Can a selinium meter be repaired?

N

NoTx

Guest
Odd Question: Can a selinium meter that has given up the ghost, be repaired? And if so, any idea on price range?
 
It depends on a)...what make of meter and b)....what it died of!

Good quality selenium meters such as Weston Masters and Gossen etc can usually be repaired aas the parts are readilly available. A selenium meter is basically very simple ,..its just a light sensitive selenium cell connected to a galvonometer,...In the case of Weston Master there is not really anything else involved apart from the casing with the calculator on the outside and a needle locking mechanism. Most failures in this type of meter are either deteriation of the cell or the hair spring in the galv breaking. i have resusitated several Westons as they are very durable,...the last one was 'dead' but only until I put the hair spring pivot back in its seating then it worked just as good as it had for the last 30 years!
 
I've never used them but Quality Light-Metric in California (6922 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 210, (213) 467-2265) has a great reputation for bringing old selenium meters back to life.

Jim Bielecki
 
based on fancisco's good experience with qlm and some other reading, i just sent off my metrastar meter to them.
i can keep you posted if you like.

joe
 
I was thinking of an old Canon meter. Interesting read here.
 
Before you give up on the selenium cell itself, please be sure to check the meter. Many times I see these meters fail because of three factors not associated with a dead or dying receptor cell. In order: (1) the tapered ends of the rotating coil shaft are damaged (usually broken). The ends of the shaft are about as thin as a human hair, and when these meters/cameras are tossed on a bed, the back seat of a car, dropped, etc, enough g-force is generated to wreck them. If you see the shaft wobbling as you move it, the meter is gone. (2) the tiny wires leading from the rotating coil have broken. Unfortunately this is fatal, also. You may try to re-solder them, but it is about like I would expect microsurgery to be. (3) a loose piece of metal--could be a nut, small bolt, chip off of the magnetic core, anything, has become lodged between the magnet and the rotating coil. Especially in early German and Japanese meters, this is very common. Many of them were built as "open" meters...meaning no end covers. Anything that is attractive magnetically and floating around in the camera will go straight to the meter's magnet. Good luck. Some of these last a long time.
Jon
 
Often the problem on these meters is the connections rather than the cells. They corrode over the years.
 
Azinko said:
It depends on a)...what make of meter and b)....what it died of!

i have resusitated several Westons as they are very durable,...the last one was 'dead' but only until I put the hair spring pivot back in its seating then it worked just as good as it had for the last 30 years!
Click to expand...

I have several westons - one of them is a III that is in very fine condition and spot on BUT I (me-myself-big jerk etc.) broke the glass infront of the display (is it called display - a needle etc or ??) anyway I read that they are very hard to take apart and you need special tools - on the other hand I would som much like to put in a new glass as I am happy with the meter

Any hints - wht to do and dont - what tools etc

thanks
Ruben
 
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