Seiko Solar Watch playing up

torrevieja · 21-03-2020 2:50pm #1

My Seiko watch has been playing up a bit losing time , infarct I think may have gone fast too
Think warranty is up I'll have to check any help appreciated thanks

beauf · 21-03-2020 2:57pm

They have rechargeable battery that can need replacing. I think.

Lorddrakul · 24-03-2020 8:39pm

Had that problem with a Citizen Eco Drive.

Replaced the battery and then let it charge on the windowsill for a good two days, it has been right as rain since.

You just need to get the right spec of battery.

torrevieja · 24-03-2020 11:43pm

i put it in Window for a day seems to be fine but ill leave it in window again for A while

Lorddrakul · 25-03-2020 3:17pm

torrevieja wrote: »

i put it in Window for a day seems to be fine but ill leave it in window again for A while

It may be able to run well with the charge, but the battery is still needed to hold the charge from the solar cell.

Let it fully charge on the window, then take it away and wear it for 24 hours and then check it. If it doe the low battery indicator thing (usually two second jumps by the second hand), then it is more than likely the battery.

torrevieja · 25-03-2020 10:33pm

Lorddrakul wrote: »

It may be able to run well with the charge, but the battery is still needed to hold the charge from the solar cell.

Let it fully charge on the window, then take it away and wear it for 24 hours and then check it. If it doe the low battery indicator thing (usually two second jumps by the second hand), then it is more than likely the battery.

Hi again yea i did that but watch is losing time again,

i didnt think they needed a battery been solar i was wrong,

if it is the batter wouldthey go so quick, just over 2 years are these expensive

blue5000 · 25-03-2020 10:46pm

torrevieja wrote: »

Hi again yea i did that but watch is losing time again,

i didnt think they needed a battery been solar i was wrong,

if it is the batter wouldthey go so quick, just over 2 years are these expensive

What are the first two digits on the serial number? The first digit is the year and the second one is the month it was made, with N and D for those two months. The watch might be older than 2 years.

scwazrh · 25-03-2020 11:30pm

One of my Seiko solars I’ve had near 10yrs.i don’t wear it that often so it regularly loses full charge.To charge it I leave it in direct sunlight for 2-3 days and then wear it for a couple of days ,after that it regulates itself and all is good.
Losing full charge is bad for battery life though so best to avoid if possible .

26-03-2020 10:34am

In theory the battery should last for many years, 10 or more. There are 15-20 year old solar watches out there with the original battery.

In practice the battery can fail sooner, either due to bad luck or mistreatment. Lithium batteries age very fast at a low state of charge. Letting the battery run completely down is bad for them. Letting the battery sit for a long time in an empty state is especially bad for them.

A damaged battery will either have a reduced capacity or it will be very reluctant to take a charge.

I would give it at least a week sitting near a window, to be sure that the battery is indeed damaged. It sounds like it is, but it costs nothing other than time to be sure.

A good watchmaker will source and replace the battery for you. It should not cost more than €30. Insist that they replace it and not merely charge it under a light source (let them know you have tried this).

A handy/experienced owner might source and replace the battery himself; it's typically no more difficult than replacing a standard button cell.

beauf · 26-03-2020 10:55am

Out of curiosity where should you keep them.

I've a cheap Casio solar that I rarely wear these days. Used to my be main watch about 7-5 years ago. Can't remember if I ever changed the battery.

I tend to leave it on the Windows sill. Mainly because it's a pain to correct the time on it. Time does drift on it though not massively.

unkel · 26-03-2020 11:44am

Anywhere not completely dark (like in a drawer) will be fine and will give more than enough PV electricity to keep the battery healthy. In fact it would probably be a better idea not to leave it in direct sunlight as some of the electrical components could get hotter than they should.

munstergirl · 26-03-2020 11:52am

I got a citizen eco drive a new solar battery in Jewellers that have good reputation for fixing watches it cost me €100. They did ring me with the price. That's about 8/10 years ago, Watch still working. Maybe batteries have got cheaper.

A normal watch battery change in same Jewellers is only €5.00

If watch is not working leave it on sunny windowsill for few days. My watch was dead, no skipping seconds.

torrevieja · 26-03-2020 11:36pm

Deleted User wrote: »

In theory the battery should last for many years, 10 or more. There are 15-20 year old solar watches out there with the original battery.

In practice the battery can fail sooner, either due to bad luck or mistreatment. Lithium batteries age very fast at a low state of charge. Letting the battery run completely down is bad for them. Letting the battery sit for a long time in an empty state is especially bad for them.

A damaged battery will either have a reduced capacity or it will be very reluctant to take a charge.

I would give it at least a week sitting near a window, to be sure that the battery is indeed damaged. It sounds like it is, but it costs nothing other than time to be sure.

A good watchmaker will source and replace the battery for you. It should not cost more than €30. Insist that they replace it and not merely charge it under a light source (let them know you have tried this).

A handy/experienced owner might source and replace the battery himself; it's typically no more difficult than replacing a standard button cell.

I’ll give it a bit longer on window sill , is serial number engraved on watch .
What do u mean by an empty state,

I actually have three different seiko watches bought at different times and I really only wear this one to be honest,
I’m sorry I bought 3 solar now if I’d known this,

I have other watches too hillfigher, Ferrari tissot etc but these are the ordinary battery, should these be worn Or are they alright as long as battery is in it, I got the battery we’re they give warranty for 5 years and two of those watches have stopped in 3 years but I don’t wear them that much ?

27-03-2020 9:57am

torrevieja wrote: »

What do u mean by an empty state,

Empty as in no power left in the battery.

This type of battery is unhappy (chemically) when it is empty. If it is empty for just a few days and then charged up .. no real harm done. But if stays empty for many months it can be permanently damaged.

This applies to most lithium batteries. The one in your phone, laptop etc.

I actually have three different seiko watches bought at different times and I really only wear this one to be honest,
I’m sorry I bought 3 solar now if I’d known this,

They're generally very low maintenance. Most people give them enough light without thinking about it.

I have other watches too hillfigher, Ferrari tissot etc but these are the ordinary battery, should these be worn Or are they alright as long as battery is in it, I got the battery we’re they give warranty for 5 years and two of those watches have stopped in 3 years but I don’t wear them that much ?

Many quartz movements go into a power save mode when the crown is pulled out (the hands stop moving). If you know you will not wear it for a long time (many months), it can be worth doing this, particularly if you have a large collection.

When a 1.5V button cell is empty, it should not be left in the watch for a long time as it may leak and damage the movement.

Seiko Solar Watch playing up

Comments