Quartz Tester?

[canthus]

I have used one very similar for a while now. OK for basic diagnostics and helps to eliminate the obvious (battery, free train, coil etc).  Instructions for use were not very good but it is simple enough to use.  There are better and more expensive ones for the professionals, but this type is ok for the rest of us.

[Geo]

I've had one for a while and have found it very useful, especially for the money.

[bobm12]

Ditto!

[atimegoneby]

Thanks guys that's really helpful, think I'll get one ! 

 

I've seen another looks to be the same just £100 more !!   ebay item..290865438546

 

Regards, Phil.

[jnash]

I bought one, but still trying to figure out how to use it!

Edited November 24, 2015 by jnash

[Tiktok]

Hi all, I am a new member and was looking for some advise. I have a fully kitted out workshop at work with the best equipment up to accreditation level from most brands but am looking to build a small workbench at home on a budget. The next thing on my list is a machine that will test the consumption of a Quartz movement. I have the all singing all dancing witchi one at work but was looking for a cheaper more basic alternative for at home. The cheapest I have found is the horotec Flashtest, has anyone any experience with this tester or is there a cheaper alternative. I only need to test the the consumption of the movement on 1.5v Watch's, I don't need it to do anything else.

Your help and advise would be greatly appreciated 

 

thanks

[jdm]

If you only need to test consumption (drain) all you have to is to get a broken quartz movement, remove all components, solder two wires to it to + and - pads, terminate these with a crocodile clip. you can now put a battery in it and measure with any common tester.

Otherwise there are cheap testers like this

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-Shipping-2013-Latest-Quartz-Watch-Impulse-Button-Battery-Checker-Battery-Tester-Watch-Tools/1581946931.html

[Tiktok]

Thanks for the reply, the tester you have linked to is not quite what I am wanting. I want to be able to remove the battery from say a tag Watch with a eta 955 112 movement and then put a prong on the + and a prong on the - which will then give a reading in μA. For example this eta calibre should read below 1.5μA for a new battery to last 2 years, if the reading is higher than this it means the watch needs a service because it's consuming too much from the battery and the battery won't last the 2 year period it should. The tests can be quite a low reading for some calibres so would think the devise used will have to have a digital display to be accurate. Some ladies Watch's should be .5 and the Rolex oyster Quartz can be as high as around 9μA going from memory so it needs to be quite accurate.

 

This is the cheapest version I have found so far that will do it. The test I want to do is test 6 in the instructions in the link below.

http://www.horotec.ch/flashtest/ModeEmploiANGLAIS.pdf

[jdm]

You are correct, I didn't realized that the device above doesn't do what you require. I could not find a cheap dedicated instrument so all you have to do is to use an external battery and a good multimeter. This one has a 20 uA setting which should work

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/High-Accuracy-General-Manual-Range-Digital-Multimeters-UNI-T-UT39A-Amp-Ohm-Volt-Meter-Digital-LCD/1000001391486.html

[Eastwaykid]

Hi Tiktok

The 2011 November issue of Horological Journal gives details of how to make a simple device (used in conjunction with a digital multimeter ) to do the various tests on a quartz movement

Sent from my SM-G361F using Tapatalk

[bobm12]

Hi Eastwaykid,

I'll be interested in reading that article. Is there a link to it?

Thanks,

Bob

[ArtNalika]

Hi

I trying to build DIY quartz pulse detector look like Renata battery tester

How to dectect signal from watch ?

How does it work ?

Somebody have schematic ?

PS. Sorry if my English difficult to understand.

 

[jdm]

Without knowing the exact name and type of the component, it's simply an electro-magnetic sensor. However in my opinion is that the watch runs it's pointless to see that it pulses - evidently it does. What you may want to know is the timing and shape of the pulse, for which you need a much, more sophisticated machine.

[Marc]

1 hour ago, jdm said:

Without knowing the exact name and type of the component, it's simply an electro-magnetic sensor. However in my opinion is that the watch runs it's pointless to see that it pulses - evidently it does. What you may want to know is the timing and shape of the pulse, for which you need a much, more sophisticated machine.

There is a benefit to such a detector as it is a quick way to determine whether a non-running watch is suffering an electrical/electronic fault or a mechanical blockage since a mechanically seized movement will still pulse without the hands moving.

A simple diagnostic routine for a non-running quartz watch might be;

Pulse detected - mechanics need freeing/servicing

No pulse - check continuity of coil

If coil is open circuit then replace coil

If coil is good but there is still no pulse then electronic module is faulty

 

At this level of simplicity a tester can be picked up off eBay for as little as £15 or so and could save a lot of time if you do a lot of quartz movements. Something more sophisticated would certainly be of benefit if you going to get into repairing the electronic modules but then the cost does go up considerably.

[Len33]

Has anyone got, or used, a 'Horotec Flashtest' quartz watch tester?

I'm wondering how good they are.

[jdm]

You have started a thread already

https://www.watchrepairtalk.com/topic/6855-quartz-battery-tester

Which has a lot of answers, why opening a new one? 

Edited July 23, 2017 by jdm

[Len33]

I was reading up about this tester and nobody has passed any coments about the `Horotec Flashtest` tester, that is why I have mentioned it; specifically. Maybe someone who hasn`t seen my prevoius article will see this one.

 

 

[jdm]

At $439 seems to me an overpriced piece of basically useless kit

[Len33]

Yes, I was thinking along those lines (If it seems to be too good, it probably is) and I`m doubtful that it would pick up the `tick` from an Omega 1325.

 

[Ray]

I have one and used it for the BHI Quartz servicing exam. A great little device that does almost everything you need at the fraction of the price of a Witschi 

[jdm]

27 minutes ago, Ray said:

I have one and used it for the BHI Quartz servicing exam. A great little device that does almost everything you need at the fraction of the price of a Witschi 

Can't compare this to Witschi, which has a full screen oscilloscope showing the shape of the pulse (important on the latest generation, low drawn movt.s), memory, and heaven known how many things more. A top laboratory would get that, an hobbyist or a budget professional the $30 boxes mentioned in the thread above.

Edited July 23, 2017 by jdm

[digginstony]

I think unless you're working on quartz a lot, it's hard to justify the cost. Please don't do this with your Omega's but if you have a cheap quartz movement and suspect the train is stuck. You can use a cheap Chinese demagetiser $15. Place the movement and press the button. The hands will spin and the second hand is likely to spin off into orbit. See pics. No damage was done to the movement and it still keeps time. And no the rotor was not demagetised. No I'm not accepting liability for this BAD practice. Note how fast the second hand is rotating! [emoji16]

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[Ray]

6 minutes ago, jdm said:

Can't compare this to Witschi, which has a full screen oscilloscope showing the shape of the pulse (important on the latest generation, low drawn movt.s), memory, and heaven known how many things more. A top laboratory would get that, an hobbyist or a budget professional the $30 boxes mentioned in the thread above.

The Witschi is a serious machine with a serious price which is not suitable or justifiable for the hobbyist, the horotec tests voltage consumption, lowest working voltage, coil resistance, battery voltage under load and end of life indicator and the rate. Which is all I'll ever need. 

[jdm]

3 minutes ago, Ray said:

the horotec tests voltage consumption, lowest working voltage, coil resistance, battery voltage under load and end of life indicator and the rate. Which is all I'll ever need. 

(Test battery consumption). My point is that you can have all that for maybe $80, not $439. But to each one his own.

Edited July 23, 2017 by jdm

[rappeleur]

Hello, I wondered if there is a manual around for the ETIC Polytest 340.587? I would be thankful if someone helped me out with some information, thank you!