Replacing Casio watch battery - problems

[Mike]

I have a Casio digital technical watch that seems to be broken. I was
hoping that taking the battery out may reset it so it will work right.
Unfortunately, I can't get the battery out. I was hoping
someone here might be able to help me.

The model number is: CA-53W (437). I've read the instructions a
zillion times but they don't appear to be entirely accurate. There's
some sort of metal plate covering the battery that won't lift up or
turn. The instructions say that a screw(s) needs to be removed first.
However, I only see one screw in the watch and no matter how much I
turn it, it won't come out or lift up.

The watch has a time display on it but none of the buttons work. They
stopped working a few months after I got it about 13 years ago. I took
it to two repair shops but they wouldn't/couldn't touch it. Oddly
enough, the original battery (CR-2016) is still working.

Can anyone help me?

 

[NSM]

I have a Casio digital technical watch that seems to be broken. I was
hoping that taking the battery out may reset it so it will work right.
Unfortunately, I can't get the battery out. I was hoping
someone here might be able to help me.

The model number is: CA-53W (437). I've read the instructions a
zillion times but they don't appear to be entirely accurate. There's
some sort of metal plate covering the battery that won't lift up or
turn. The instructions say that a screw(s) needs to be removed first.
However, I only see one screw in the watch and no matter how much I
turn it, it won't come out or lift up.

The watch has a time display on it but none of the buttons work. They
stopped working a few months after I got it about 13 years ago. I took
it to two repair shops but they wouldn't/couldn't touch it. Oddly
enough, the original battery (CR-2016) is still working.

Can anyone help me?

Any half way decent radio repairman could fix it but you won't want to pay
for the repair!

 

[testortool]

A good jewelry / watch shop will change out the battery for a few bucks in
labor if you haven't already broken something.

 

[Bram Stolk]

it is a tricky way but it can be done...
remove the clockworks completely (that's including the plastic casing) from
its housing
separate the plastic frame from the clock
remove the little screw you spoke about earlier
look at the edges of the big battery clip holder, they latch to the clock
housing at three locations,
pry-off the cover plate...Presto battery can be removed. Before you
reassemble in reverse order make sure that the pushbuttons in the housing
can move freely, lube with light oil if necessay or remove them completely
to remove sweat and dirth

Unless you have some emotional ties with this watch donot even start all
this work and replace it by a new one...

 

[Mike]

Thanks for the help. But can anyone tell me why the buttons on the
watch won't work but the display still works? I only wore it once or
twice before it stopped working. I didn't open it before then or hit
it against something or get it wet. I'm also baffled as to why the
original battery is still working some 13 years later when Casio says
it should last 5 years. I've been thinking of buying a new watch
similar to this one but I'm hesitant to since I had such bad luck with
this one. I was just hoping that maybe it would be easier and cheaper
for someone to fix it now with all this new technology then it was
years ago.

 

[Bram Stolk]

Probably you have to hold button for a few seconds to get active, or you
must press and hold two buttons simultaneously, or your buttons just donot
move far enough inwards to make the proper contact. Try to short circuit
contact with e.g needlepoint when backplate of watch is removed..

 

[Michael Black]

Thanks for the help. But can anyone tell me why the buttons on the
watch won't work but the display still works? I only wore it once or
twice before it stopped working. I didn't open it before then or hit
it against something or get it wet. I'm also baffled as to why the
original battery is still working some 13 years later when Casio says
it should last 5 years. I've been thinking of buying a new watch
similar to this one but I'm hesitant to since I had such bad luck with
this one. I was just hoping that maybe it would be easier and cheaper
for someone to fix it now with all this new technology then it was
years ago.

Because while there are switches on the module, the buttons you press
are only the buttons to manipulate those switches. If the module isn't
properly aligned with the buttons, then you will have problems activating
the switches.

I've changed batteries in such watches, and had to reopen the case
to adjust the alignment a bit in order to get the switches right.
And my memory is that the alignment could be off enough to cause
problems and still not be visually noticeable.

As for batteries, the estimate may have no basis. Or it may be
based on actual use, which includes activating the backlight. If
you aren't using the watch, you'll never activate the backlight, and
that's what uses up the battery. INdeed, I've not found the estimate
of battery life on the watches I've had very accurate, since I use
the backlight quite a bit and that wears out the battery much faster.

Michael

 

[NSM]

Thanks for the help. But can anyone tell me why the buttons on the
watch won't work but the display still works?

Because it's a Casio!

 

[Bill Jeffrey]

I had a multi-function / multi-button Casio that did this. After I
owned it a few years, I found that I had to press one of the buttons
harder and harder to make it register. I changed the battery, but it
didn't help. This happened over the space of only a few weeks, and then
another button started doing the same thing. I concluded that the
conductive material on the buttons had either worn away or gotten dirty,
and since I couldn't get ready access to the buttons, I abandoned it.

Sorry

Bill
------------------------

 

[jakdedert]

Because it's a Casio!

