Nikon RF S36 Motor unknown wireless battery pack

wes loder

wes loder

Photographer/Historian
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According to our bartender, Jacobson made a total of twelve cordless battery packs for the rangefinder Nikons. He does not mention, nor does Rotoloni, any other manufacturer. I have here a cordless battery pack that is not a Jacobson, nor a Remo. It appears well made with an aluminum casting body and not a once-off. Any ideas as to who made it?
It takes seven AA flat-top, rechargeable, nickel-Cad batteries. Front switch controls power to motor. Mini-phone plug on side allows remote control. Two-wire system.Nikon SP battery pack.JPG
 
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Very cool, thanks for sharing Wes. Seven AAs is an unusual number. My guess is it matched the brick-on-a-leash standard battery pack.

B2
 
As soon as it was introduced the Nikon S36 motor battery pack on a leash was an obvious point of needed improvement.

Alas, the market was small and apparently only Jacobson in Hollywood CA produced a commercial wireless S36 battery pack.

see Nikon SP Motor Jacobson Powercon Battery Pack

Anyone with the skills could make their own S36 cordless battery pack - it's not rocket science.

That DIYS idea is still alive and well in Japan where someone still modifies F36 motors into S36 motors, even S250 motors with a newly matching cordless battery pack.

see GREAT FAKE Black SP, S36, S250 Motors $8000

I also have a cordless S36 battery pack of unknown, but probably home made garage origin.

Stephen
 
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As Stephen says, there are many creative ways to devise a cordless battery pack. 1) Self-made customzied F-36 cordless battery pack modified for S-36 replica made from F-36 motor and 2) 3rd party cordless battery pack where you attach the battery pack to the tripod hole on the S-36 motor. This S-36 motor is a replica from F-36 (Same as 1) ).


1702427737494.png1702428161624.png
1702428178871.png
 
UV76 said:
As Stephen says, there are many creative ways to devise a cordless battery pack. 1) Self-made customzied F-36 cordless battery pack modified for S-36 replica made from F-36 motor and 2) 3rd party cordless battery pack where you attach the battery pack to the tripod hole on the S-36 motor. This S-36 motor is a replica from F-36 (Same as 1) ).


View attachment 4830197
Click to expand...
This is what I have in my mind for the SP.
Did you make it by yourself?
 
Any suggestions on how to approach fixing the motor? When power is supplied, motor operates in continuous mode. Turning the "K . L" knob on the back makes no difference. It will not cock-and-advance using the on-camera button. I feel that the the electric motor itself is fine, but some connection needs to be re-set or corrected. I down-loaded a repair manual, but it is for the later three-core, three-wire type motor (mine is an early two-wire) and I am not sure how much of the instructions apply (assuming I even understand them). Help!
 
wes loder said:
Any suggestions on how to approach fixing the motor? When power is supplied, motor operates in continuous mode. Turning the "K . L" knob on the back makes no difference. It will not cock-and-advance using the on-camera button. I feel that the the electric motor itself is fine, but some connection needs to be re-set or corrected. I down-loaded a repair manual, but it is for the later three-core, three-wire type motor (mine is an early two-wire) and I am not sure how much of the instructions apply (assuming I even understand them). Help!
Click to expand...
1) Try unscrewing the screw just above “K” slightly and see what happens to the metal contacts that connects and disconnects continuous mode? If this is screwed too tight, it will compress the metal contacts beneath the K-L cover plate too much and jams circuit
2) Perhaps the spacing between the motorplate on the camera and the S-36 motor is not adjusted correctly. I would screw on the S-36 motor which extends out to the motorplate tight and then gradually unscrew until the shutter syncs with the motorplate movement. If there is space between the screw head and the motor then you need to put in some spacer(s)
 

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UV76 said:
1) Try unscrewing the screw just above “K” slightly and see what happens to the metal contacts that connects and disconnects continuous mode? If this is screwed too tight, it will compress the metal contacts beneath the K-L cover plate too much and jams circuit
2) Perhaps the spacing between the motorplate on the camera and the S-36 motor is not adjusted correctly. I would screw on the S-36 motor which extends out to the motorplate tight and then gradually unscrew until the shutter syncs with the motorplate movement. If there is space between the screw head and the motor then you need to put in some spacer(s)
Click to expand...
Tried loosening that screw. No difference but thank you. The motor and camera came as a unit and do fire correctly but only in a continuous mode from the button on the battery pack. But the motor will only fire from the battery pack button. This is regardless of the setting on the motor back. When I turn the wheel on the back to the '.' setting for single, I feel a slight back pressure, but no action. On the 'K' setting, I feel no back pressure at all. There appears to be some king of contact blade under side cover, but the switch does not line up with it, nor does it appear capable of being alined. Any other ideas?
 
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