Pulsar repair

[LEDluvr]

Hi everyone,
I have a recently purchased my first Date II but it has some problems.
I put new batteries in and at first it did absolutely nothing.
I tried heating and cooling the module - nothing. Replaced the batteries and left them in for 2 days - nothing.
I took them out and put in a fresh pair of batteries
and I got some signs of life!






Different segments were flicking off and on - but never the right vertical segments or the bottom horizontal segments or the colon.

The crystal doesn't look original to my untrained eyes.
Could a crystal swap be all it needs? Or are these symptoms of a bigger problem?

[clockace]

LEDluvr, look at my post dated mar 27 on the pulsar forum. i had similar results when i first powered up. the suggestion from ed on the 3v power pack i think is what got me going. i have a series of posts dealing with the problems i have had under "2900p2" on the forum. right now mine is working well, keeping time. i wear it almost daily. hope you are as successful. peter

[charger105]

Hi Ledluvr.
Dose it keep time, or is the partial flickering display random ?

If it's keeping time, but with segments missing it could be the display itself or driver transistors.......or it may just need the time to be set !

Rgds,
Andrew.

[notonly1]

It looks like you're missing the adjusting screw for the fine trimmer on the back. That could be the problem.

[LEDluvr]

First of all, thank you all for your responses and Happy Father's Day to all you father's out there.


clockace - yes, I looked at your post and that is where I got the idea to try the "cold & hot routine" with the module. I could give the 3v pack a try - I guess you can buy one at any electronics store?? Do you recommend any particular make and model ?

charger105 - it doesn't keep time .
Sometimes the lit up segments do not flicker at all. Other times all 3 of the top horizontal segments of the "F" will flicker off an on, with the rest remaining lit up. Other times it displays only the middle horizontal segment " - ". But as long as the batteries are in it - something is always on. I tried using a magnet to run it through the setting mode several times - no real change. And the most I get from the right 3 digits is an "F". The other segments never show up to complete an "8", or "0", etc. And the "1" on the far left never displays the bottom half of
the "1"

notonly1 - where could I get another adjusting screw - I know - another p2! I mean, will a small screw from, say, a pair of eyeglasses work?

[clockace]

LEDluvr, i got mine at radio shack. it is just a pack that holds 2 1.5v AA batts. ed told me what to get. also alligator clips[real small ones] to hook it to the +/- terminals on the module. get a red one and black one so you don't hook it up backwards by accident. the first time i used it the display lit up, but only 1 digit. with repeated contacting the terminal other digits would lite up, but not the complete display. by the way, the first thing i did was change the qc. that does not look like the original in your photo. the original in mine was rectangular and filled the whole space for the qc. anyway after another email to ed he said to keep tapping the terminal with one of the alligator clips until the display went dark. then hook your terminal up and let it sit for awhile. that worked and when i pressed the button the whole display lit up. i then set it and let it run that way for a few days. when i removed the powerpack and installed the 357's it went back to doing not much, so back to the powerpack. this was a process that i repeated a couple of times before it finally worked with the cells. there were other problems that came later when i reopened it to put in renata 357's. i did that because the renata cells have a higher maH rating than the eveready's i had used at first. that put me back to square one and then charger105 suggested the 'heat/cold'. i didn't get any results with the cold, but under a 100w incandescent at about 6-8 inches distance it did lite up after warming for about 15 mins. once i got it to lite up i left it for awhile and then while it was still warm i quickly unhooked the powerpack and installed the cells. it is still working that way and as i saidon the last post under 2900p2 i am not going to reopen it until the cells go dead. hopefully by then it will have "learned" to work when the power is applied. hope this helps and works for you. i think i would start out with a new qc tho' peter

[notonly1]

notonly1 - where could I get another adjusting screw - I know - another p2! I mean, will a small screw from, say, a pair of eyeglasses work?[/quote]


I'm pretty sure that those fine trimmers were made by Johanson, but I don't think they make them any more. I did a quick Google search , but didn't find them. Perhaps you could contact Johanson just to double check. Also, my guess is that a screw from eyeglasses won't work. As you said, I think your best bet is a donor module. BTW, I've seen those cylindrical QCs on many Pulsar modules. My guess is that it's original. Good luck.

[LEDluvr]

Thanks for the info clockace. There is a radio shack a block from my office, I'll pick up the power pack and give it a try.
Where can I get a replacement quartz crystal? I know there are different 'frequency of vibration' rates - do you know the correct one for Pulsar modules?

notonly1 - I looked at my module again on both sides and I don't see where the screw would fit in? The cylinder like feature on the front bottom part of the module doesn't have a hole in it for a screw.

[clockace]

LEDluvr, in your lower photo of the back of the module, the tiny round cylinder with the slit in it that is between the cell compartments and the qc is the trimmer in question. it should have a screw in the left end. that is what is turned in and out to adjust fine frequency. the qc that is there may or may not be the original, but i would change it out anyway. that way you know you have a good one. if you clip the wires on the one in there near the qc you will have 2 nice little stubs to solder the new one to with out getting too close to the pcb. ed put me onto that little trick. at radioshack get some tiny smooth nosed alligator clips for this and they will act as a heat sink as well. i got my qc's from mauser electronics. i think their web site is www.mouser.com. might not be exact on that but it may be close enough. they are only 60cents each so that is not a big outlay. the frequency for these is 32,768 and they [those for watches and clocks are all the same. the only difference is the physical dimensions]. hope this helps. you are in LA, i am in AZ. we are currently in the same timezone, so if you post tonight i will probably see it right away. peter

[LEDluvr]

Thanks clockace for all that info! Arizona - you're right next door. It was the kiddo's bed time so I couldn't log on again last night.
I never really looked at the module from the side before. Now I see what you and notonly1 are talking about. Yes, there is a hole where that screw should be. I'm wondering if the battery pack would be in vain if the trimmer screw is not in place??

Does anyone have a dead P2 or P3 module and are willing to sell the trimmer screw ?

[LEDluvr]

Date II Update;

Well, I tried everything suggested to me for the past few weeks but no dice. The darn module still lights up 'funny' and refuses to go into setting mode.
So....
I have decided to send it to Hanno and try out his SASM module rebuild. I've chatted with him via email and he's a real nice guy.
http://www.dwf.nu/viewtopic.php?p=20421 ... ght=#20421

I'll give everyone a full report when I get it back.

[holly35]

Date II Update;

Well, I tried everything suggested to me for the past few weeks but no dice. The darn module still lights up 'funny' and refuses to go into setting mode.
So....
I have decided to send it to Hanno and try out his SASM module rebuild. I've chatted with him via email and he's a real nice guy.
http://www.dwf.nu/viewtopic.php?p=20421 ... ght=#20421

I'll give everyone a full report when I get it back.

How did you get on with the sasm module? did you go for the new sasm15/25 module with the working trimmer and original light sensor?

[LEDluvr]

Hi Holly35,
I guess I never updated this post!
I send the module to Hanno at Strikes & Spares last year, he repaired it and it works great. Been running over a year now with no problems other than the fact that the timekeeping is not as accuarte as a original Pulsar module. I didn't go with the newer module you mentioned because they were not available in July 2009.

[holly35]

Hi !
I am waiting on the new sasm15 module from Hanno,should be great with a proper working trimmer and light sensor.
will be listing some pics and details soon!