Just found my 22 year old Skyhawk that had been in a drawer for a good decade or more. Put it in the window for a day and reset it, and it's back to life like nothing ever happened!
You should make short video of your model and explain the people that watch is 22 years and still working. Citizen watches are really good quality.Bought my first Sky Chrono Pilot CB5000-50L and after almost 5 years and lot of beating it still works like charm. I use it as daily.
Fabulous video, i find the 2 pronged back removing tool is far better. We're led to believe citizen eco drive last forever but we know that's not possible , my citizen watch is still going strong after almost 10 years but you never know. Many thanks.
I don't usually thank people on videos that I watch (I do sometimes), but in this case I have to say *thank you* for creating this video. I brought my partner a very nice Citizen watch that she loves but she only wares on special occasions, a few weeks ago she noticed that it wasn't working so I presumed that it was just a normal battery that I had to change. After opening the watching and taking out the battery I saw the battery was tabbed and I was just about to buy a replacement battery (£20 to £30) when I read on the advert that the battery is called a capacitor battery. Me being into tech and electronics thought to myself, wait a minute you can charge capacitors, so I hunted around and found your video. I put a slight charge into the battery (from 1.14v to 1.46v) and I put the battery back into the watch, the watch started working again, so I left the watch in direct sunlight for an hour and everything is now working 100% perfect again. So thank you again, cheers 🍺🍺🍺
My pleasure!!! its something that came to me on a previous watch. The batteries are expensive, so I went and found the data sheet, and then applied some voltage for only a few minutes. Worked like charm. Now I store my watches in a glass-topped watch case.
Your minute hand moves at least twice I saw? Did you leave in the sun then actually do a reset at all?? When mine went flat after a year in the draw, it was when I could hear a weird noise as I would turn my lamp on and after a month or 2 I realised it was my watch even though I had put in sun for while it not work properly, being weird until I did the reset... my next plan was to pull crown out and leave in the sun for 8 hours before a new battery.
How long does it need to be exposed on sun light to be fully charged ? Do the expensive ones charge faster ? How about other sources of light ? Its sais eco drive meaning it gotta charge even on artificial light 🕯️
Hi, I have a citizen eco drive red arrows AT and I have left the watch with the crown out to the second position for 5 days in the window as Citizen recommended but the battery has not charged sufficiently. Citizen want £200 to fix it but can't I just put a new battery in it? Citizen told me it doesn't have a battery is that right? The case back is not a twist off though but there is a little notch on the back but it states DO NOT OPEN! So is this just an excuse to take my £500? Thanks
All you had to do take the battery out and put back in. These watches go into low power mode if not used. No need to jump start that way, it’s a 1 cell battery. After putting back in do a complete reset and reprogram.
@@robniknikrob2577 it did for me. Only other thing I tried was I placed in the sun for a day to try and charge it. After that I removed it and put back in, and it worked and showed a full charge. I ran the reset procedure to set. Working great now.
One question, is there a method to verify the proper functioning of the solar panel of an Eco-Drive? I'm not talking about the battery, which i have new and therefore charged. A method of not having to wait months for the battery's power reserve to run out
There is no, only thing you can check is battery level which this particular model have. As long I know every Eco drive has battery level which is checked by button pressing it is usual the lower button. Never leave Eco drive watch in complete darkness and this battery should last for 20 years at least.
My watch stopped working probably because I started too long in the dark. I left my watch charging in the sun for days. It still did not work. I removed the battery and the voltage was at 1.9 V. When I replaced the battery the watch started working again.
It is just a lithium battery. In theory you probably could, if you could find one of the correct voltage. Problem is the charging circuit would probably damage a normal battery.
Don't buy anything but an OEM CAPACITOR! (The maker of this video mistakenly calls it a battery.) Also, do NOT touch the internal components of your watch with bare skin. Wear some finger gloves or a pair of tight-fitting nitrile gloves.
Solar technology used by Citizen takes every light source and converts it to energy. I can recall other have something like this. Even companies with Smartwatches that costs 1500e does not have that good solar powered watches.
i talked to some folks at a clock store, and they told me that in order to recharge an Eco-Drive, one must pull the crown out, and leave it in constant light for 72 hours. 13.Jun.2023
They charge faster with the crown pulled out fully. Also if the watch enters "low power mode" ie ticking every 2 secs, it can sometimes stay in this state even if given hours of sunlight. So always pull the crown fully if the seconds hand starts skipping - this should return it to normal function once the crown is depressed again.
