Re: [Leica] Battery for M6 (long, and maybe useless!)

[MicroGrid@aol.com]

I was afraid for the first time coming through customs here in America. I had 
"a lot" of cells with me and no receipt!
The self discharge slows down at reduced temperatures in most batteries. I am 
not 100% sure of the mercury chemistry, but don't believe it to be any 
different. I would put them in sealed plastic bags for moisture protection, 
and refridgerate (not freeze) them. They should last  for years this way. The 
expected life from a Varta mercury cell, the only ones I've bought in the 
recent past, has been great. I've been changing them out after 3 years or 
when I feel guilty. But I took a Duracell (maybe made in China) 625 out of a 
Rollei 35 that I stored in the fridge since they had stopped selling them. 
The total time since purchase of the cell must have been at least 7 years. 
YMMV

BTW you can tell when Duracell makes their batteries. They stamp them on the 
back with a code. It goes like this 9A31XXX. This would mean produuced in the 
year 99, the first month(A) and packaged on the 31st.

I promised months ago to let you know when I was in Belgium, but havn't been 
there since!
Bruce Bowman
Killingworth CT



In a message dated 1/15/00 11:32:57 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
nathan.wajsman@euronet.be writes:

<<  I did stock up on PX625s after
 learning that production in the EU became illegal last year. There are still
 distributor and dealer stocks, so the batteries are still to be found here in
 Belgium. My question is, how long can they be stored? There is no "use by" 
date
 on them, like on the alkalines. >>