Battery drain on an M6

kshapero

kshapero

South Florida Man
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Classic M6 is using up batteries too quickly.
Possible reasons:
1. Not putting shutter speed dial at B when not in use
2. Old batteries (about a year old before using)
3. ???
 
1. I never put mine on "B" as a battery saver, but mine last a bit over a year.

2.A year old batteries, but "in date"? "Use by 2014, e.g.
A battery tester from the hardware store would show how strong your batteries are.

3.??? How quickly are your batteries being used up?
 
I had a time where I went through several batteries and it went like this: First discover my meter doesn't work, so I change my battery, and everything works fine. I had noticed that my LED's appeared dimming and then thought it was just time because I was using my Leica a lot.

Then I discover the new battery is dead after a weekend. The spares were stored in my fridge, but I never considered that they might have a shelf life, and I begin to think I have a problem. Perhaps they were in my fridge for years.

I buy fresh batteries because all the old ones are gone and the problem hasn't returned. Since then I had my M6 totally overhauled by Sherry and my electronics got a clean bill of health.

I'd have to check, but I believe my Nikons use the same batteries as my Wetzlar M6, and although stored in my fridge I can't say how old they were.

Good Luck,

Cal
 
Calzone I am a bit surprised to read that you store batteries in the fridge. Is the cold not draining them instead of keeping them? I always thought batteries should be kept at room temperature.
 
goodtimes said:
Calzone I am a bit surprised to read that you store batteries in the fridge. Is the cold not draining them instead of keeping them? I always thought batteries should be kept at room temperature.
Click to expand...

I use the fridge utilizing the notion that I am slowing down a chemical breakdown to extend shelf life.

Certain batteries like Mercury cells do not break down and do not have a shelf life.

Cal
 
i had the same problem all summer because i bought a 12 pack of cheapo batteries :). after i switched to a more expensive major brand (energizer) the problem went away. the batteries in my M6 and in my VCII meter before the 12 pack lasted an entire year.


kshapero said:
Classic M6 is using up batteries too quickly.
Possible reasons:
1. Not putting shutter speed dial at B when not in use
2. Old batteries (about a year old before using)
3. ???
Click to expand...
 
Only my left signal was coming on in the VF, I changed batteries, all is good. I tested the old batteries and they were bad.
 
Storing the camera with the shutter cocked will do it. If the shutter gets pressed half way while in the camera bag.
 
kshapero said:
Classic M6 is using up batteries too quickly.
Possible reasons:
1. Not putting shutter speed dial at B when not in use
2. Old batteries (about a year old before using)
3. ???
Click to expand...

Failing to pay attention to point 1 ate through batteries on me. It proved a hard lesson to learn, but after running through 4/ 5 sets of batteries in as many weeks drove the point home to me eventually
 
Not shutting the camera off wont drain it as far as i know, but if your camera back depresses the shutter button enough to trip the meter and keeps it tripped your batteries will die over night. Expensive mistake!
 
Mine last a few years, but usage interspersed with non-metered cameras. The Vartas that I bought with the camera in 1996 might have lasted more than 5 years. I only started switching the camera off recently when I bought a tight fitting bag.
 
I don't know if this particularly relevant to the M6 but it was to my M6TTL, and seems to crop up periodically. Thats why I've book marked it.

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=77616&highlight=battery+life

Scroll down about halfway. The answer 'Tom A' gave worked perfectly for my M6TTL.
Instead 4 or 6 rolls per battery I'm now getting 5-6 months with very regular use. I don't count anymore.

Best of luck,

Steve
 
I bought my M6 about half a year ago. It had old batteries in it and I kind of forgot to change. So in the middle of a shooting the batteries went all dead. 10 minutes rest and they were up again for a few minutes. The meter was still dead right.
Bought new and cheap ones and after a month or two of use they seems to start to go bad. And the meter is starting to show off as well.

My suggestion - don't save up on batteries, you end up buying proper ones in the end anyway.
 
I have been storing batteries in a refrigerator since over 20 years. They warm up when taken out, and they work.

The M6 is placed in a camera bag in such a way that nothing gets depresed.
 
raid said:
I have been storing batteries in a refrigerator since over 20 years. They warm up when taken out, and they work.

The M6 is placed in a camera bag in such a way that nothing gets depresed.
Click to expand...


Also been storing batteries in the frig for years.

I remove them when I'm done shooting (which is a pain) but eliminates line loss during idle periods.
 
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