Where are mercury still batteries available?

J

jpa66

Jan as in "Jan and Dean"
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I'm just curious as to whether mercury batteries are still available somewhere in the world ( obviously not in the US ). It would be nice to get a proper battery for my Lunasix meter and several old cameras. I know that they're environmentally unfriendly, but I find it it ironic that the US gov't. seems to be pushing people to use halogen lightbulbs ( which contain mercury ) and yet has banned mercury batteries, which seemingly last forever ( OK, that's hyperbole on my part, but they do last a long, long time ).

And for the record, I hate halogen bulbs - the light they cast is garish!

Jan
 
Have a look at <http://www.butkus.org/chinon/batt-adapt-us.pdf> I just bought an adaptor from the author (in Holland) for my Nikkormat FTn which uses unavailable mercury batteries. It allows the use of silver oxide SR44 batteries. If your meter and cameras can use a similar size you're home (almost) free!
 
Gossen makes, and B&H sells, a voltage regulating adapter for the Lunasix/LunaPro meters. Its about $40 and lets you use silver oxides with perfect accuracy.
 
MR-9 adapter works with my Gossen Luna-Pro at USD 23.00 per adapter. It's also the same adapter that works in the Pentax Spotmatic F body. Just pop in a SR43W battery...

Casey
 
There are (1) adapters, (2) expensive correctly-sized non-mercury replacement batteries, (3) mercury batteries off of eBay or old stock, or (4) what I do. Pick some batteries that add up to roughly the right voltage, stick them in the back with some aluminum foil, check the battery meter to make sure you're on target, and feel satisfied you saved a few bucks! :D
 
If you end up using mercury batteries, *please* dispose of them properly, and don't throw them into the landfill.

Same goes for compact fluorescent lightbulbs. Halogens do not generally contain mercury. Note that CF's are generally viewed as a transitional technology to be used until LEDs get cheaper, which they are doing rather rapidly.
 
Some years ago I did what Leigh did. Had three of them. Cost a good bit less than the CRIS ones and worked perfectly. Two went to other RFF members when I sold my Canon SLRs.
 
I was curious and some battery folks told me that the government would more than likely have given an exemption for the old batteries as the total amount from these is rather small, but no one applied for one.

Odd about the CFL's, as they are not lasting any where near what they were supposed to, and people being people, am pretty sure they are being tossed, though I hear some stores are taking them, I do not have a lot of confidence a high percentage are being properly disposed of.

I have not seen anything organized to take house hold mercury switches, or thermostats. I found ten pounds of mercury and a dozen or two lab thermometers to go to the haz guys about the time I cleaned out my classroom.


The Varta batteries were made in, I believe, Germany until about 8 years ago? I have a few boxes for the odd camera of mine, they seem to be holding up OK. I did get my CL converted during service.

I've read that some of the hearing aid batteries with the right voltage fit if you put an O ring around them as a spacer, a Google search should bring up something like that.

Regards, John
 
jpa66 said:
I find it it ironic that the US gov't. seems to be pushing people to use halogen lightbulbs ( which contain mercury )
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I guess it's for some of their other advantages, such as using less energy, and containing less mercury than the coal burned to produce the additional energy needed by incandescent bulbs, so there's even a net plus in the mercury footprint.

That said, the only camera I use that still needs mercury batteries is the M5. I guess I'll have that adjusted at some point; in the meantime, ironic or not, I normally have no problem getting mercury cells off eBay.

I am a bit distrustful of the way voltage-regulating adapters work, because they don't really regulate the voltage at all, they just clip an amount. And even that is dependent on the current, so the results can depend quite a bit on the camera circuitry and even on factors such as lighting. But it might well be that this is more of a theoretical problem than one that makes a difference when photographing.
 
Can't you just use one those wein EPX-625 cells zink air cells? They sell them at Adorama and various other places if you google around.
 
JohnTF said:
I have not seen anything organized to take house hold mercury switches, or thermostats.
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In our city there are sponsored "hazardous waste roundup weekends" once or twic a year. They happen so infrequently that most people seem to continue throwing stufff into the trash (AKA landfill) or, for larger items, leaving it on the curb for scavengers to take. I have never seen anyone bringing bateries or light bulbs to the roundup; they mostly focus on old paint, televisions, and computers. These events happen far too infrequently. As you say... there should be a more convenient disposal process for household items.
 
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bought a 1.3V battery for my Yashica Mat 124G at BH. not mercury, but mercury replacement. here in Brazil I've looked for mercury batteries but still haven't found (and as a bonus I get weird looks as people repeat "1.3V?")
 
semilog said:
If you end up using mercury batteries, *please* dispose of them properly, and don't throw them into the landfill.

Same goes for compact fluorescent lightbulbs. Halogens do not generally contain mercury. Note that CF's are generally viewed as a transitional technology to be used until LEDs get cheaper, which they are doing rather rapidly.
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I always dispose of them properly - my wife works for the EPA, so nothing hazardous ever gets thrown in the garbage.


jpberger said:
Can't you just use one those wein EPX-625 cells zink air cells? They sell them at Adorama and various other places if you google around.
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I have used these in the past, but they seem to have a relatively short life, nothing at all like the mercury batteries.
 
I'm with Jan on this, would be nice to know if there is still a legal source for them.

I do dispose of hazardous waste properly and find that offering more convenient collection facilities would do more for the environment than regulating this to death. In reality though, it's easier to pass regulations than to fund programs.

Sourcing from old cameras seems the way to go. Better they end up with me than in the trash when the yard sale is over.
 
The Wein zinc-air cells are the best bet. Their voltage curve almost exactly matches the old mercury batteries.

Ernst
 
I use zink air hearing aid batteries in my Luna-six. I shim it into location by using a tiny strip of folded paper around the outer perimeter of the battery to keep it from rattling around and a tiny piece of folded tinfoil on top so it makes contact. Works perfectly. The cells are cheap. I bought a bunch because I heard stories about the limited life of the cells. Mine have been lasting 5-6 months in the Gossen.
 
ernstk said:
The Wein zinc-air cells are the best bet. Their voltage curve almost exactly matches the old mercury batteries.
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They seem to have two disadvantages, though. They depend on air for operation, so if you have a camera with a very tight battery compartment they may not work well. Also their life span depends not only on usage, but they will also go bad by themselves after a few weeks or months after activating them. This is unlike mercury batteries which will last practically forever if not used. So for cameras or lightmeters that you don't use regularly they can be quite wasteful. Collectors get punished. :D
 
rxmd said:
They seem to have two disadvantages, though. They depend on air for operation, so if you have a camera with a very tight battery compartment they may not work well. Also their life span depends not only on usage, but they will also go bad by themselves after a few weeks or months after activating them. This is unlike mercury batteries which will last practically forever if not used. So for cameras or lightmeters that you don't use regularly they can be quite wasteful. Collectors get punished. :D
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Thanks. That's useful information. I wasn't aware of the lifespan issues.

Ernst
 
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