Hong Kong called "Button Online". Shipping was a tad slow, but the price was great. I don't have their URL with me, but try a search or go to photo.net and search the discussion threads for Weston Ranger 9, etc.

-- Sean yates (yatescats@yahoo.com), November 06, 2000.

Contact Bogen. They rep for Gossen. They have a special insert for the 625. I got one for my Luna Pro. Those Wein cells die real quick! You can buy them directly from Bogen.

-- Alec (alecj@bellsouth.net), November 06, 2000.

Mercury cells are now 'outlawed' in most countries, although I've seen some illegal imports of Varta cells here in the UK.
Kodak are producing an aklkaline cell in a PX625 shape and size, but the voltage is 1.5 rather than the mercury cell's 1.35. For most applications this voltage difference won't matter in the slightest. The reduced working life of the alkaline cells means that you have to keep an eye on their condition more.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), November 07, 2000.

Try these links:

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl? msg_id=000h3H&topic_id=23&topic=photo%2enet

and:

http://www.smu.edu/~rmonagha/bronbattery.html

Short answer - the virtue of the Mercury cells is not their loooong shelf life (although that is a nice feature) but rather their even discharge curve - i.e. they retain an amazingly constant voltage output throughout their life.

This may be of no consequence to the Gossen. The alkaline cells I have used in my Weston have prooven to erratic for use. ANyone familiar with the Lithium cells?

-- Sean yates (yatescats@yahoo.com), November 07, 2000.

For 625 mercury's (and maybe others - I've lost the URL to check) contact Arthur at batteries@who.net. I got four, promptly delivered by priority mail, for $23.20.

-- Chauncey Walden (CLWalden@worldnet.att.net), November 07, 2000.

Check:

http://www.criscam.com/mr9faq.htm

I use one in my Sekonic and it's more accurate then it was new.

-- Bill Brady (wmbrady@olg.com), November 19, 2000.

I have an old 35mm Miranda "Sensorex" camera from the 1960's that used the 1.35 volt #625 mercury batteries. The battery was for the light meter only. The Miranda collectors website recommends using the modern 625 alkaline batteries and setting the ISO rating to 1/2 of the recommended rating, since the voltage is slightly higher. I have not tried this, I am merely passing along the information. -Dave

-- Dave Richhart (pritprat@erinet.com), November 20, 2000.

Her's a link for mercury PX-13/625 button batteries. I don't know how long this link will last, but I bought 10 of them and am happy. Rick http://buttononline.heha.net/index.html

-- Rick Muscoplat (rdmusco@att.net), January 15, 2001.

Our WEINCELLS now come in 675, 625, 400,640,450 sizes and are the most accurate replacement cell for mercury. Cell output under camera load is axactly mercury 1.35 volts.Not to be confused with a 1.4 volt hearing aid cell that is designed for 10 day useage. Order factory direct(5.95) if not available in your area.

-- Stan Weinberg (weinprod@aol.com), July 17, 2001.

For anyone who happens to be in the Boston, MA, USA area, Ferranti- Dege in Harvard Square stocks these.

-- Micah Donahue (micahdonahue@yahoo.com), October 03, 2001.

I have a Konica Autoreflex TC and I live the camera, but of couse batteries don't last forever... :( I have tried setting the ASA to half that of the film (using 1.5V alkaline) but I am not satisfied with the output. It is difficult to trust the meter when the camera is set this way and I do not want to hastle with the batteries running down like I know they will.

-- James Christianson (Chaotic_Peace@onebox.com), June 08, 2002.