Brand new Seiko 6G28 quartz won’t start with new battery

[d3xmeister]

Quartz strikes again   So, a brand new Seiko 6G28 came with a dead battery from the store. Tested the battery, completely depleted, but not leaked. Replaced the battery with a brand new Renata 377, and it’s not moving. I can hear the stepper clicking about once every 2 seconds. Tried with brand new, just ordered Varta 377, same thing. I tried tapping the movement, the case, tried setting the hands forwards and backwards with the crown, but still it does not move. I’m looking at the manual, I don’t see any reset procedure. The battery seems to be the correct alternative to 626SW. Any ideas why a brand new watch won’t start ?

[rossjackson01]

Shorted the battery? + to -. Is that required?

Edited November 25, 2023 by rossjackson01

[watchweasol]

Hi give it a little jump with the line release tool, (cheap enough on eBay). It may be Down to sticky oil and being dimmed up. Thr line release tool will spin the mechanism round slowley a n free the train. Do this without the battery in then re fit battery and try again. It sometimes helps if you put a little oil or spirit in the train pivots before hand..   if it all starts up ok , that’s good but be aware the movement will needs a clean and oil.   Service.

[d3xmeister]

Haven’t found anywhere to short + with -, and it’s also not in the manual for 6G28 battery replacement

2 hours ago, watchweasol said:

Hi give it a little jump with the line release tool, (cheap enough on eBay). It may be Down to sticky oil and being dimmed up. Thr line release tool will spin the mechanism round slowley a n free the train. Do this without the battery in then re fit battery and try again. It sometimes helps if you put a little oil or spirit in the train pivots before hand..   if it all starts up ok , that’s good but be aware the movement will needs a clean and oil.   Service.

Thank you, Sir, following your advice and looking at line release tools, I found some people having luck with using a demagnetizer. So I did, with the battery out, I put the back of the watch on the demagnetizer and pushed the button, and this started to move fast the seconds hand in a “jiggly way” and other hands started to advance. Then I run it again while pulling it away, to demagnetize it. Put the battery in, and now it works fine.

 

Thank you !

[watchweasol]

Hi. You are welcome, do you have the service sheets for the watch ?  

[d3xmeister]

Not sure what you mean by “service sheet” there is a tech guide at seikousa website: https://seikoserviceusa.com/uploads/datasheets/6G28A.pdf

Seems it can be somewhat serviced. But this is a brand new watch, bought by a friend of mine from Joma. The stock was so old the original battery was completely dead.

[JohnR725]

6 hours ago, rossjackson01 said:

Shorted the battery? + to -. Is that required?

Typically on a street quartz watch with no complications reset is not required. Then hopefully M not reading that the way I am which is shorting the positive the minus which is shorting the battery out which is not recommended on watch batteries as they just don't have enough power to withstand.

7 hours ago, d3xmeister said:

So, a brand new Seiko 6G28 came with a dead battery from the store.

The problem with brand-new watches are there brand-new to you but how long has it been sitting in the store the warehouse the factory etc. if the battery is dead well it's been several years and it also depends upon temperatures like it was a jewelry store under bright lights getting nice and toasty warm for several years that would be a bad thing for the battery and lubrication

24 minutes ago, d3xmeister said:

But this is a brand new watch, bought by a friend of mine from Joma

Sounds like no warranty issue except you already opened up the watch. Companies usually get nervous about warranty issues if others have been playing with the watch.

25 minutes ago, d3xmeister said:

Seems it can be somewhat serviced.

Interesting wording of somewhat serviced? That is a standard Seiko service guide implies that it can be serviced. But it's still a brand-new watch covered by some sort of warranty I would go that route first. Then maybe don't want to service the watch may be the just replace the movement

https://www.esslinger.com/genuine-seiko-2-hand-quartz-watch-movement-6g28-small-second-at-6-00-overall-height-5-0mm/