Solar watch charging worry.

This afternoon I went to put on one of my solar watches and nearly dropped it when I picked it up it was so hot. I had to leave it cool for a minute before it was comfortable to put on my wrist. The watch had been sitting on the window sill of a southerly facing window and it's been nice and sunny today.

However, considering it's only April it's going to get a lot hotter in the summer months, is there any chance of damaging solar watches by leaving them in direct sunlight or am I worrying about nothing?

If is too hot to touch I would be concerned as to what internal temperatures reached.

I have a solar watch which sits on a bedside cabinet well away from the window and still picks up enough light to stay charged.

Personally I avoid placing anything, that’s not designed for the purpose, close to a window indefinitely.

I imagine that level of heat can't be good for the internals, but they must be built to take it - shop windows under the lights can get fairly hot and that's where they sit until you buy them.

Personally I try to avoid direct sunlight just for charging up. I have a glass topped box that sits on a shelf beside the windowsill for my Eco-Drives, out of direct sun but still catches plenty of daylight.
If it is bothering you then maybe pop a (clean)! tissue over the top of it - the watch will still get a full charge in daylight.

I have seen pics of people charging solar watches in a glass of water

I must admit that I'm always wary of putting my solar watches in the direct Sun, in hot weather, as they do get very hot, and you feel it can't be good. However, I wear them in bright sunshine, but they don't seem to get too hot on the wrist!

As for window sills, it depends on the glass! They can get very hot if the sun is shining through normal glass, but my lounge has heat reflective glass (Pilkington K), and they don't get hot on on the window sill there - one wonders how much light doesn't get through though!

In high summer, I usually put them outside in the shade. In the winter they can go in the brightest hottest sunlight I can find!

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Originally Posted by eyespy

This afternoon I went to put on one of my solar watches and nearly dropped it when I picked it up it was so hot. I had to leave it cool for a minute before it was comfortable to put on my wrist. The watch had been sitting on the window sill of a southerly facing window and it's been nice and sunny today.

However, considering it's only April it's going to get a lot hotter in the summer months, is there any chance of damaging solar watches by leaving them in direct sunlight or am I worrying about nothing?

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Would just leave them in a north-facing window. Works fine for me.

My Eco-Drive lives in its box in the wardrobe until I need it.

It's never needed any extra charging over the days it gets taken diving.

M

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Done that a couple of times before I realised they don't need that much charge. You've probably comprised the watch in some way as parts of it have expanded due to the heat. With tolerances being so tight on watches it might not have contracted back into the same position. Or it might be totally fine.

Better to just wear the watch and it'll get sufficient charge. Direct sunlight is best as in outside with it. I remember seeing a lot of EcoZillas and Orcas with the orange minute hand bleached to yellow and almost white sometimes, obviously from people keeping it in the sunlight too much.

Take the solar aspect out of it and think of any other watch left in the sun -- I'd say hot is OK, as long as it's not plastic-melting, rubber-scorching or metal-bending hot.

North facing windowsill works for mine.
Six in total all Citizen of different calibres.
The first one is now over 10 years old and the only problem with it is the day/night indicator has faded from red/black to white/black. The date indicator which started out as orange is still orange.
All of the others seem as good as new.

I've just checked my G-Shocks, Arnie and Citizens. They were okay but I have moved them to my other beside cabinet, so they can see the light but not go into the light...

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Originally Posted by snowman

My Eco-Drive lives in its box in the wardrobe until I need it.

It's never needed any extra charging over the days it gets taken diving.

M

Sent from my ASUS_X00PD using Tapatalk

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My experience too. Make sure it’s in eco mode - which puts it to sleep mode when not used. If it’s dropped to medium then a few hours outside (wearing it) gets it topped up.

Martyn

Thanks for the replies gentlemen, I've taken all your points on board and moved my solars away from the southerly facing window.

I’ve got a few solar Casio’s including a couple of frogmen I really like. I treat them like any other watch but they do stay on a shelf as opposed to in a box - but not in direct light. I find that a couple of afternoons a year sat outside in full (Uk) sunshine - (not behind a window as imho this can be like leaving something under a car windscreen - which will kill most electronics, shatter/warp sunglasses if you’re unlucky!) - will keep them showing a full charge all year round and some of mine are getting on for 15 years old. Sat in full direct sunlight gives them a much higher boost than any other method - I never find them hot to pick up and imho it’s less damaging than wearing on your wrist for a week in the Caribbean!
Unlike others though, I wouldn’t stick a solar watch in a drawer. They get forgotten about and if you let them drain, it does seem to kill the battery/capacitor/whatever it is!


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