T3D Re: Dead FED cell

[Bill Costa - NIS/CIS - University of New Hampshire <Bill.Costa@xxxxxxx>]

    John Bercovitz <bercov@xxxxxxxxxxx> recently posted (in part) to
    Tech-3D:

>    ... I got out in the field (away from my camera  bag) and _then_ tried
>    to fire the FED and found the cell was dead.   ...  I'm FED UP with
>    dead cells and  I've been swearing I would install a switch in the
>    bottom panel  but now I mean it!  ...  I took the bottom cover off the
>    camera (this doesn't hurt anything) and found that I have a space about
>    1/2" on a side in  which to install a switch.  So there's plenty of
>    space; the only  problem will be finding a good gold plated slide
>    switch.  The  wires to the cell holder are long so it will be easy to
>    install  a switch without even adding any wire.

    This is certainly a timely posting for me as I am about to order a new
    FED from Kalimex.  Last week I went through the archives and recall
    seeing someone suggesting (or perhaps actually implementing) the use of
    a mercury switch.  The idea would be that the camera would be off when
    it is being carried, and on when in the shooting position.  It sounds
    like an elegant idea.  The only concerns I would have are remembering
    to *store* the camera in the off position, and the having an
    intermittent connection when shooting from a bouncy moving vehicle.

    As for a small, gold plated slide switch.  I found one quickly in the
    Allied Electronics on-line catalog.  Check out:

        http://www.allied.avnet.com/catalog_pages/204.pdf

    The switch body is only 0.346" deep.  You may find other suitable
    switches as well, I didn't take much time to look.  I'll be very
    interested in knowing more about what you pick and how it works out.

                                                        Later...BC

-- 
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| Bill Costa                                          |    
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| University of New Hampshire    FAX: +1-603-862-4778 |    goes un-punished.
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