Graflex.org

[RichS]

I know I read somewhere that someone's Super would kill it's batteries in a couple of weeks, but I can't now remember where... So I thought I would post a simple suggestion..

I recently took my Super on it's maiden voyage for a week. I didn't want to take any chances on dead batteries because I was shooting entirely hand-held. First thing I did was buy a spare set

I knew that pulling the batteries out every day would be just too much hassle... So, I took a thick piece of paper, just slightly thicker than normal copy paper (which would probably work anyway). I cut it to fit the width of the battery opening, but long enough to cover the batteries and stick out the top by a half inch or so. I placed this on top of the two battery's terminals, then installed the battery cover, with the paper 'tab' sticking out. That's how the camera sits until I want to take a shot. Then I gently pull _up_ on the tab and slide the paper out which allows the batteries to then make contact.

A minor inconvenience of having to save the paper strip and to have to remove the battery cover to replace it when I'm done shooting... But a simple and free solution to the possibility of the Super draining the batteries when not in use...

If the Super's capacitors are killing the batteries, it could be tested by simply installing the batteries for a few minutes, then removing them. Let the camera sit for a day or two. Then push the trigger button without installing the batteries. The solenoid should still fire if the capacitors held a charge. If not, they may be leaking (electricity, not juice, or maybe both?) and draining the batteries when they're installed...

I'm also planning on glueing or taping an "idiot string" (tiny 'bungy' type thing, or 'cap keeper') from the camera to the battery cover. I did drop it once and if it would have been in a bad location, would have been lost. Don't want that to happen again...