Battery Change - still not working.

[Mr Tetley]

Just replaced a battery in a friends Tag Formula 1 Alarm. The alarm now works but seconds hand not ticking. The watch had been sitting for a long time in a drawer.

The battery that I removed was a Renata 396 but I replaced with a Renata 397 which is supposed to be compatible (it’s just a high drain version). I’m wondering what the purpose is of the little thin plastic cover between the movement and caseback is and perhaps I haven’t put it back correctly.

Any advice or perhaps the battery isn’t compatible?

Photos to show what I’m talking about:

[threescoops]

The datasheets I've found suggest that the 396 is actually the high drain version and 397 is low drain, with different internal resistances, but otherwise seem similar enough.

https://www.farnell.com/datasheets/11282.pdf
https://www.farnell.com/datasheets/11284.pdf

The film is an isolator to avoid the battery shorting, although I don't know the correct arrangement to advise on that.

[lewie]

Battery insulator looks in the correct orientation- the movement is obviously getting power - silly question but is the crown back in the correct position

[Mr Tetley]

The datasheets I've found suggest that the 396 is actually the high drain version and 397 is low drain, with different internal resistances, but otherwise seem similar enough.

https://www.farnell.com/datasheets/11282.pdf
https://www.farnell.com/datasheets/11284.pdf

The film is an isolator to avoid the battery shorting, although I don't know the correct arrangement to advise on that.

Perhaps it is the battery then. I read that high drain batteries should be used in movements with an alarm function etc.

Battery insulator looks in the correct orientation- the movement is obviously getting power - silly question but is the crown back in the correct position

Yes, crown is screw down.

Thanks for the responses.

[PhilipK]

Was the seconds hand definitely working when the watch was put away in the drawer?

Are you certain that the new battery is a "good" one? (Don't ask me how I know to ask this!)

[Mr Tetley]

Was the seconds hand definitely working when the watch was put away in the drawer?

Are you certain that the new battery is a "good" one? (Don't ask me how I know to ask this!)

I really don’t know but I assume it was all working ok and put away due to needing a new battery. Battery seems to be ok and genuine Renata. The alarm is working fine now but the time isn’t.

[Neil.C]

If it has been sitting for a long time it may be that the hands/movement has got jammed.

I have sometimes had good luck by sticking a watch on a de-magnetiser that makes the hands zoom round and frees them.

I've no idea what the side effects (if any) are though but it was kill or cure.

[walkerwek1958]

Dried up oil is probably causing too much friction for the rotor to overcome when it gets the impulse from the battery.

Why do folks expect that old watches stuck in a drawer a few years ago will work with a new battery? Unrealistic expectation.

[lewie]

Not the answer but try popping it somewhere warm - in your pocket

[Ruggertech]

Not the answer but try popping it somewhere warm - in your pocket

My Mrs had a quartz watch a few years back. It would tick away merrily forever on her wrist or under a warm lamp, but stop within an hour otherwise. It was only a cheap charity shop Sekonda or Accurist or something like that, so not worth investigating further, but warmth definitely helped.

[lewie]

My Mrs had a quartz watch a few years back. It would tick away merrily forever on her wrist or under a warm lamp, but stop within an hour otherwise. It was only a cheap charity shop Sekonda or Accurist or something like that, so not worth investigating further, but warmth definitely helped.

As above it’s the thick or dried up oil

[Ruggertech]

As above it’s the thick or dried up oil

Definitely.

[Mr Tetley]

Thanks for the replies. I’ll stick it in the microwave for 30sec to get the oils moving freely again.

[JasonM]

Dried up oil is probably causing too much friction for the rotor to overcome when it gets the impulse from the battery.

Why do folks expect that old watches stuck in a drawer a few years ago will work with a new battery? Unrealistic expectation.

To be honest Paul, in my experience they will fire up more often that they don’t, of course when they don’t it will be the old oil gumming up but I bet it happens less times that it doesn’t .

[catflem]

Thanks for the replies. I’ll stick it in the microwave for 30sec to get the oils moving freely again.

That'll get sparks flying

Much safer to stick it on top of a radiator for a while

[TheTigerUK]

Some batteries have to be shorted on the movement when changing ?

[MADDOG]

Not the answer but try popping it somewhere warm - in your pocket

Or on a warm radiator to soften up the oil.

[walkerwek1958]

Never tried warming a watch in the hope that it’ll run, anecdotal evidence suggests that it can work, but what’s it telling you? If the lubrication has deteriorated to this extent the watch clearly needs attention, potentially the heat has softened dried up lubricant and allowed the watch to start running, but I wouldn’t be patting myself on the back too hard for achieving a fix. What it does prove is that the electronic parts are functional, so there’s a very good chance that the watch can be serviced successfully, but that’s all.

[Ruggertech]

Never tried warming a watch in the hope that it’ll run, anecdotal evidence suggests that it can work, but what’s it telling you? If the lubrication has deteriorated to this extent the watch clearly needs attention, potentially the heat has softened dried up lubricant and allowed the watch to start running, but I wouldn’t be patting myself on the back too hard for achieving a fix. What it does prove is that the electronic parts are functional, so there’s a very good chance that the watch can be serviced successfully, but that’s all.

I'd agree normally. But in the case of my wife's watch it would have cost less than £30 when new, and she got it from the 50p basket in a charity shop. It ran as long as she wore it. We weren't going to put anymore into it than that.

[lewie]

Never tried warming a watch in the hope that it’ll run, anecdotal evidence suggests that it can work, but what’s it telling you? If the lubrication has deteriorated to this extent the watch clearly needs attention, potentially the heat has softened dried up lubricant and allowed the watch to start running, but I wouldn’t be patting myself on the back too hard for achieving a fix. What it does prove is that the electronic parts are functional, so there’s a very good chance that the watch can be serviced successfully, but that’s all.

Indeed - if you warm it and is shows signs of life all is not lost - no need to pat yourself on the back
There are work around for many things in life probably not always the correct wa6 to work but some do