M classic meter battery question

[piazza63]

Does anyone know the minimum voltage the M6 meter needs to work? my meter stopped working and I'm not sure if its a connection problem or a dead battery...although its is like the 4 one in 4 months I have put in..Right now I'm using the one big battery instead of the two smaller ones and I'm getting 2v and 2.3v but my camera is acting like the meter is dead..Comes on for a second then nothing...I had an older M6 with the other meter and never killed a battery or had any issues like this...Any advice?

Aaron

 

[Chris101]

Sounds like you might have a problem in the meter circuit that is draining batteries too fast. Do you know about the 'clean the battery terminals with an eraser' trick?

 

[piazza63]

no what is that?

 

[Rob-F]

Don't use an eraser on gold-plated terminals. Use a soft cloth. You can use a little alcohol on the cloth. Better is "Progold" contact enhancer from Caig labs, online.

2.3 volts sounds too low for a lithium CR 1/3 N or equivalent. And you probably measured that under no-load conditions as well. Digital meter, I presume. One way to run the battery down is to leave an M6 in the case with the shutter button pressing against something. Switching the dial to B-off when not in use is a good precaution.

 

[piazza63]

yeah im guessing that's what happened... the contacts look good and it was on no load with my multimeter..I think my newer bag is padded enough that it presses the shutter slightly..I think because the old m6 classic meter dosen't blink two arrows when out of range i.e. pressed in a dark camera bag I didnt really have this problem..

 

[Rob-F]

So you probably should try turning the dial to "off" when storing the camera in the bag. If the problem does not recur, then that is probably what it was.