Exactly. The polarity in the mercury battery is reversed in the new ones
(lithium). You have to insulate the outer part with a rubber and place the
battery "upside down". Check the page on batteries for SPs in this page for a
full explanation: http://spotmatic.web-page.net/. Here it is copy/pasted:
"Solution #1
(thanks to Alan Vevers for providing the info)
The PX400 battery used in most spotmatics is difficult to buy. If you do manage
to find one it is often expensive, old stock, and does not last
very long. I have used an inexpensive 392 silver oxide watch cell successfully
in my two Spotmatics for some time. The drain in use is very low,
about 0.04 ma. Provided the meter switch is left off when not in use, battery
life is considerable.
The problem is that the PX400 case is Negative (-) and the centre Positive (+).
Most modern cells I have seen are the reverse of this.
This is easily overcome without altering the camera in any way.
You will need a type 392 Battery and a short length of 3mm diameter plastic
insulated wire or 3mm insulated sleeving.
1.Cut a 30mm length of 3mm dia. insulated wire or sleeving.
2.Remove the camera battery cover, discard the old battery, and fold the
insulated wire or sleeving into a neat circle to fit snugly inside the
battery cover. This insulates and packs the smaller replacement battery.
Place the 392 battery in this, Negative contact (-) down. (i.e. so
the Positive contact (+) will make contact with the spring clip inside the
camera battery compartment).
3.Put the battery cover back.
Note you may have to carefully ease the Positive contact spring inside the
camera battery compartment outwards to make sure it makes a
good connection with the battery.
Equivalents of the 392 are: SR41W, 10L125, RW27, RW47, 247B, WL1, G3, 2, 547,
8009, GP92, 392, SR41. Cost in UK about one third that
of PX400
Any problems please e-mail me [EMAIL PROTECTED]"
Bob Rapp wrote:
> If you are using replacement batteries in a SP or SPII, the + goes towards
> the body. Hearing aid batteries must have a small rubber band or some other
> insulator to prevent them from shorting out.
>
> Bob
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Frantisek Vlcek" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: "Steve Desjardins" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2002 10:03 PM
> Subject: Re: Wrong-Way Meter?
>
> > Check the battery again. If I remember hearing about the metering
> > circuit in SPs, this could very much cause the problem.
> >
> > Fra
> > -
> > This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe,
> > go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to
> > visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
> -
> This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe,
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