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Low Alarm Volume - 80s Freestyle USA Shark Watch


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Hey guys & gals,

I picked up a nice, clean Freestyle USA Shark watch from the late 80s last week, and it just arrived yesterday.  I've been casually looking for a model from this era off and on over the years.  I was primarily looking for the Speed Dial model, but it was prone to failure of the dial for changing modes (plastic would wear down), so I imagine most of those just got pitched out over the years.  They're still out there, apparently, but hard to find.

Anyway, mostly though, I'm after any of the Shark models from that era that have a unique sound scheme.  I found an enthusiast/collector who has a photo feed on Instagram, and he let me know that other models from that time have this same sound scheme.  I just found one on Ebay last week.  Sure enough, it's got the sound scheme I'm after, howeverrr...

The alarm and chime are barely audible.  I just replaced the battery with a new Energizer CR2016, per spec (tested voltage at 3V).  Watch doesn't blank out when changing modes now, but that didn't seem to help the chime and alarm volume.

I understand there has to be some contact with the back case cover for the alarm to work.  While changing the battery on this watch, I noticed there are some tangs hanging off the battery clip, and went off to try to find some info on how digital watch alarms work.

So there's a piezo crystal attached to the back cover, that buzzes when the alarm goes off?

I'm just not sure what's supposed to be in contact with this model and thought I'd hop on here to share some photos and hopefully someone may have some suggestions.

Thanks in advance for any help or tips.  Photos coming.

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I'm wondering whether the issue has something to do with this tang here on the bottom of the battery clip.  You can see in this photo where the board is a little scratch up.  I'm not sure whether someone was trying to fix this before.  I'm unclear as to whether this tang should be in contact with the board or trace, or that larger contact to the left.

The volume doesn't seem to change whether it's in contact straight down, with that eyelet/hole, or not at all.

Anyone seen anything similar or have any ideas of how this should be set?

 

battery clip tang markup.png

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Also notice that when the alarm goes off, the display can go wonky, with digits changing to different numbers.

Sometimes working the settings, like setting the time, the hour will jump from 3 to 10 and switch from A to P.  Obviously something's screwy here.

What are these adjusting screws for?  Is this typical for a digital watch?

 

shark adjusting screws.png

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Hmmm. There needs to be two contacts for the piezo to work. One is that springy lever that touches the piezo itself, while the other is normally a coil spring sticking up that touches the back cover. You can see it on your other watch, sticking up above the battery and a little to the right. I don’t see one on your Shark movement. The spring is usually just sitting in the hole where it belongs and is easily lost. Look for yours, maybe around that white battery cover. Steve


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15 hours ago, Gpsluvr said:

Hmmm. There needs to be two contacts for the piezo to work. One is that springy lever that touches the piezo itself, while the other is normally a coil spring sticking up that touches the back cover. You can see it on your other watch, sticking up above the battery and a little to the right. I don’t see one on your Shark movement. The spring is usually just sitting in the hole where it belongs and is easily lost. Look for yours, maybe around that white battery cover. Steve

Hey Steve, thanks for the info!

Ah, yes, I've seen these little springs in watches before.  I remember back to one of my first battery swaps in middle school in the 80s, wondering how the heck a spring got in there.  I think at the time I probably thought it popped out from somewhere inside the watch.  Saw the watch was still working and thought the spring unnecessary, so omitted putting it back in when I closed it up.  Dehr.  I remember immediately noticing that the alarm and hourly chime not working afterward, so put the spring back in and the sounds were back.  Never understood how that all worked, except that it did.  Certainly didn't know the piezo was mounted on the case back.  So - batteries, remembering springs, and changing pins or a strap would be about the extent of my watch repair skillologies for the years to follow.  A veritable expert!

Re: this blue Freestyle Shark watch, I didn't see an additional spring when I removed the case back, and I was taking my time, so I'm pretty sure it didn't shoot out.  I think it more likely that it was left out in a prior battery swap.

Do you see any spots in those photos where that second spring may seat?  I was thinking maybe one of these two spots I've marked here?  I'm keeping my eye out for other Freestyle Shark watches from this time period, so maybe the next one will still have the spring.
1826559645_possiblespringperch.png.f45a588bac8b8bced1281d72c920a288.png

 

15 hours ago, Gpsluvr said:

Do not touch the screws. Ever. They are factory adjusted to set the quartz oscillator frequency.

Haha, too late.  I'm usually more structured, but couldn't resist.

I became obsessed yesterday trying to get the alarm and chime volumes up, and in the spirit of tinkering, forgetting I had the whole WWW available to me for reference, I fell victim to the allure of turning that mysterious, lone set screw...  Even had to figure a way to turn it.  My screwdrivers are all shy of that size, but a stainless spudger for smartphone screen removal wasn't.  Unfortunately.  I only messed with the one I'm working on, so at least there's that, and my clear/green Shark is untouched.

But thanks very much for that information.  With that, I went reading some more last night about the quartz oscillator frequency, and of course, how it requires expensive equipment to set properly.  This is a play project for me now and not a serious timekeeping piece, since I messed it up.  I did find a trial/error method on getting it set somewhat close again.  I returned the screw yesterday to its approximate setting.  I set the time last night based on time.gov, and I'm about 1.5 seconds fast after 15hrs.  I can see how that'll get out of hand after a while, so I'll get a proper screwdriver and make some patient, controlled adjustments.  CCW very slightly at first, I imagine?

Side note - I'm finding that watch repair talk and information seems to be scarce out there.  Interesting, and indicative of where we are now in a world of disposable everything.  It's a bit of shame, really, but I'm glad I found this place.

Side-side note - I also find it a bit silly the number of watch "reviews" people do where they don't demo the alarm and chime scheme.  These are *features* too, and if I'm shopping a watch at this level, I'm going to check that out.  Not sure how this escapes making the review item list.

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