battery MS76 replacement?

<p>To be on the safe side I'm just checking to see if this is the correct silver oxide 1.5v button camera battery replacement for MS76 used in an old Contax 139 that I thought should be brought back to life.</p>

<p>Duracell MS76 Silver Oxide Battery, 1.5volt seems like it should be OK, what do you reckon?</p>

<p>Thanks in advance - Clive</p>

<h1 > </h1>

<p>Fairly far down on the page ...</p>

<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_battery_sizes">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_battery_sizes</a></p>

<p>As far as I know, MS76 is =</p>

<p>SR44, 1107SO, 1066A, AG13, S05, S15, BLR44, S15, 228, AG13, 280-08, 280-904, G13-A, 10L14, 10SL17, D357, D76, MS76H, BS07, BSR44H, A76, 541, EPX76, S76E, GP57, GP76, GPA76, G13F, G13R, GS13, KS76, 2013, 313, LR44, SR44P, SR07, MGA-2200, 357A, SP76, SR44, LX S-76, A76, 23-009, RS76, RS76-2, RW22, RW42, RW82, 228, R357, SB-F9, 76-S, KA, T535B, SR44W, SR44SW, V13GA, V76HS, V76PX , L1154, A01, PX76A, LR44, 357, A200/GP76A, KA76, KA, LR1154, L1154F et al.</p>

<p>Jim M.</p>

<p>Thanks David, problem solved, we've discovered, here in Australia, that an office supplies chain, keeps the batteries.</p>

<p>Thanks again - Clive</p>

<p>I'd like to add that 357s, while the correct size, do not have the same discharge characteristics as a 76. <br /><br /><br>

The Energizer EPX76s are specifically marketed as "photo" batteries and if you compare the data sheets, you can see that they are very different from the 357s. </p>

<p>ENERGIZER 357/303H: http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/357-303hz.pdf</p>

<p>ENERGIZER 357/303: http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/357-303Z.pdf</p>

<p>ENERGIZER EPX76: http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/EPX76Z.pdf<br>

I just bought some Energizer 357s, but I think I'm going to try the EPX76, instead (they also seem to be quite a bit more expensive, sigh).</p>

<p> </p>

I found this thread very helpful while looking for replacement batteries for my Contax 139 quartz. I noticed that Duracell also have a 357/303 battery and the spec is much closer to the EXP76 (constant voltage from 0-400h service) than the Energizer version.

https://www.duracell.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/D303-D3571.pdf

You should be able to use any of the batteries mentioned in this thread. The different is only cost and how long they last. Most cameras designed to use these batteries are not sensitive to voltage variations. I know the Nikon F3 can operate correctly if the battery voltage (2 batteries in series) is 2.4V or above.

I am not sure about the F3, but the FM and FE series either work (battery is good), or not (it isn't).

The battery test is that it works.

I had forgotten this last year when I was out with an FE2, on exposure 36, and the shutter locked up.

I decided to rewind the roll, and then remembered the battery test method.

According to the FE2 manual, lithium, silver oxide, and alkaline are all fine.

I am not sure about the F3, but the FM and FE series either work (battery is good), or not (it isn't).

The battery test is that it works.

 

I had forgotten this last year when I was out with an FE2, on exposure 36, and the shutter locked up.

I decided to rewind the roll, and then remembered the battery test method.

According to the FE2 manual, lithium, silver oxide, and alkaline are all fine.

I don't know the cutoff voltage of the FM or FE but they also have a cut off voltage. That is it doesn't need 3V. Anything from 3V down to a certain level it works fine. Below that it simply quit and not giving wrong exposure like those that use Mercury cells.

I don't know the cutoff voltage of the FM or FE but they also have a cut off voltage. That is it doesn't need 3V. Anything from 3V down to a certain level it works fine. Below that it simply quit and not giving wrong exposure like those that use Mercury cells.

Yes. But also there is no warning. No "time to buy new ones because you might need them soon".

Yes. But also there is no warning. No "time to buy new ones because you might need them soon".

Not quite. The FE has an LED battery check. If the LED brightness is low, then it's time to change the two cells.

I have the EL2, which comes before the FE, and FE2 that comes after.

The EL2 has a battery check, though I am not sure I ever got it to work.

So, the FM, FM2, and FE2 have the "if it works the battery is good" system,

and the manual suggests keeping spares just in case.

My son is a scientist who's worked at Duracell for several years. He recently told me that today's SR44 silver batteries are essentially LR44 alkaline batteries with the bare minimum of silver added so they can legally be sold as silver batteries. (Silver is much more expensive, of course.) So perhaps the old "silver batteries don't change output as they discharge the way that alkalines do" may not be entirely true anymore.

That said, I haven't noticed any recent problems using SR44s in my OM-2n or F2 Photomic. But I thought I should mention it as something to keep in the back of your mind if you use silver batteries in your equipment.

The F2 photomic specifies silver such as S76.

Also, it has a battery check to test the battery. I suspect that means

that alkaline are fine, though they won't last as long.

