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Animated Dixie Cannon watch - weird sound problem.

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nick0123

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Animated Dixie Cannon watch - weird sound problem.

Post12 Dec 2015, 10:31

I recently picked up an ebay lot of dead watches that included an Armitron Animated Dixie Cannon Watch:

Image

They arrived today and the battery that caused that reflector damage was still in the watch, a Union Carbide battery that had gone black over time and was stuck in the module.

Carefully disassembled it and gave it a light clean to neutralise the worst of the damage but didn't expect anything from this watch at all. Reassembled and put a new battery in, and there were a few faint segments, although they were fixed and it definitely wasn't running.

That was enough though, pulled it apart again and into the alcohol bath for a soak, cleaned with a kids toothbrush, reassembled and replaced the reflector from a bad Sexum module, and this was the result:

Image

To say I was impressed was an understatement! There was no sound that I traced to the piezo still being coated with black battery gunk so cleaned up with a fibre brush and tried holding the piezo on the spring while touching the outer ring against the case - bingo, Dixie.

Now for the weird bit. When I pop the back on, there's no sound, regardless of how the piezo is rotated. The watch functions correctly though, just no sound.

If I leave the circuitboard uncovered I get the music every time I press any button, although the functions go a bit crazy and it's pretty much unusable. So it's constantly triggering.

Trying the module in a different case does the same thing.

What do you think? Funky electronics from years of battery gas? Or am I missing something obvious?

I can make a video of what it's doing if it would be helpful, but if you have the answer at hand that would be better. Thanks.
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Kasper

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Re: Animated Dixie Cannon watch - weird sound problem.

Post15 Dec 2015, 10:51

maybe try a piezo with a back from another watch..just to see if that works.
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nick0123

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Re: Animated Dixie Cannon watch - weird sound problem.

Post17 Dec 2015, 11:13

Thanks Kasper - I did end up fixing it, but don't really know what was the clincher in the end.

Tried different piezos, different casebacks, different-sized batteries, different battery clasp, and stripped the whole module again giving the tracks a light brush with a fibreglass pen.

Whatever it was that actually fixed it I don't know, but it's 100% now and I'm loath to touch it again in case it breaks!



I'm not a fan of the gold so have started sanding/polishing it back to base metal. I know a good electroplater and will see if he can nickel or chrome plate it for me.

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