I'm still using the Casio that I found lying in the street around 15 years
ago. I've put several new bands on it and cleaned the gunk out of the pins
which activate the switches, as well as changing out several batteries.
I've bought--or been given--several watches in the intervening years; but
this is the only one which seems to keep working. I wear it 24/7, even in
the shower and pool. It gains about a minute/month when on my wrist, and
loses about the same if left in a drawer...undoubtedly due to temperature
variation.

If you'd ever had a Casio, you'd probably not have written the above. When
this one finally bites it, I'll most certainly buy another. It's the only
piece of technology that I've used daily for this long, which still works.

To the OP: there's probably a catch on the battery clip that you have to
squeeze in order to get it to pop off. Examine it carefully with a
magnifying glass (I used a jewelers loupe. It had been so long since I
replaced the battery, I forgot the drill....).

jak

 

[NSM]

If you'd ever had a Casio, you'd probably not have written the above.

Wanna see my dead Casio museum?

 

[NSM]

I had a multi-function / multi-button Casio that did this. After I
owned it a few years, I found that I had to press one of the buttons
harder and harder to make it register. I changed the battery, but it
didn't help. This happened over the space of only a few weeks, and then
another button started doing the same thing. I concluded that the
conductive material on the buttons had either worn away or gotten dirty,
and since I couldn't get ready access to the buttons, I abandoned it.

Yep. My buddy and I both got Casio watches that had a full
scientific/programmers calculator built in, but they both died as the
buttons failed.

 

[Sam Goldwasser]

I'm still using the Casio that I found lying in the street around 15 years
ago. I've put several new bands on it and cleaned the gunk out of the pins
which activate the switches, as well as changing out several batteries.
I've bought--or been given--several watches in the intervening years; but
this is the only one which seems to keep working. I wear it 24/7, even in
the shower and pool. It gains about a minute/month when on my wrist, and
loses about the same if left in a drawer...undoubtedly due to temperature
variation.

If you'd ever had a Casio, you'd probably not have written the above. When
this one finally bites it, I'll most certainly buy another. It's the only
piece of technology that I've used daily for this long, which still works.

Same here. I paid 50 cents for my Casio at a garage sale. I think it's
still on the original battery after at least 8 years. I gave up on the
band and just keep it in my pocket. It's one of those with 32 phone numbers,
multiple alarms, stop watch, timer, dual time zones, etc. I have a spare
that has the calculator. ;-)

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[jakdedert]

Wanna see my dead Casio museum?

Contact me offline...I'd like to *have* your dead Casio museum.

jak

 

[jakdedert]

I had a multi-function / multi-button Casio that did this. After I
owned it a few years, I found that I had to press one of the buttons
harder and harder to make it register. I changed the battery, but it
didn't help. This happened over the space of only a few weeks, and
then another button started doing the same thing. I concluded that
the conductive material on the buttons had either worn away or gotten
dirty, and since I couldn't get ready access to the buttons, I
abandoned it.

I'm trying to visualize the arrangement of the buttons. I had the same
problem, but fixed it. IIRC, it involved cleaning out some external gunk on
the pins themselves, which limited full travel.

I remember that the last time (recently) I changed out the battery, I
tweaked the switches on the internal module as well. Mine works perfectly
15+ years later. Of course, it has the old style incandescent backlight,
which is fairly useless...but it 'does' light when I push the button.

jak

 

[jakdedert]

Same here. I paid 50 cents for my Casio at a garage sale. I think
it's still on the original battery after at least 8 years. I gave up
on the
band and just keep it in my pocket. It's one of those with 32 phone
numbers, multiple alarms, stop watch, timer, dual time zones, etc.
I have a spare that has the calculator. ;-)

I wash mine every time I wash my body <g> It stays on my arm except to
clean underneath....

It doesn't have any 'fancy' features...basic alarm, stopwatch, calender.
What it 'does' have is a display which shows *all* of the time/calender
information at a glance...no button pushing: time, am/pm, date & day of
week. I only have to keep in my head what year it is.<G>

Some day I'll find another like it, with bigger digits (and a better
backlight). Fifteen years ago, I could read all of it a bit more easily.
:-(

jak

 

[Michael Black]

I'm trying to visualize the arrangement of the buttons. I had the same
problem, but fixed it. IIRC, it involved cleaning out some external gunk on
the pins themselves, which limited full travel.

Yes, this has happened to me too. It's not all that different from
the gunk that gets inside the remote control, except in the case of
the watch it's getting in the way of the mechanical action rather than
the switch itself. I think I took out the module, and then applied
some rubbing alchohol to the switch actuators in the case.

Though given that the original poster says the buttons never worked
from shortly after he got it, I'm not sure when there'd have been a
chance to accumulate the gunk.

Michael

 

[Franc Zabkar]

Yep. My buddy and I both got Casio watches that had a full
scientific/programmers calculator built in, but they both died as the
buttons failed.

I had a Casio scientific calculator watch about 20 years ago. I think
it lasted about seven years and failed for the same reason.

I also had a Casio organiser (SF5300) that died when the flex cable
failed.


- Franc Zabkar