FUTURE of LED Watches

[Seer Taak]

Hot on the heels of 'FUTURE of LED Watch values' here's a more general, but equally distressing problem.

Having done my regular check through my little collection of LED's to see that they're still running ok, and to replace any batteries etc., yet another watch seems to have started suffering from dodgy module syndrome. The (NOS) watch was fine till now, but now controling the display/setting the watch is very tempormental, and it's started to lose time, even though it clearly doesn't need new batteries. This might be the third watch in a year I have to put to one side untill I get a new module for it! All wittnauer Polaras too!! I know Hughes modules are common, but that's not really the point here.

So here's the question: If this 'natural wastage' kind of phenomena is affecting me when my collection barely hits 40, is it a major problem for those with big collections, and what kind of % are we talking here? Or am I just unlucky? :( I'm not seriously considering stopping my collection, but i'm sure thinking of concentrating more on expanding my mechanical collection.

[Led-Time]

abacus,

I am not sure if this may be of some help to you but I bought a Sears Roebuck watch with this type of module in it a while back which was very unresponsive to button pushes i.e. when pressing the time button the display would light up about 20sec later it was the same for setting the time, date etc. I sat for a whole evening just pressing the buttons and slowly but surely the module started to work better and better, now it?s the best time keeping watch I have.

I don?t know if having watches sitting around for any great period of time may effect the working of the modules but I now take all my watches out and use them as they should be used so touch wood none of the modules will decide to go belly in the near future.

[Majestyk]

Seems like the quartz crystal might be going. Some of the quartz crystals in vintage LED/LCD watches were not that great to begin with. National Semiconductor, for example, used awful quartz crystals. Almost any N.S. watch I sell has a new one, that I've installed.

Fortunately, on many LED modules, they can be easy to replace.

MJ

[Seer Taak]

Thanks for the help people :) and klippie, I couldn't agree more with you. I had an LED with exacly those problems (yet another Polara), and having taken advice from Fronz to simply spend a bit of time wearing it, hey presto it's working perfectly now :)

[Majestyk]

The problem with the module in your Polara (which is a Hughes Aircraft) could be the solder that is used for affixing the QC to the module is breaking down; possibly from previous battery leakage. I see this on SO many Hughes modules. So basically the QC may lose very brief contact now and then and "throw things off".

I still think they were one of the best LED modules from the 70's (except the mid size ones) and they have generally lasted well over the years.

MJ

[retroleds]

Though it won't help with the bad quartz crystal, I'm just wondering how many people took my advice of 3 weeks ago and checked out www.caig.com? - their products are also sold at Radio Shack/Tandy Electronics stores. MY experience across thousands of watches, is that poor electrical conductivity is the #2 killer of LED & LCD watch function, right behind leaking batteries. Quartz watches too: I just got a Movado quartz watch that only needed a good cleaning -a mint,$1500 watch for maybe $5(part of a lot ).
:wink: RECOMMENDATION :wink:
You buy a can of DeOxit(contact cleaner) and a can of ProGold(contact protectant), put yourself some cotton swabs/q-tips into a small container and spray some Deoxit on the q-tip, NEVER,EVER SPRAY IT ONTO THE MODULE(sorry about the yelling but it would be a major screw-up to do so, particularly getting it into the trimmer/timer capacitor). First using the DeOxit, gently scrub the battery contacts with the tip of the swab, then using the side of the swab gently clean(twirl swab) the side contacts. Filthy, huh?! Use a fresh swab and clean all the inner button contacts - I'd suggest poking the swab tip straight at the button end and then twist the swab, so as not to snag it on the button post or retaining clip. Repeat the process with the ProGold to PROTECT the contacts, and also use it to lubricate the buttons unless they are touch command types, in which case you don't want to use the ProGold at all(it conducts electricity across surfaces). 99% of all button problems will be solved for years! 8) And your watches will come out of long term storage still functional. And yes, your cell phone battery contacts will benefit from this treatment, and your cordless phone, and your guitar cords.... 8) And please stop scraping the damn terminals, you are irrepairably wearing off the metal and just leaving it more freshly exposed to the corrosive air - You know who you are!!

