StanMac Loc: Tennessee

Quality Light Metric in Hollywood, CA will modify or re-calibrate your Gossen Luna Pro so it will read correctly using two alkaline or silver oxide 625 cells. I just sent a mint Luna Pro in for recalibration for use with the 625 size cells. Silver Oxide is preferable for use as it's discharge curve is very similar to mercury batteries, but they are getting harder to find for some reason.

Stan

sanhuberto Loc: Miami

Thank you Bob
Do you need 3 adapters just for the light meter or you have other equipment that requires the adapter?
At $39 a pop they are not cheap.
I will try the Wein cells and if they don’t perform then I will go with your suggestions
Regards
Claude

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

There are a lot of sellers of PX625 Silver-oxide batteries on eBay....all fake. They advertise Exell brand, but Exell doesn't make a silver PX625 nor, anyone else I can find.

The eBay listers all show the same photo....the bottom of the battery, so you don't see any identification. I bought a supposed Exell that had the name "Vinnic" on it. Vinnic has a website that does not list a silver PX625.no type label. I contacted the seller and was told he "has no control over what his distributor ships"! I contacted another sell of same and was told the same thing.

They're all fronts for Chinese hustlers.

carl hervol Loc: jacksonville florida

Same batteries I use there is nothing wrong with these batteries

BebuLamar

There has never been a 625 size battery that is silver oxide. There were the original mercury and the alkaline but never silver oxide.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

That’s what I would recommend for now. They have a shelf life of several years until the tab is removed (I buy a box of 12 at a time). Remember to remove the tab about 1/2-hour before use. If you end up using the meter a lot, then two MR-9 adapters and 1.55 volt silver oxide batteries may be worth the price.
I use (discontinued) Bogen 4145 adapters in my Luna Pro meters and Leicaflex SL. They are the size of two PX625 mercury cells, take two SR 44 cells and step the voltage down to 2.7. I use Wein cells in my Leicaflex SL2, which has 2 single-battery compartments. I have not used the MR-9 adapters. Good luck!

StanMac Loc: Tennessee

http://www.smallbattery.company.org.uk/sbc_s625px.htm

So there …..!

The only problem is they aren't shipping to the U.S. at this time. And I can't seem to find a seller here in the U.S. They may have been discontinued in the U.S. due to the dwindling demand, but they have, and apparently still do exist if you can lay your hands on them.

Stan

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

Who makes the battery? Why doesn't the advertisement say? Is it REALLY silver-oxide? Of course, if you can't get them here in the USA it doesn't matter.

delkeener Loc: SW Rhode Island, USA

There is a Wein alkaline battery 625 substitute (voltage varies during usage *somewhere* around 1.5v) with fewer holes to slow down the degradation in use to substitute for PX-13 and 625 Mercury Oxide (banned in most places but Russia). The best substitute, however, is the aforemention MR 9 adapter (abt $50) which includes a tiny resistor to bring the voltage of 386/S76 Silver Oxides 1.55v to the required 1.35v of the PX 13/625 Mercury Oxide specified for the meters. BTW, MR 9 is mostly out of stock owing to low demand.

An accomplished electronic workman/woman can make their own MR 9 Battery Adapter from detailed directions I have seen on the Web. The parts are cheap. The talent to make it is not. If you cannot find the carcass of the P 625 I happen to have some very nice Brass new duplicate blanks turned in Viet Nam that tries to pass for MR 9 but lacks the required capacitor so all it does is hold the S76/386 Silver Oxide and fill the battery case with the right fit. It won't have the voltage correct which means inaccurate readings. I just use them to see if an old meter moves.

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

The correct silver-oxide battery adapter replacements for PX625 cells do not use simply a resistor or capacitor or "microelectronics". They utilize a Schottky diode (with a resistor) to produce correct voltage and drain characteristics.

Here is a site:

http://www.buhla.de/Foto/eQuecksilber.html


that discusses the subject and has a link to a PDF file of an excellent document on the subject, and info on Frans de Gruijter in the Netherlands. He makes 357 silver-to-PX625 adapters, and also sells the parts kit to make them yourself (that's the real low-cost option). All you need to supply is an alkaline PX625, which you gut completely to use the shell. I have bought a complete adapter and two kits from him and had great success. Fine soldering skill is required.

Frans doesn't have a website. You contact him by email, and pay by PayPal or other ways. He'll give you the story.