@@dazjackson1972 pull out the the crown, prior to recharging, who knew 🤷♂️? not everything is laid out in the instruction manual 😠. I didn’t know, thanks
@@98167Strange...I have Eco drive Radio Controled CB5000-50L. Never pulled crown and watch is constantly at max power level except in Winter when I carry longer sleeves or Winterjacket for hours. Promaster series of Citizen are true beasts. Mine took so much beating after 5 years and it still works excellent. Only once I needed to align dials as minute and seconds were not perfect. One more fantastic feature and many think that dial alignement can not be re-calibrated and fixed...😂
The Panasonic MT-621 is a lithium battery. industrial.panasonic.com/sa/products/pt/coin_rechargeable_lithium/models/MT621 Here is where you can find a datasheet.
@@fonephreak02 but, the Panasonic MT920 - which is clearly pictured in your video - is a CAPACITOR. Please stop saying "battery" and please stop touching your watch's internal components with your bare hands.
Just found my 22 year old Skyhawk that had been in a drawer for a good decade or more. Put it in the window for a day and reset it, and it's back to life like nothing ever happened!
You should make short video of your model and explain the people that watch is 22 years and still working. Citizen watches are really good quality.Bought my first Sky Chrono Pilot CB5000-50L and after almost 5 years and lot of beating it still works like charm. I use it as daily.
It worked on my watch. I charged it for only 20 seconds and have put a light on my watch to charge it. Thnx for your video!
Super-helpful thanks… especially the slide trick with that little metal piece. It was on wrong and preventing the watch from charging.
Fabulous video, i find the 2 pronged back removing tool is far better. We're led to believe citizen eco drive last forever but we know that's not possible , my citizen watch is still going strong after almost 10 years but you never know. Many thanks.
Great technology (love my Diver) but I hear it's best to keep them well charged if you aim to get 20 years use from the battery.
@dazjackson1972 I've had 20 years out of mine so far, and it's still going strong.
I have a nighthawk that has run for 26 years with the same battery, still runs great.
Very helpful video, this locking spring on the top of the battery is a PITA to put it back. Thank you!
I don't usually thank people on videos that I watch (I do sometimes), but in this case I have to say *thank you* for creating this video.
I brought my partner a very nice Citizen watch that she loves but she only wares on special occasions, a few weeks ago she noticed that it wasn't working so I presumed that it was just a normal battery that I had to change. After opening the watching and taking out the battery I saw the battery was tabbed and I was just about to buy a replacement battery (£20 to £30) when I read on the advert that the battery is called a capacitor battery. Me being into tech and electronics thought to myself, wait a minute you can charge capacitors, so I hunted around and found your video. I put a slight charge into the battery (from 1.14v to 1.46v) and I put the battery back into the watch, the watch started working again, so I left the watch in direct sunlight for an hour and everything is now working 100% perfect again.
So thank you again, cheers 🍺🍺🍺
My pleasure!!! its something that came to me on a previous watch. The batteries are expensive, so I went and found the data sheet, and then applied some voltage for only a few minutes. Worked like charm.
Now I store my watches in a glass-topped watch case.
Thanks for the video and tips...
Your minute hand moves at least twice I saw? Did you leave in the sun then actually do a reset at all?? When mine went flat after a year in the draw, it was when I could hear a weird noise as I would turn my lamp on and after a month or 2 I realised it was my watch even though I had put in sun for while it not work properly, being weird until I did the reset... my next plan was to pull crown out and leave in the sun for 8 hours before a new battery.
How long does it need to be exposed on sun light to be fully charged ? Do the expensive ones charge faster ? How about other sources of light ? Its sais eco drive meaning it gotta charge even on artificial light 🕯️
Needs 8 hr to fully charge
Do you need to pull pin out to give watch a decent charge and quicker? Many thanks
Hi, I have a citizen eco drive red arrows AT and I have left the watch with the crown out to the second position for 5 days in the window as Citizen recommended but the battery has not charged sufficiently. Citizen want £200 to fix it but can't I just put a new battery in it? Citizen told me it doesn't have a battery is that right? The case back is not a twist off though but there is a little notch on the back but it states DO NOT OPEN! So is this just an excuse to take my £500? Thanks
I left the watch facing the sun for 5 hours and it was working again so whoever watches this can try .
Yes, sometimes you just need that good BRIGHT Sunlight. in my case, I tried, and no luck.
My dad's watch from 2005 needed 3 days in the window sill to wake back up. Don't leave them in the dark.
Ah.. yes.. our handy dandy variable D.C. power supply! Why of course, why didn't I think of that?! I wish I had one actually 😢, it sounds badass 😂
They are very handy.
All you had to do take the battery out and put back in. These watches go into low power mode if not used. No need to jump start that way, it’s a 1 cell battery. After putting back in do a complete reset and reprogram.
Hello @markskubal844.. I have a citizen eco drive as well that's not running.. so I'll just take out the battery and put it back in and it will work?
@@robniknikrob2577 it did for me. Only other thing I tried was I placed in the sun for a day to try and charge it. After that I removed it and put back in, and it worked and showed a full charge. I ran the reset procedure to set. Working great now.
