HELP - Nikon F6 camera clock battery replacement

[jd1566]

Hi all,
I've searched this Forum, the web and even approached a Nikon service centre in South Africa (the closest one to where I live) but I can't get a lot of reliable information about the Nikon F6 film camera.. the last produced by Nikon.
Specifically I know that this camera has an internal battery that runs out after several years and needs replacing.  Otherwise all your settings go back to factory settings every time you remove the lithium batteries (whcih apparently get exhausted a lot faster as they're trying to charge in internal clock battery that doesn't hold it's charge). 
From anecdotal info it appears that Nikon does not service these cameras or tries not to (ie. if you bought grey-market then forget about it). Also parts are scarce. So I decided to look online to find a service manual and see how hard it could be to replace this battery myself.. and no info. Not even here on NikonGear!  My local camera mister-fixit has never touched an F6.. Nikon SA doesn't return my e-mails to confirm or deny that they still fix an F6 and what it would cost..

So I'm calling out to any of you film shooters who have an F6 and have had a similar issue to let me know how you solved it - especially if you have a repair manual and did the job yourself!

Thanks

[MFloyd]

Error; I'm looking it up

[Peter Forsell]

The internal battery can be problematic. For example replacing it in Nikon D1 series required swapping a whole circuit board, since the battery is soldered right into it. At least that is how Nikon serviced it, but after the spare parts became unavailable we had to open the camearas ourselves and replace just the battery with a soldering iron once the circuit board was on the table.

Despite F6 being contemporary with the D2 series, the clock battery is not in the vertical grip... because there's no vertical grip. Nikon service is the obvious answer, or a seasoned indie DSLR wizard.

[Stephan]

Copy from the F6 manual:

Backup battery
The F6 is equipped with a built-in backup battery for the camera’s clock. This charges in approximately 48 hours when 3 V lithium or the optional Multi Power Battery Pack MB-40 (x 166) is supplying power to the F6. When the built-in battery is fully charged, it is able to supply the F6’s built-in clock with power for approx. 4 months.

For me this means, if it's defect, i.e. couldn't be charged anymore only possibility to get it repaired is Nikon Service or equivalent....

[Thomas G]

I assume you found these links, just for the records:
Nikon F6 dot Net on internal batteries
User manual

[Hugh_3170]

If Nikon South Africa are your nearest service agents and you are unable to get a suitable response from them about your F6, then you might like to email the Nikon service agents in Melbourne, Australia.  They have quite a number of technicians, many of whom are Asian.

They are called Camera Clinic and their web address is: http://www.cameraclinic.com.au/index.php/en/contact-us

It is a family owned business - father/son/daughter.

Mark your email Attention Wayne Rogers (son) or Lawrie Rogers (father).  (The daughter is the firms accountant.)

Disclaimer: I am not in any way associated with Camera Clinic, but as a customer I have found them to be very good.  As well as fix cameras and lenses, they have the equipment and expertise to make lens adapters and produce custom instrumentation and photographic gear for specialist applications.

[jd1566]

Thanks to all for your replies and comments!