Minolta XD battery corrosion ~ is it easy to clean off?

[kenji_yoshida]

<p>Sorry for multiple questions, my camera obsession is probably getting out of hand (and out of money lmao)</p>

<p>So I went to the local surplus store again, and I saw a Minolta XD (which according to my research,is the domestic Japanese version). Fortunately, the O and Bulb fires okay (albeit with some delay, I have no idea what's causing that, perhaps a sticky shutter release, or something else) but I did find something major beneath. Battery corrosion has taken hold and it looks greenish outside the cap.<br /> Further research leads me that this was the world's first camera with shutter and aperture priority modes (which neither will probably work, since it's attached with a 55mm PG Rokkor (earlier glass for the SR series, no aperture indicating pin) ). The blades looks clean enough, and that the Seiko shutter looks in good condition as well.<br /> So, I plan to buy the camera (it's quite cheap, convert currency it's about ~$25~30), clean it, and try to exercise the shutter and see if the meter is kaput or not.<br /> But aside from that meter and battery green thing, I've noticed there's a delay with the shutter mechanism, you press the button (<em>we do the rest)</em> and the shutter hesitates for a second (or two) then fires. Same with bulb mode..<br /><br /><br>

UPDATE: The camera's shutter did fire fine after exercising it for a few dozen shots, but I need answers on the corrosion problem. I think it's sealed shut. Need at least a quarter and a few pounds of force.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>It sounds as though the failed battery is still inside. People put it away and forget about removing batteries if not used.<br>

Once you get inside the battery compartment, scrape as much of the green corrosion off as you can without cutting into any metal underneath. </p>

<p>Then use a dry toothbrush on the area.</p>

<p>Then use a <em>very tiny</em> amount of damp baking soda on a Q-tip to neutralize any remaining acid. I say this with reluctance, since the worst thing you can do is to flood anything into the camera and its works.<br /> Clean, and it should work if the connections have not been corroded away.</p>

[Matthew Currie]

<p>I have had some luck with badly corroded battery caps, especially those in which the coin slot has become damaged, by drilling two very small holes right through. The cap is generally not harmed by this, but once the holes are drilled you can use needle nose pliers or the actual spanner made for face holes, and remove the cap that way.</p>

<p>You can make a little face spanner out of stiff rod such as welding rod or a bicycle spoke. You can buy real ones of varying sizes at a bicycle shop. </p>

<p>If the cap is badly stuck and the battery is inside, you can try drilling in but not all the way through, enough to get a spanner to grip. You might try getting in a little solvent such as lighter fluid before trying to remove the cap. Keep it modest, though, as you might regret if anything gets past the battery box. </p>

[John Seaman]

<p>I've found it easier to free up seized battery covers after removing the base plate from the camera. This is usually easy to do by removing the three or four little screws which secure it. If all else fails, drilling two small holes as described is the way to go.</p>

[chuck_foreman1]

The backing soda as neutralizer slightly dampened with ..yupp you got it vinegar. or use a tooth brush with

vinegar to soften the corrosion!

[arthur_mcculloch2]

<p>Hi Kenji<br>

I once had a similar problem with an old spotmatic a friend gave me. I was able to get my doctor to gently spray the cap with liquid nitrogen (he uses it to freeze off potential skin cancers and blemishes). It worked, as it quite quickly shrunk the cap in its fitting. Don't rush to remove the cap though, as aluminium has little tensile strength and is prone to fracture. I'm always reluctant to drill anything.<br>

Regards, Arthur</p>

[arthur_mcculloch2]

<p>Hi Kenji<br>

I once had a similar problem with an old spotmatic a friend gave me. I was able to get my doctor to gently spray the cap with liquid nitrogen (he uses it to freeze off potential skin cancers and blemishes). It worked, as it quite quickly shrunk the cap in its fitting. Don't rush to remove the cap though, as aluminium has little tensile strength and is prone to fracture. I'm always reluctant to drill anything.<br>

Regards, Arthur</p>

[Argenticien]

<p>I'm not a chemist, but I was going to remark, when I read JDM's reply, that I do literally the opposite (in household chemical terms) of applying baking soda: I apply vinegar, as Chuck subsequently alluded to. My assumption was that the leaked battery material is alkaline, so vinegar (an acid) should dissolve and neutralize it. (Looking now, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver-oxide_battery">this</a> for example supports that.) I usually dip an ear bud in just enough vinegar to saturate it, but not so much that any can flow or drip freely from it, and then wipe the battery compartment's terminals/springs with as many of those as required. Usually that results in a very slight fizzing of the green gunk, which makes me think I've got the chemistry right. (This is not at all to pick a fight with JDM; I'm simply saying it has worked for me so far; maybe baking soda, plain water, beer, or liquid plutonium might work too; I've just not tried them.) After I've wiped away the corrosion, I'll typically clean up with an ear bud or two similarly slightly saturated with water, to avoid leaving any vinegar behind to cause future mayhem.<br>

Admittedly this is a more involved project if you can't easily open the battery chamber to start...<br>

<em>--Dave</em></p>

[kenji_yoshida]

<p>Update: I got the corrosion mess removed by removing the bottom plate (two screws) and removing the two dead batteries. Stuck a flathead screwdriver to the compartment and twisted away. Corrosion removed and now works good, except for A and S (it came with a pre-MC ( Rokkor 55mm PF 1.8), with oil which renders aperture useless) </p>