Accutron Model 700 tester question

[LittleWatchShop]

I just acquired this tester and want to use it as a general tool working on quartz watches.

1) Does anyone have the schematic of the tester because I may want to mod it?

2) Can anyone tell me what is in that accessory puck that I am pointing to?

@JohnR725must surely have the answer to both of these questions!!

[JohnR725]

  On 9/28/2021 at 6:44 PM, LittleWatchShop said:

@JohnR725must surely have the answer to both of these questions!!

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no no no no no no? We can't modify something we strive to keep things as they are we don't modify and change things that would be bad very bad. Sad I'm getting predictable?

  On 9/28/2021 at 6:44 PM, LittleWatchShop said:

2) Can anyone tell me what is in that accessory puck that I am pointing to?

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I probably have the answer for this but I'm not 100% what you're getting at?

Then for the schematic you can find it at the link below. Where strangely enough they modified its to do modern quartz watches because trying to find another analog meter as nice as this one is very very challenging especially today when super low current microamp meters can only be found on eBay as the world has gone electronic. But I still prefer analog meters for quartz watches it's really easy to see a trend if the needle is going up or down versus numbers changing.

that I course the other way around this is to go to a less sensitive meter which is what the factory did and put a op amp on to make it into a more sensitive meter.

http://members.iinet.net.au/~fotoplot/accps.htm

[LittleWatchShop]

  On 9/28/2021 at 7:24 PM, JohnR725 said:

I probably have the answer for this but I'm not 100% what you're getting at?

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You should change your name to JRGoogle725.

The panel meter is a 25uA meter. Meters in that range are not commonplace.  So, what can I do with it...hmmm...thinking.

I like analog too...grew up with analog.

Trying to divine why they put the electrolytic caps in this meter.

But beyond the meter, what is in that puck???

[JohnR725]

I'm assuming the capacitors are there just to stabilize things and smooth things out.  I suppose they may even be there to stabilize the power supply aspect for the watch.

Then the mysterious puck? I assume you mean the small round black thing that they attached the meter when their measuring current? In a quartz watch. The problem with analog meters and quartz watches are when they draw power they draw it very fast over a short time and you need an average which is why the use of electrolytic capacitor. Bulova was clever in that the black round thing is recycled plastic. So one of the plastic movement holder's spray-painted black C can't see what's inside as electrolytic capacitor I don't think there's anything else in their? But it's been so long since I took one apart. Then I was trying to think of which one of my reference material would tell us the capacitor because mine are conveniently sealed up in the meter.

Specifically I'm using a Seiko meter which of course they didn't make and I  put the electrolytic in the meter with a switch. 

[HectorLooi]

I have an Accutron 700 meter. What puck are you referring to?

[LittleWatchShop]

  On 9/29/2021 at 1:59 AM, HectorLooi said:

I have an Accutron 700 meter. What puck are you referring to?

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It is an accessory for using the Meter with quartz watches

[HectorLooi]

I don't have that accessory. I just clip the leads directly to the terminals of the quartz watch and it works pretty well.

It powers the movement from the battery in the battery clip and gives a reading of the current drawn. It might not be accurate in terms of absolute microamps but it gives a general idea of whether the movement under test is healthy or not.

Do let me know if you find out what's inside the puck. TIA.

[JohnR725]

  On 9/29/2021 at 2:01 PM, LittleWatchShop said:

It is an accessory for using the Meter with quartz watches

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I do think I already answered the question just didn't spell out the details like below. Complete with photographs.

  On 9/28/2021 at 9:28 PM, JohnR725 said:

Then the mysterious puck? I assume you mean the small round black thing that they attached the meter when their measuring current? In a quartz watch. The problem with analog meters and quartz watches are when they draw power they draw it very fast over a short time and you need an average which is why the use of electrolytic capacitor. Bulova was clever in that the black round thing is recycled plastic. So one of the plastic movement holder's spray-painted black C can't see what's inside as electrolytic capacitor I don't think there's anything else in their?

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now I just had to figure out where mine went to I never use it. I found lurking on the mess on the coffee table yes I know a strange place for it to be but that's where I found it. then a classic green plastic holder for movement recycled by Bulova. Although typically today the holders are all clear in plastic. Nicely spray-painted to protect the inside from prying eyes. For some reason I kept thinking it was bigger like 470 but looks like 100 at 6 V. That should smooth out the pulsations on the meter and give you a better average.