Sorry to sound preachy but pushing the poor little buttons, while possibly wearing the button/contact corrosion off so it may work, is hardly a mechanically sound procedure for handling a fine collectible,IMO.

[bruce wegmann]

By far, my most extensive experience is with Time Computer watches. In 2.5 years, I have lost two; a P2 that went abruptly dead, and a P3 that started out needing just a reed switch replacement, went into a catastrophic down-spiral of missing segments and erratic functions, and finally expired completely. That is out of a collection of 140 [all of which, BTW, I keep running; I think that is healthier for the module than extended periods of non-operational storage]. On the plus side, I have repaired at three dozen that continue to function reliably, so overall, I would have to say that the Pulsar is a very well-made watch.
A minor aside; I would disagree about the things that put LED watches into the scrap bin. Leaking batteries are probably No. 1, but I place static electrical shock as No. 2, followed by mechanical trauma [i.e, broken circuit boards] as No.3. Poor electrical contacts do not, strictly speaking, "kill" a watch, they merely disable it, and the defect can be repaired. The distinction I make here is that massive corrosion and static shock produce irreversible damage.
Final note; recommendations for [battery] contact cleaning...excellent. Pulsar owners are exempt from the button contacts; Time Computer made them as sealed units
So, take good care of these watches now, guys; everything we do, somebody will be seeing 20, 30, 50, maybe 100 years down the road...let's make them think kindly of us.

[retroleds]

I'd agree with bruce, dirty contacts do not kill a watch permanently per se, but they can stop the function. Unfortunately, that is when we get into bad repairs, faulty diagnosis and people doing stupid things like running 3 v. thru the switching sections(remember,only 1.5 volts is utilized for switching in most designs...2 batteries/3 volts for the display.) I guess it kind of put my teeth on edge at the thought of pushing a contact/button until you got some decent contact going....just clean it properly and avoid current and future problems. Our moderator is quite right, future collectors will reap what we sow now. Sucks when a watch dies unexpectedly....lets try not to break them and share our collective knowledge. :wink:

[Seer Taak]

I think that's all good advice, and i'm sure going to get some contact cleaner to see if I can't spark some life back into my dead modules. Fortunately I haven't thrown them out. I do also find that my more expensive watches seem to be less problematic, but as I have less of them, it's not an accurate comparrison with the cheaper watches. Even so, I think i'll aim to concentrate more on the more expensive watches (when I can afford to), especially considering the discussion in the FUTURE of LED Watch valuesthread

[collector]

Abacus - I totally agree with the strategy of collecting the "more expensive" LED watches. (Most of the upper end models are still reasonable in my opinion.) Yes, it takes more $ and they might take longer to collect, but I'd rather have the "better" examples of LED watches (or anything for that matter).

As I mentioned before, I sold off most of my "lower end" LED watch collection. What is left (of the LED collection) are what I consider mint or near mint Pulsars or Bulovas. In my opinion these will stand the test of time for value and reliability. I did the same for my Accutron watch collection a good # of years ago - I kept only the Spaceviews and got rid of all of the rest. I also follow the Accutron market and feel I made a wise decision. (This market is 10+ years ahead of the LED market since the first Accutrons were introduced in the early 60's versus the mid 70's). The non- spaceview Accutrons really do not bring in any real $'s (unless they are solid gold etc) but the nice "Spaceviews" still do. And best of all the 60's ones still work perfectly and you can wear / use them. (Yes, I had to have them "tuned" because of the 387 versus 387S battery voltage issue but it was well worth it). Hopefully our LED's work just as well in another 10 years.

As you can tell, based on my current whim, I rotate into and out of collections (watches, radios, pens, knifes, etc) but always permenantly keep the very best examples. This rotation has been / still is fun, informative and financially beneficial to me. However, the best part has been meeting / talking with fellow collectors in each category!!!!

[retroleds]

collector! You've got the right attitude man! :D