[Leica] solar button cell rechargers

[Jeff S <4season@boulder.net>]

I normally don't like mixing work and recreation but thought that one of
the products sold by my employer would really benefit folks here: It's a
solar battery charger for button cells including the 1.5 volt EXP76
silver oxide cells as used in the M6 and in particular the 1.3 volt
mercury cells.

I can't vouch for it's performance with those mercury cells, but I had a
set of newish silver oxides in my M6, drained them flat because I forgot
to set the shutter speed dial to "B" and successfully recharged
them--they were working fine 8 months later, until I made the same
mistake again! I've charged them a second time-so far, so good. No photo
on the web site, but it's just a tiny wafer of a device measuring 37 x
60 mm. Place it in full sunlight for a day or so and you're set. It does
one cell at a time and is evidently designed particularly for mecury and
nicad cells (but not zinc-air and I'm gussing not lithium either) but
obviously works fine with silver and probably alkaline too, though my
experience with alkaline is that they are so-so rechargeables unless
designed as such. No similar product is made for 3 and 5.3/6V cells but
I suppose you could copy this basic design and make your own. When in
stock, delivery is fairly quick otherwise allow a few weeks as these
things are essentially handmade. Current price is $21 plus shipping.

http://www.jademountain.com/energyProducts/battery/smallcharger.html
(see item BC300 near the bottom of the page)

Jeff Segawa
Boulder, Colorado