[LittleWatchShop]

  On 9/29/2021 at 8:38 PM, JohnR725 said:

I found lurking

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Wow, thanks!

I just bought another...though Model 600 on ebay.  I will do a full mod on it and leave the 700 intact as is (of course with the replaced capacitors

I did a calibration on the 700 so that the meter correctly reads battery voltage.  It was off by about 6%.

My plan is to build a variable supply  that fits in the lead-storage compartment.  That way I can dial up low voltages for quartz watches.

I love these old quality analog meters.

[JohnR725]

  On 9/29/2021 at 8:48 PM, LittleWatchShop said:

My plan is to build a variable supply  that fits in the lead-storage compartment.

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I'm sure you'll come up with a different design but if you're looking at a simple way to build a variable voltage power supply look at a LM10 it lets you make a really simple variable voltage supply that goes lower and voltage than most things.

[LittleWatchShop]

Ha!  Been wondering what this was for...Now I know.  Been sitting in the drawer beckoning the inquisitive mind.  After reviewing the Accutron Test setup documents...voila...

[JohnR725]

yes that weird unknown metal thing I think I have three of them in my bench at work who knows how many are lurking around the house here.  then things get really interesting if you throw in all the other ones for the other movements. Plus you'll need to collect all the tools.

[HectorLooi]

I was thinking of building a low voltage PSU for testing Accutrons, then I came across this in in AliExpress. 

SG$ 19.48 50%OFF | Analog 0-5V 0-10V 4-20mA Signal Generator Rechargeable Battery Pocket Adjustable Voltage Current Simulator Calibrator SG-002 https://a.aliexpress.com/_mrkj9Pc

I think it should work and should look prettier than a DIY one.

[JohnR725]

  On 9/29/2021 at 10:27 PM, HectorLooi said:

I think it should work and should look prettier than a DIY one.

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I was going to object to looking prettier than DIY. But I do like the way the unit looks but does DIY really look that bad? although I definitely would not build it the way that I did originally. Now you can buy digital panel meter displays already made and you don't have to build it from integrated circuits and all the associated components like you once did which is largely what is filling up the box.

 

[LittleWatchShop]

  On 9/29/2021 at 10:27 PM, HectorLooi said:

I was thinking of building a low voltage PSU for testing Accutrons, then I came across this in in AliExpress. 

SG$ 19.48 50%OFF | Analog 0-5V 0-10V 4-20mA Signal Generator Rechargeable Battery Pocket Adjustable Voltage Current Simulator Calibrator SG-002 https://a.aliexpress.com/_mrkj9Pc

I think it should work and should look prettier than a DIY one.

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Well, that is cute.  You have now set the bar!!  My goal is to merge old school with new.  If I can create my solution that still looks like old-school meters with some modern flair...woohoo...gotta like it, no??

I have three watch benches...and entropy has set in.  Nature abhors a vacuum.  Must have a small'ish' footprint.

At the end of the day...this is just another creative project...the journey...not the destination.

[LittleWatchShop]

I bought a model 600 on ebay.  I am going to mod it.  Here is the one I am not going to mod...very nice condition...a beauty to look at.

[HectorLooi]

I have one just like that. Do you have the blue storage box too? The sponge in my storage box disintegrated into powder and got into everything. I had to take apart everything, including the ammeter movement, to clean it.

I use it quite often and the wires have broken a couple of times. I may replace the wires with something more flexible, like earphone wires. Have you noticed how tough earphone wires are? Some of them are reinforced with a few strands of silk, making them even tougher.

[LittleWatchShop]

Yes, I have the box as well...and the metal cap that goes over the storage compartment.  No sponge.

I had to replace the caps on this one because one of them was leaking...registering several microamps with no load.  I also calibrated the voltmeter (battery test).

Modern technology produces very robust wires indeed!

[HectorLooi]

My caps were ok, still within 10% error. Some these old caps were very well constructed, not like modern electrolytics. I have some antique dental equipment using really huge caps ( when compared to modern equivalents ) that are still within specs. I thinks some of them are paper in oil types.