Hi everyone

[grh66]

New to this forum, and to any forum actually, so I'm doing as suggested and saying hello!

Obviously I haven't read everyone else's introduction but perhaps I ended up here via a different route to most. I've always had an interest in precision made objects and watches definitely fall into this category. Like everyone here no doubt, I have more than a few watches, and I've always been searching for what I consider the perfect watch. Well I thought I'd found it, at least for me, in a Citizen ladies dive watch, commonly referred to as a EP6000-07H I believe. I appreciated it so much I thought, given they're becoming more and more rare to find, I'd see if I could find another.

And I succeeded, partly. Unfortunately this second one was broken - I guess a common break in that the crown screw thread had broken off. (It was very cheap for this reason and I knew this when buying it.) So I thought, well I'm interested to see inside so I gained a cheap watch back tool and opened it up. Then I thought, I wonder if and how it differs from my original watch. So I opened that up too. I suspect you know where this is going now - five minutes later I had two broken watches

So I ended up reading advice on this site, and have got the mechanics of the latter working in the former, whole body through learning from people's words of wisdom!

Now I'm wondering what else I can do - how to successfully charge the evidently weak batteries? Does Citizen (or anyone) fix watches it no longer manufactures? Can I remove the mechanics solar front to see what's behind _and_ fit it back again?? The little things can occupy the mind, can't they!!

Gil

[HectorLooi]

Welcome to this forum. I'm a fellow watch killer.

EP6000. Is that an Ecodrive? Ecodrive watches use a rechargeable battery that needs to be replaced when it reaches it's end of life. Originally, a gold foil capacitor was used, then over the years, rechargeable batteries replaced the capacitors, probably due to cost. So sometimes it is still called a capacitor or even a chemical capacitor. 

You can check if it's a battery problem by putting the watch under a bright light for a few minutes. If it starts running again, that confirms the diagnosis. I think most competent repair centres can replace a rechargeable battery.

[Nucejoe]

Welcome to the forum.

No shortage of electronic and electrical engineers on this forum to explain how echodrive solar panel loose efficieny and correct me.

In echodrive dial plate is a panel of solar cells that trap some electric charge off of photons( light) with a nominal life expectancy of 15-20 years,  so either the panel or capacitor or combination of both can be the issue in your watch. 

Good chances are that your watch will keep on running if you keep it under intense light, but exposure to light during normal use would no longer be adequate.

If you can find and replace the capacitor with a regular cell of exact same output, your watch would be as good as a regular not-rechargeable quartz watch. 

As for trying to repair, I am affraid you will end up with a bunch of used watches with dead solar panels. 

Regs

Joe