I decided to pitch the Alaline "replacement" batteries (at 1.5 V each) for my Konica TC with the more "apprpriate" Zn Air batteries (Radio Shack 675 Zn-Air 1.4 V batteries, that reportedly deliver the proper 1.35 volts each). I made these replacements fit with an O ring (Stock Number 35724B from Home Depot). They fit fine, and since I was able to get EIGHT (8) of the batteries for $3 at Radio Shach, I figured I was in business.

Just for fun (and since I got so many for good price) I decided to run a check on a single battery over a period of time. Here are some results:

1. The initial voltage (before the little cover is removed) was 1.245 volts.

2. When the little covering is removed, the voltage begins to climb rather rapidly (in a few minutes) to 1.35 V and then to 1.4 V and continued to climb a little.

3. For the past 4 or five days the voltage has stabilized at 1.531 V and has remained ROCK SLOID (+/- 0.001V).

4. Sure enough, there's not been any load on this battery, and it hasn't been in the camera, in tandem with another cell, BUT...

...it has read a pretty high voltage! Any comments or observations of others out there?

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2001

Answers

Zn Air Battery Voltage

How do you plan to compensate for the greater voltage - it seems simpler to me to get the murcury PX675 and use them - they last SUCH a long time that even at $8 they are, to me, the best deal....

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2001

Zinc Air batts

Hi Tom,

I've been using the Zinc Airs in my T4 for about a year, ever since my last set of Mercury batts died and I committed an eco-hazard with them (i.e., threw them away)...

I started with the Wein, then switched to simple hearing aid batteries such as you are buying (I suspect they are the same). Yep, the batteries are sealed and not up to full power until you remove the little cover... once you do, the voltage climbs then stabilizes. I also found that removing the cover vastly shortens the "shelf life" of the Zinc Airs.

I suspect that if you put those batteries under a load, you would find them much closer to the 1.35V your camera requires. The ones I bought were also rated 1.4V. In use, I can tell you my T4 meter (the one remaining working one!) is dead on, no more than 1/3 stop away from the FT-1 I usually use at the same time or either of my hand-held meters.

Cheers

Alan Myers San Jose, Calif.

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2001