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Jack
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, December 25, 2005 - 09:57 pm: | 
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I'm trying to save a Nikon FG that has a hairline crack partway around the middle of the plastic battery chamber. The battery is still making contact, but the crack allows the bottom half of the cup to move slightly downward toward the body when pressure is applied. Apparently, when this happens, the underside of the positive terminal (or the wire attached to it) shorts to the
chassis underneath, quickly draining the batteries.
I think this can be remedied by sliding in an insulating shim (fish paper, fiberglass electrical tape, etc) under the chamber. The problem is, I can't figure out how to remove or gain access to it. The two screws holding the chamber in place are threaded in from the underside of the chamber, and the chamber appears to be completely concealed.
Anyone know how to get this done?
Thanks,
Jack |
kevin
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, December 26, 2005 - 06:18 am: |
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Yes, and it is not a easy fix. All of the Nikons that use button cells, ie (s-76) have the same configuration. The plastic battery compartment is held in place w/ two screws, (as you have found). Getting to these screws requires removal of the mirror box.
However, a possible quick and easy fix would be to use say an alligator clip on the metal contact so you can pull the box back together. You can then apply (according to directions) a product known as plastic-weld along the crack in the battery box.
It may hold for a few days or a few years. Give it plenty of time to cure before trying to re-installed the batteries. (1hr is plenty) Good luck. |
Jack
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, December 26, 2005 - 05:41 pm: |
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I was afraid of that. Is this a common failure in Nikon's metal body cameras? Do models like the FE, FE2 and FA also suffer from this? Thanks for your help! |
Richard Creviston
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, December 26, 2005 - 06:19 pm: |
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Jack; I had a similar problem with FG I bought years ago. Was told that it only needed new batteries. I suspected that someone had left batteries in it and they swelled with age resulting in the broken chamber.
I formed a piece of thin business card around a dowell rod and saturated it eith super glue to stiffen it. Then inserted it into the chamber after a light application of epoxy inside the chamber.
If the card is thin enough there is adequate room for the batteries to be installed.
Hope this helps. Richard. |
Richard Creviston
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, December 26, 2005 - 06:26 pm: |
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P.S. to previous message;
Jack after thinking back on this it was a piece of heavy bond paper (Not a buisiness card I used) a card may be too thick. It made a substantial tube similar to fish paper. |
kevin
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, December 26, 2005 - 09:52 pm: |
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You are welcome. Add the EM,FG,FG-20,FM2 to the list. Also the Nikonos IV-a and V bodies, since they are based on the EM and FG-20 respectively. |
Jack
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 27, 2005 - 12:10 am: |
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Richard, I think this problem is due to age and bad luck. The batteries in this particular example had been there for a very long time, but were not swelled.
Thanks for your suggestion regarding the paper tube. Unfortunately, I'm not confident that would resolve the problem in this case. The positive terminal only has to be pressed down very slightly with my ohmmeter probe for the short to appear. I think the only proper means to salvage this will require access to the underside of the battery box.
What a shame; this is nearly mint otherwise, and it appears that the internal electronics and shutter are working properly (I used clip leads and a 3V source to test). It's also very clean internally. The foam items are just now beginning to decompose, but have not yet disintegrated into those little gooey pieces that migrate everywhere. The focus screen and mirror are pristine.
OK, I guess it will be a good parts donor for my other FG. The other body isn't quite as good cosmetically, but it works well, and that's what counts. Hope it doesn't eventually experience the same fate as this one.
Thanks to everyone for the help and advice! |
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