Regeneration of selenium cell?

[johnnyrod]

I read somewhere about a similar process, and something to do with a candle or other flame. I think a reducing atmosphere (i.e. opposite oxidising, or maybe just inert) might help - the flame would consume any oxidant (oxygen in the air), and produce some carbon monoxide, which is a reducing agent. So you could try again with a sealed jar of some sort, with a candle in it that will burn out when the oxygen is gone (and produce a bit of CO), or if you have any sort of welding gas then purge the jar with that. You would need to consider how to stop it popping in the oven as the heat would raise the pressure inside - maybe a hole in the lid with some sort of flap to act as a relief valve.

Interesting to hear you have some success just using air

 

[Steve M.]

Given the fact that selenium meters are hopeless in low light even when in good working condition, and the possible dangers in regenerating your old meter (I keep getting visions of your camera strapped to a table w/ electrodes on each end, and the table slowly being raised to a high window during a lightening storm to be regenerated), it may be time for a perfectly respectable, pre owned, $20-$30 CDS or silicone meter.

The website below on light meters is wonderful, and he has a great collection of older light meters too. If you own it, it is probably there, w/ a description and a pic (see second link).

http://www.jollinger.com/photo/meters/other/beginners_guide.html

http://www.jollinger.com/photo/meters/meters/norwood_directorB.html

 

[Murray Kelly]

I have recorded some sites that discuss this problem

http://www.elekm.net/zeiss-ikon/repair/meter-repair/
https://tomtiger.home.xs4all.nl/zenrep/meter.html

and one I used to re-calibrate a CdS in a Canonet28 from mercury to silver cell which simple principle would probably apply to a transplant of a silicon cell (more voltage) into a selenium space

http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/siloxidemodify.html

Hope this is of some help.

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

Given the fact that selenium meters are hopeless in low light even when in good working condition, and the possible dangers in regenerating your old meter (I keep getting visions of your camera strapped to a table w/ electrodes on each end, and the table slowly being raised to a high window during a lightening storm to be regenerated), it may be time for a perfectly respectable, pre owned, $20-$30 CDS or silicone meter.

The website below on light meters is wonderful, and he has a great collection of older light meters too. If you own it, it is probably there, w/ a description and a pic (see second link).

http://www.jollinger.com/photo/meters/other/beginners_guide.html

http://www.jollinger.com/photo/meters/meters/norwood_directorB.html

Some of us have older cameras with built in selenium cell powered meters we'd rather like to work, though.

Interesting information above but I am curious about what effect the heating process has on the cell protective coating and what if anything has been used to replace it.
Cheers
Brett

 

[monopix]

Interesting to see this thread revived after eight years. Unfortunately, the camera in question has long since left me. I don't actually remember what happened to it.

 

[richardHaw]

I just "fixed" a dead Nikon meter the other day by replacing the selenium panel with the one from a cheap $1 chinese solar calculator

both registered at 3v so it was straight-forward. adjust the power by playing around with the potentiometer or place gaffer's tape on the chinese panel until you get the right reading :bang:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHm07kkYFWw

here is the video of it pre-calibrated. I will put the full article in my richardhaw.com Nikon repair blog one of these days. There is a similar site (in Japanese) and I wish that I saw that before I tinkered with mine. Exact same process as mine, reading that before attempting my "repair" would've save me time from figuring out things with a voltmeter,etc.

 

[Ronald M]

I used Quality in post #11 for many meters. He calibrates and repairs for movie industry.

He may not take cameras apart-call there

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

I just "fixed" a dead Nikon meter the other day by replacing the selenium panel with the one from a cheap $1 chinese solar calculator

both registered at 3v so it was straight-forward. adjust the power by playing around with the potentiometer or place gaffer's tape on the chinese panel until you get the right reading :bang:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHm07kkYFWw

here is the video of it pre-calibrated. I will put the full article in my richardhaw.com Nikon repair blog one of these days. There is a similar site (in Japanese) and I wish that I saw that before I tinkered with mine. Exact same process as mine, reading that before attempting my "repair" would've save me time from figuring out things with a voltmeter,etc.

At 3 volts when? EV 17? EV 7? It's one thing to get an accurate reading at any particular light level. The tricky bit is getting the same meter accuracy as existed with the original selenium cell across the entire EV range of a particular meter.
Cheers,
Brett