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Message |
Jan Dvorak
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Monday, May 02, 2005 - 06:39 pm: |
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I am in the process of bringing an Auto S-2 back to life, but the lightmeter refuses to co-operate.... This is what I have determined so far: I have continuity from battery terminals to meter cell, as well as to the meter unit itself. Battery check used to work, now it does not. I seem to recall from previous threads that there used to be a problem with the battery compartment itself, but cannot find it through search. I have Mike Feuerbacher's excellent article on the Auto S-2, but it does not address my problem. Any ideas from the usual gurus? Many thanks, Jan |
CJ
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Tuesday, May 03, 2005 - 02:18 am: |
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Jan-- I'm not sure if you've checked this already, but according to the information I've read on the Auto S2, the battery check button can become corroded/oxidized such that it won't pass current. Have you surveyed that part of the bottom of the camera? -CJ |
Winfried
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Tuesday, May 03, 2005 - 04:19 am: |
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Your camera is not the first one with a broken galvanometer. Fortunately I had kept a spare when I received my 'final' Auto-S2. |
Jan Dvorak
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Tuesday, May 03, 2005 - 09:39 am: |
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CJ, I recall reading about this before, but do not understand why a faulty battery test contact would impede the operation of the meter. I do have continuity between the battery compartment and the meter cell. Winfried, Is there a way to check the galvanometer? As you can probably tell, I am a better mechanical tinkerer than an electronic wizard..... Thanks for the hints! Jan |
Jan Dvorak
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Tuesday, May 03, 2005 - 10:18 am: |
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Got it! It was the battery test switch, thanks CJ. I was trying to open the battery holder, as it is made of two halves, but could not get the two screws that hold it together, to budge. Then I noticed that the battery test button actually closes a diffrent circuit when NOT depressed. As I could not get inside the battery holder, I used a thin Exacto knife to scrape the surface of the contacts and - presto! Meter came to life! Happy Jan |
CJ
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Wednesday, May 04, 2005 - 07:25 am: |
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Jan, Glad you fixed it...it's a great feeling when you're able to get some extant piece of machinery or electronics working again. By the way, I take no credit for the contact issue fix; much of the information that I have on my cameras has been gleaned from current and previous posts to this forum; we've got many knowledgeable and friendly people on here--such as Rick and Winifried to name just two! -CJ |
Jan Dvorak
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Wednesday, May 04, 2005 - 06:18 pm: |
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Well.... If my memory was better I would have remembered the battery test switch issue. All I did remember was a vague idea that something like this was covered on the forum in the past. And to make it even worse, I had a similar problem on an S2 before and fixed it. Now I see the logic behind Rick's sketches of just about anything he worked on in the past. My wife claims I suffer from 'room to room memory loss' and I guess she's right. Now - where did I put that S2 I worked on yesterday morning........ All the best, Jan |