Was your other watch that you put on camera for a moment the Citizen Eco Drive Skyhawk Black Eagle edition?
YES! it's beat up AF, I got it.. maybe 2005? Its band is broken and the ring with the numbers on it fell off :( I wore it daily for so many years.
That's a beautiful citizen chronograph watch you have, what's the model?
Let me have a look! its been a second since I've worn it to be honest. The number on the back is E820-R009125. It's a perpetual calendar model.
Look like older version of Citizen CB5004 Promaster
how do you take the back off?
You need a watch case opening tool. Have a quick google search, most of the cheap ones work well enough.
One question, is there a method to verify the proper functioning of the solar panel of an Eco-Drive?
I'm not talking about the battery, which i have new and therefore charged.
A method of not having to wait months for the battery's power reserve to run out
There is no, only thing you can check is battery level which this particular model have. As long I know every Eco drive has battery level which is checked by button pressing it is usual the lower button. Never leave Eco drive watch in complete darkness and this battery should last for 20 years at least.
Always place a thin plastic bag over the back and then apply the case opener to avoid scratching the case back.
This is such an under-rated comment! YES YES YES! I'm bad for this.
Thanks for the tips
I wish you showed how to remove the case back.
If I can find the tools, I'll try to show you.
Great video really good 👍 thanks
Glad it was useful!
How long it takes to fully charge these watches
Usually, I leave it in a window during the day and that's enough.
My watch stopped working probably because I started too long in the dark. I left my watch charging in the sun for days. It still did not work. I removed the battery and the voltage was at 1.9 V. When I replaced the battery the watch started working again.
Yeah, that sometimes works apparently.
So it’s a battery and not a capacitor? Could you in theory just replace the battery with a “normal” battery?
It is just a lithium battery. In theory you probably could, if you could find one of the correct voltage. Problem is the charging circuit would probably damage a normal battery.
Why would you do that?
Thank you for this! Nice job.
I saw brand new replacement batteries on eBay for $12
Oooo That's a good price. Handy to know.
Don't buy anything but an OEM CAPACITOR! (The maker of this video mistakenly calls it a battery.) Also, do NOT touch the internal components of your watch with bare skin. Wear some finger gloves or a pair of tight-fitting nitrile gloves.
4:22 did you recharge yourself lols 😆
Omg hahhaha I have no idea what happened. It was me recharging myself. Absolutely. :)
Mine got locked away for a few years in storage. Say 3 years. But battery started right back up after charge.
Yea, sometimes you get lucky. Pulling the crown while charging makes them charge much more quickly.
it's not a battery, it's a capacitor.
lol easier if you haven't had a lot of coffee
How can the battery charged if No sun 🤔 someone please explain
Electric light sources, or perhaps even light produced by candles, fireplaces, oil lanterns...
Solar technology used by Citizen takes every light source and converts it to energy. I can recall other have something like this. Even companies with Smartwatches that costs 1500e does not have that good solar powered watches.
i talked to some folks at a clock store, and they told me that in order to recharge an Eco-Drive, one must pull the crown out, and leave it in constant light for 72 hours.
13.Jun.2023
Did it work? Why pull it out?
They charge faster with the crown pulled out fully.
Also if the watch enters "low power mode" ie ticking every 2 secs, it can sometimes stay in this state even if given hours of sunlight.
So always pull the crown fully if the seconds hand starts skipping - this should return it to normal function once the crown is depressed again.
It seems to. It's mentioned in citizen's tech support FAQ. Pulling the crown puts the watch in a faster charge mode.
@@dazjackson1972 pull out the the crown, prior to recharging, who knew 🤷♂️? not everything is laid out in the instruction manual 😠. I didn’t know, thanks
@@98167Strange...I have Eco drive Radio Controled CB5000-50L. Never pulled crown and watch is constantly at max power level except in Winter when I carry longer sleeves or Winterjacket for hours. Promaster series of Citizen are true beasts. Mine took so much beating after 5 years and it still works excellent. Only once I needed to align dials as minute and seconds were not perfect. One more fantastic feature and many think that dial alignement can not be re-calibrated and fixed...😂
Don't touch the battery with your hands
Why's that?
I thought,Its called a capacitor.......not a battery...
I die a little everytime he says battery... it's a capacitor
The Panasonic MT-621 is a lithium battery. industrial.panasonic.com/sa/products/pt/coin_rechargeable_lithium/models/MT621
Here is where you can find a datasheet.
He lost me at that point.
You can Google and download the owners manual for your watches as a pdf.
@@fonephreak02 but, the Panasonic MT920 - which is clearly pictured in your video - is a CAPACITOR. Please stop saying "battery" and please stop touching your watch's internal components with your bare hands.
Eco-drive watches use a capacitor not a battery.
smartphone can do all, hehe .............
Good maybe it can come round and fix my toilet.......