# Two Second-second Hand....



## seiko follower (Mar 21, 2006)

I have a Seiko Kinetic that is about eight years old. I wore it everyday for about five years and never did it act-up in any way. Then, I started to collect watches and the Kenetic got very little wristime. In fact, now when I wear it during watch rotations, it is usually not running until I manually "jump-start" it by moving it in a 30 degree arc for about three minutes and then attach it to my wrist.

This last time, I noticed the second hand jumping two seconds per movement (as opposed to one second increments). I wore the watch for three days and the two second movement never stopped, but the watch kept excellent time. What is the problem?

Seiko Follower

Bruce


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

I'm no expert, but sounds to me like the battery/capacitor (whatever) is suffering from the old rechargable battery plague of lack of use and end of life problems.....as with most rechargable batteries if you dont keep them healthy they will loose capacity ultimately, although still giving enough power to motor the watch obviously it just isnt keeping enough charge to signal a full charge on the seconhand indication.

Best regards David


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## grey (Apr 29, 2006)

Hi,

Sounds like the capacitor will soon need replacing. On some kinetics this 2-second jump is sold as a feature, to tell you that the power reserve is running low. In the instructions to my Seiko 5M42 Kinetic (which incidentally never refers to kinetic models at all), it says that on analogue quartz models this is an indication that the battery needs replacing - but the watch will remain accurate.

I had the capacitor on mine replaced with a rechargeable battery recently; previously whenever it stopped it would take half an hour of end on end rotations (while watching TV!) to get it back to one second jumps.

Likewise a NOS 1988 Seiko Automatic Generating System model I have - it takes ages to get it back up to one second jumps, but it eventually does - though for how long I don't know - I put it back in the box once I know it still works.

I don't think our host gets involved here (too busy changing bezels for that picky Mach..







), so I don't think I'm breaking any rules if I say there is a Lancashire repairer advertising capacitor updates on fleabay. This guy reckons that 5 years is often the life of the original capacitor, and preversely that if your watch shows max power reserve very quickly, it is probably on the way out. He did mine and seemed really straight and talkable-to. If you can't find him PM me and I'll send details.

If five years is the average life of a capacitor, it makes one wonder why Seiko are so quiet about it and whether their Â£450+ Auto Relay models are prone to it, or they have resolved the problem. It certainly stopped me searching for second-hand kinetic Sports 200s on the bay.

Hope this helps,

Graham


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## seiko follower (Mar 21, 2006)

Thanks Graham,

If I'm not mistaken, my wife paid $400US for this Seiko Kinetic (SKAO42...5M62-0A79) in 1989. I've always treated this watch with the best of care; and now it needs a battery and a capacitor to get it running right? My old quartz watches "ran out of gas", stopped and I opened them up and put in a $4 battery and off I went for at least 2 years. What is the advantage of kinetic electronic watches if the the damn watch shoots craps after 5 to 8 years and the bill to get it fixed is several times more than just a good old lithium, round and flat battery? I think I'll stick with my automatics and as you folks would say "bugger the damn kinetic".

Seiko-Follower????

Bruce


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## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

Personally I don't think the watch is doing too badly if it was bought in 1989 & is just now beginning to show problems. That's 17/18 years - especially if the life expectancy of the original capacitor is only reckoned to be 5 years!!

I'm sure I've read that Seiko did have problems with the early kinetics (Automatic Generating System watches) keeping charge. I've also heard the Seiko have sorted out the problem in their newer models by changing from a capacitor to a rechargeable battery (don't ask me what the difference is!) & that this is available as an upgrade on some of the older models. So maybe you could enquire about this - I don't think replacing the capacitor (or upgrading to a rechargeable battery) is a particularly complex job so it may not be too expensive to have done.


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## Jeremy67 (Jun 27, 2006)

On the 7a*8 movements the two second jump is definitely a deliberate feature to indicate low battery.


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## seiko follower (Mar 21, 2006)

Many Thanks to all of you who have replied to my problem with the kinetic seiko. I think I will start to wear it for a longer period of time and see if the battery takes a charge and holds it. Once the battery is charged to a reasonable level, I'll wear other watches , but keep tabs on the kinectic's battery level, so it doesn't discharge so far as now.

If that doesn't work, I'll look into the upgrade with the capacitor and new-style rechargeable battery. To be honest with you, if this watch hadn't been a gift from my wife, I'd probably put it in the watch case and forget about it, but feelings would be hurt and who needs that.

Seiko Follower

Bruce


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

hi bruce

your watch is jumping the two seconds because the capacitor/ cell is simply run down due to not wearing it enough (it will explain this in your manual), i have a pulsar kinetic that doesn't get worn and i have to shake it then put it on to get it to charge up but it takes a couple of days to get it to run in one second increments and the charge indicator doesn't register until it does go in one second jumps (then the indicator shows 5seconds- 30seconds is full charge!)

regards, john.

ps, i've been thinking of buying a watch winder but they're so damned expensive


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