# Beware of JCB



## wookie (Apr 27, 2009)

I thought I would let anyone looking to find cheaper silver oxide batteries that JCB branded ones should be avoided, I purchased a few packets from a company called Battery force and upon opening the first one I find what you can see in the photo, the batteries had a best before date of 2019. They have asked me to send the leaking ones back to them by post but I'm not even sure its legal to send leaking batteries through the post so I'm going to chalk this up to experience as the box only cost £2.99, Obviously I'll be using another brand and another supplier from now on.

Batteries IMHO are single biggest cause of ruined watches, I'm just glad I noticed before placing any of these JCB ones in anything of value.


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## wookie (Apr 27, 2009)




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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

A few years ago, I bought a JCB branded hover mower from Argos. I bought it because I'd assumed, with a name like JCB, it would be quality. It was absolute cr*p and I took it back the following day.

It seems as though JCB have sold their name as a merchandising tool to anyone peddling their cr*p. 

And while I'm at it...I'd stay away from these hybrid type batteries. A genuine 301 is not exactly the same size and shape as a 386. Sometimes, they are close enough and you'll get away with it. Energizer do a battery marked as "344/350" --- put that in an Omega f300 and it will not work, despite the 344 being the correct battery. I won't tell you how many "broken" Omega f300s I get with this battery fitted!


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## wookie (Apr 27, 2009)

Silver Hawk said:


> A few years ago, I bought a JCB branded hover mower from Argos. I bought it because I'd assumed, with a name like JCB, it would be quality. It was absolute cr*p and I took it back the following day.
> 
> It seems as though JCB have sold their name as a merchandising tool to anyone peddling their cr*p.
> 
> And while I'm at it...I'd stay away from these hybrid type batteries. A genuine 301 is not exactly the same size and shape as a 386. Sometimes, they are close enough and you'll get away with it. Energizer do a battery marked as "344/350" --- put that in an Omega f300 and it will not work, despite the 344 being the correct battery. I won't tell you how many "broken" Omega f300s I get with this battery fitted!


 Hi Silver hawk

Thanks for the info on energizer, I think I may have got rid of a hummer a few years ago as I thought it did not work, In fact having gone to the slot where it used to be in box there is an empty energizer 344/350 packet still underneath the holder Doh!

Back on the subject of the JCB ones I've examined the others in the packet and there are the tell-tale little specks of white powder in some of the bubbles so its probable that they are just crap rather than a rogue packet.

wookie


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## Humbug (Mar 13, 2016)

Perhaps Silverhawk can advise which 344 batteries he prefers to fit in F300Hz. Movements - I read recently somewhere (I forget where) that Renata have slightly changed the dimensions of theirs and that they can short out when fitted into these watches. Is there any truth in this?


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Humbug said:


> Perhaps Silverhawk can advise which 344 batteries he prefers to fit in F300Hz. Movements - I read recently somewhere (I forget where) that Renata have slightly changed the dimensions of theirs and that they can short out when fitted into these watches. Is there any truth in this?


 I use Rayovac 344. I've not heard that there are any problems with new Renata 344 batteries...and I've got a few here; they seem ok. The Energizer 344/350 does short out in the f300 movement.


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## Humbug (Mar 13, 2016)

Silver Hawk said:


> I use Rayovac 344. I've not heard that there are any problems with new Renata 344 batteries...and I've got a few here; they seem ok. The Energizer 344/350 does short out in the f300 movement.


Thanks for the info !


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