The Nikon F finders with built-in meter (the battery goes in the viewfinder,

not the camera) I believe are designed for mercury cells. Also, they are

a different shape with a lip that ones like SR44 don't have, and the contact

is on that lip. Even so, I put alkaline cells in mine, and accept that the meter

will be a little off.

The F2 photomic specifies silver such as S76.

 

Also, it has a battery check to test the battery. I suspect that means

that alkaline are fine, though they won't last as long.

 

The Nikon F finders with built-in meter (the battery goes in the viewfinder,

not the camera) I believe are designed for mercury cells. Also, they are

a different shape with a lip that ones like SR44 don't have, and the contact

is on that lip. Even so, I put alkaline cells in mine, and accept that the meter

will be a little off.

Re mercury batteries: There are two issues (besides size). The wrong (too high) voltage. And the lack of constancy of that voltage over time.

So the meter will be off. And by how much will change.

The fix is to insert a diode (per battery) between battery and terminal, selected for the correct voltage drop. There used to be a fix offered that put that into a empty mercury battery shell, to correct for size too.

With regard to reduced silver content in silver oxide cells I wonder if a good voltmeter/multitester (one with 20,000 ohms/volt) might reveal differences. Alkalines are rated at 1.5 volts and silver oxide at 1.55 volts. I do not know if those ratings are based on the half cell reactions or actual tests. Even if a tester does not register these voltages on new cells, I would think that with new cells the silver cell should read a slightly higher voltage (both under no load except the multitester).

I agree that Q.G. has the best solution: install a diode of the proper value to reduce the voltage to what the meter works accurately with.

With regard to reduced silver content in silver oxide cells I wonder if a good voltmeter/multitester (one with 20,000 ohms/volt) might reveal differences. Alkalines are rated at 1.5 volts and silver oxide at 1.55 volts. I do not know if those ratings are based on the half cell reactions or actual tests. Even if a tester does not register these voltages on new cells, I would think that with new cells the silver cell should read a slightly higher voltage (both under no load except the multitester).

I agree that Q.G. has the best solution: install a diode of the proper value to reduce the voltage to what the meter works accurately with.

I've yet to read of any exposure problems here between these batteries. So what's the problem? The diode "solution" really only applied to PX625 merc cells, which is OT. Still, you can get for $40 the CRIS MR9 adapter or the same thing thru Japan Camera Hunter(maybe) or elsewhere that drops a 386 1.5v to 1.35.

With regard to reduced silver content in silver oxide cells I wonder if a good voltmeter/multitester (one with 20,000 ohms/volt) might reveal differences. Alkalines are rated at 1.5 volts and silver oxide at 1.55 volts. I do not know if those ratings are based on the half cell reactions or actual tests. Even if a tester does not register these voltages on new cells, I would think that with new cells the silver cell should read a slightly higher voltage (both under no load except the multitester).

I agree that Q.G. has the best solution: install a diode of the proper value to reduce the voltage to what the meter works accurately with.

Alkaline battery voltage when new under no load condition would have output higher than 1.5V. Same thing for silver oxide its output is higher than 1.55V but under load they would vary significantly. A good meter would work correctly with a range of voltage. For example the Nikon F3 would work the same if the battery voltage is above 2.4V up to slightly above 3V.

There are "good meters" that work perfect given a stable voltage feed, and such that can tolerate the vagaries of a not so constant power source. Relying on a certain type of battery (mercury, silver oxide) isn't a sign of a bad meter if these conditions are easy to meet. But when these batteries become unavailable (or users opt for cheaper alkaline batteries instead), you do have a problem. Obviously.

The diode workaround is meant to create a voltage drop. And yes, the OP does not need that. The next thing to consider then is how much the readings depend on the voltage drop when the battery empties. Silver oxide cells are always good, for both meters that require a stable voltage and such that can tolerate a steady drop.

But when silver oxide batteries are only silver oxide in name, and no better than alkalines, we're stuck. We then need to put in fresh ones very often, long before the batteries are depleted.

But that would be a problem caused by battery supply, not by not being a good meter. Would it not?

There are "good meters" that work perfect given a stable voltage feed, and such that can tolerate the vagaries of a not so constant power source. Relying on a certain type of battery (mercury, silver oxide) isn't a sign of a bad meter if these conditions are easy to meet. But when these batteries become unavailable (or users opt for cheaper alkaline batteries instead), you do have a problem. Obviously.

The diode workaround is meant to create a voltage drop. And yes, the OP does not need that. The next thing to consider then is how much the readings depend on the voltage drop when the battery empties. Silver oxide cells are always good, for both meters that require a stable voltage and such that can tolerate a steady drop.

But when silver oxide batteries are only silver oxide in name, and no better than alkalines, we're stuck. We then need to put in fresh ones very often, long before the batteries are depleted.

But that would be a problem caused by battery supply, not by not being a good meter. Would it not?

A good meter design would not rely on the battery voltage being constant. You can design your meter circuit that does require a constant voltage but then you would have to include a voltage regulation circuit. Those meters that require mercury battery never as accurate as modern meters that don't.