Silver Oxide Button Batteries: Really silver oxide?

binglebugbob · Oct 3, 2016

I bought a quantity of silver oxide PX 625S batteries from the auction site. They come from China. The alkaline batteries i was using before had a shelf life of about 2-3 years tops. I seem to recall that Energizer and Duracell used to market PX625 silver batteries. If they still do, I can't find them. But it turns out the PX625 "silver" batteries from China have about the same shelf life as alkaline batteries--give or take, 2 years. Hmmmm.

The shelf life of silver oxide watch (button) batteries is supposed to be 5-7 years. Half of the silver batteries I bought were dead in about 2 years even though un opened and stored in my (cool) basement.

This makes me very suspicious that the Chinese 625 silver batteries (which--if really silver--would be a fairly good replacement for mercury batteries with flat discharge rate and long shelf life) are just re badged alkaline batteries.

It would be interesting to see a lab test of the Chinese silver batteries to see whether they really are what they are advertised as being. As for me, unless I can find Duracell, energizer, or another known brand of 625 silver oxide batteries, I'm just going to buy inexpensive 625 Alkaline batteries for my vintage cameras that call for 625 batteries.

chriscrawfordphoto · Oct 3, 2016

It doesn't matter because neither Silver Oxide or Alkalines will work properly in your old cameras. They were made for Mercury batteries that give 1.35 volts. Silver Oxide gives 1.55v and Alkaline 1.5v. Using higher voltage batteries causes the meters to read too high, causing underexposure.

DWThomas · Oct 3, 2016

But it does matter -- with an adapter, the flatter discharge curve of the silver oxide is important. Plus it would be nice if what we buy is what it says it is!

Jim Jones · Oct 3, 2016

chriscrawfordphoto said:
It doesn't matter because neither Silver Oxide or Alkalines will work properly in your old cameras. They were made for Mercury batteries that give 1.35 volts. Silver Oxide gives 1.55v and Alkaline 1.5v. Using higher voltage batteries causes the meters to read too high, causing underexposure.

Some cameras, I believe including the Pentax Spotmatic, use a bridge circuit in their meter that does not rely on accurate battery voltage for accurate light reading.

darkroommike · Oct 3, 2016

If you have a camera that used mercury 625's, the silver batteries will work if you add the diode to drop the voltage to 1.35 volts. If you put one of these batteries into a circuit and still get 1.5 volts for a prolonged period then you have a silver battery, if it's alkaline it will start at 1.5 but the voltage will drop over time to less than 1.35 volts.

mdarnton · Oct 3, 2016

I use a lot of SR44 batteries in calipers around the shop, as well as in my Nikon FG. I have bought Chinese SR44 batteries in bulk that did not say the word "silver" and they lasted the same as the alkaline equivalent, a couple of months in a caliper instead of a couple of years, and so I decided they were probably SR44 "type" alkaline batteries, but not the real thing. Now I only buy ones with the word "silver" on the package, and those have been fine. Did yours say "silver", or just have the right number, but no "silver" on the package?

Buyer beware, as they say....

AgX · Oct 3, 2016

binglebugbob said:
I bought a quantity of silver oxide PX 625S batteries from the auction site. They come from China. The alkaline batteries i was using before had a shelf life of about 2-3 years tops. I seem to recall that Energizer and Duracell used to market PX625 silver batteries. If they still do, I can't find them. But it turns out the PX625 "silver" batteries from China have about the same shelf life as alkaline batteries--give or take, 2 years. Hmmmm.

The shelf life of silver oxide watch (button) batteries is supposed to be 5-7 years. Half of the silver batteries I bought were dead in about 2 years even though un opened and stored in my (cool) basement.

This makes me very suspicious that the Chinese 625 silver batteries (which--if really silver--would be a fairly good replacement for mercury batteries with flat discharge rate and long shelf life) are just re badged alkaline batteries.

It would be interesting to see a lab test of the Chinese silver batteries to see whether they really are what they are advertised as being. As for me, unless I can find Duracell, energizer, or another known brand of 625 silver oxide batteries, I'm just going to buy inexpensive 625 Alkaline batteries for my vintage cameras that call for 625 batteries.

Last year I bought a bunch of cheap SR-44 cells from an occosional offer at discount chain Lidl. The two cells I just unpacked had a haze on the (-) face.
I doubt the quality of the seals. On seal looked strange. But both cells are working.

With the cells in their blister packaging you only see the (+) face.

BAC1967 · Oct 3, 2016

Be very careful who you buy your batteries from. I recently found out that even buying batteries from Amazon is risky. If you read the comments you will find that even though the batteries are advertised in the original packaging they will show up tossed loose in a plastic bag. Some may even be dead when they arrive. They may be selling factory rejects or used batteries. I'm sure the same crap happens on eBay. I would think Amazon would have better quality control than that. A quick search for 123 size batteries check the one star comments and you will see the complaints.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-...f=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0041FRGXO

binglebugbob · Oct 3, 2016

I bought a used Minolta XE-7 with dead batteries, so I bought generic (Chinese) batteries for it. I didn't check them, they were new. With the new batteries, the camera still didn't work, so I sent it in for repair. The tech didn't say it, but although the batteries were labeled as MS-76, the dimensions were wrong, they were too "thin" and wouldn't make contact with the terminals in the camera's battery box. Expensive lesson. That's another reason I prefer a name brand battery.
bob.

ic-racer · Oct 3, 2016

By the 1980s voltage regulators were in many cameras, like this Yashica FX3.

binglebugbob · Oct 3, 2016

It doesn't matter because neither Silver Oxide or Alkalines will work properly in your old cameras. They were made for Mercury batteries that give 1.35 volts. Silver Oxide gives 1.55v and Alkaline 1.5v. Using higher voltage batteries causes the meters to read too high, causing underexposure.
Some cameras, I believe including the Pentax Spotmatic, use a bridge circuit in their meter that does not rely on accurate battery voltage for accurate light reading.

The Canon EF bodies also will also give accurate readings with 1.5v batteries. I believe the Gossen Luna Pro also will use either 1.35v or 1.5v batteries and give accurate readings.

Silver Oxide Button Batteries: Really silver oxide?

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