Selenium Cells

[Dralowid]

What makes a selenium cell in an old light meter or camera deteriorate?

Continuous exposure to light? (as in on a shelf display)

Age?

Something else?

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

Age, moisture, perhaps light exposure may facilitate deterioration of the secondary and tertiary layers of the cell, but it is a myth that light wears out the selenium itself—rather that the generation of power slightly hastens the natural process of aging. I had written much more, but my phone having discarded that post it may have to wait until I'm in a better mood to reiterate it...

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Estimated Selenium cell life is definitely shorter than that of Solar cells.

But as Brett says it's not so much the light that kills the cell. It's exposure to temperature swings and UV lighting that'll destroy the protective coating of the cell and eventually cause it to die.

 

[CameraQuest]

Most of the time Quality Light Metric in Hollywood California can repair or replace your selenium meter cells

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Quality-Light-Metric/554305868044042

 

[johnrt]

Most of the time Quality Light Metric in Hollywood California can repair or replace your selenium meter cells

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Quality-Light-Metric/554305868044042

I wonder if they could bring an old Leicameter MC back to life?

 

[Robert Lai]

QLM has run out of replacement selenium cells.
They had a few for years, but they have been used up in repairs.
I had them repair my Weston III and Weston V meters with new cells. But, those days are over.

 

[markjwyatt]

In have three selenium cell photo meters that seem to work- the built-in one on my Retina IV Reflex, A Sekonics L-VI, and a GE PR1. My Gossen Luna Pro SBC and Minolta Spotmeter M died, and Quality says are not repairable (Economics for the SBC and parts for the Minolta). My regular Gossen Luna Pro still works with Wein cells. I was really looking forward to having a 1 degree spotmeter again... Oh, well, for now I don't.

 

[Dralowid]

I ask the question because some seem to survive and others don't. I collect old 8mm movie cameras and many 'automatic' ones have built in big meters by well known manufacturers that drive the aperture while filming. There seems to be no logic to survival which ties in with what is said above.

CDS meters tend to offer up a worse problem. A well hidden battery compartment unopened for 40 odd years and stored possibly at the back of a damp garage makes for something quite nasty!

 

[Beemermark]

So you used to be able to buy selenium cells for repairing meters. Can't find them on the internet anymore. Really miss Radio shack.

 

[johnrt]

This chap seems to have a supply from somewhere, he’s repairing and restoring Old Weston Meters
https://ian-partridge.com/cells.html

 

[Ronald M]

Most of the time Quality Light Metric in Hollywood California can repair or replace your selenium meter cells

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Quality-Light-Metric/554305868044042

I send all my meters there. Never a problem.

 

[richardHaw]

theres a way to "revive" an old panel 😱😱😱

it works....sometimes 🙄

1: clean everything really well but be careful not to damage the panel.
2: heat the soldered points.
3: check if voltage changed for the better.
4: replace all wiring if it did.

if that didnt work:
bake it under the hot sun for a couple of hours.

if those didnt work:
its dead, jim 🙁

i have revived a few using the above method. no harm in trying yourself. there are times when the panel itself is still good but the connection isnt. rotten wiring, undone soldering

 

[DavidC]

I had stored an old canon 7 with a working meter in a bank deposit vault. After three years the camera was retrieved and the selenium cells were dead.

 

[Hari]

My Weston V just died yesterday

 

[Forest_rain]

if that didnt work:
bake it under the hot sun for a couple of hours.

if those didnt work:
its dead, jim 🙁

i have revived a few using the above method. no harm in trying yourself. there are times when the panel itself is still good but the connection isnt. rotten wiring, undone soldering

Baking under the sun? Does this really work? I'm tempted to do this with an old cell but wonder if it might cause more damage lol