Hamilton Electric - gets power, sets time, hands don’t tick

[edrelich]

Hello,

I have installed a new battery and it does receive power. I can set the time BUT the hands will not move on their own; it doesn’t tick. I can see the seconds hand trying but it’s just not going. Any thoughts? Where would I apply oil or lighter fluid? I am not too familiar with electric movements but have worked on a few automatics and manuals. Thank you all in advance!

[JohnR725]

is not really a Hamilton electric it was only sold by Hamilton it's really a Swiss watch.

then more than likely it's never been serviced so it needs to be serviced. That means it has to be completely disassembled cleaned etc. I'm attaching the service manual.

ESA 9150.pdf

[nevenbekriev]

What exactly means 'it receives power'? How do You understand that it receives power? Does the balance oscillate?

[AndyGSi]

Welcome to the forum.

If the second hand stutters then my first action would be a drop of IPA on the rear pivots.

[edrelich]

7 hours ago, JohnR725 said:

is not really a Hamilton electric it was only sold by Hamilton it's really a Swiss watch.

then more than likely it's never been serviced so it needs to be serviced. That means it has to be completely disassembled cleaned etc. I'm attaching the service manual.

ESA 9150.pdf 1.3 MB · 1 download

Wow. Thank so much!

[edrelich]

5 hours ago, nevenbekriev said:

What exactly means 'it receives power'? How do You understand that it receives power? Does the balance oscillate?

Yes the balance oscillates. I can also see the second hand bouncing around ever so slightly when I push in the crown. 

[edrelich]

5 hours ago, AndyGSi said:

Welcome to the forum.

If the second hand stutters then my first action would be a drop of IPA on the rear pivots.

IPA is isopropyl alcohol? I only know IPA as beer ha

[edrelich]

5 hours ago, AndyGSi said:

Welcome to the forum.

If the second hand stutters then my first action would be a drop of IPA on the rear pivots.

Can you highlight the rear pivots?

[GuyMontag]

It's hard to tell from that photo but the balance jewel setting looks mangled. Also, the photo shows the movement in the hand setting position which should stop the movement, although it doesn't look like the stop lever is hitting the stop pin. But just to dot the I's and cross the T's, did you try pushing the crown back in?

I finished up one of these (9154) earlier this month and am wearing it now.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 25 by GuyMontag

[edrelich]

5 minutes ago, GuyMontag said:

It's hard to tell from that photo but the balance jewel setting looks mangled.

 

[edrelich]

14 hours ago, edrelich said:

 

Yes I push the crown in and the balance wheel goes. I pull it out when it’s sitting so the battery doesn’t drain. 

[AndyGSi]

14 hours ago, edrelich said:

Can you highlight the rear pivots?

They're the jewels near the centre of the movement.

[edrelich]

7 minutes ago, AndyGSi said:

They're the jewels near the centre of the movement.

Thank you. That didn’t work and that’s about all I feel comfortable doing myself. I don’t want to take it apart aside from maybe just taking out the balance and reinstalling. 

[AndyGSi]

10 minutes ago, edrelich said:

Thank you. That didn’t work and that’s about all I feel comfortable doing myself. I don’t want to take it apart aside from maybe just taking out the balance and reinstalling. 

You don't want to be doing anything with the balance if it's working.

Can you post a video on YouTube and show the link as to what the hands are doing.

Have you got any test equipment or a demagnetiser?

[GuyMontag]

14 minutes ago, edrelich said:

Thank you. That didn’t work and that’s about all I feel comfortable doing myself. I don’t want to take it apart aside from maybe just taking out the balance and reinstalling. 

Be careful doing that. There are a couple of videos on youtube of people servicing the 9154 and neither remove the balance correctly. It is very easy to damage the coils if you don't follow the exact procedure shown in the tech sheet, which requires the movement to be removed from the case.

[edrelich]

10 minutes ago, AndyGSi said:

You don't want to be doing anything with the balance if it's working.

Can you post a video on YouTube and show the link as to what the hands are doing.

Have you got any test equipment or a demagnetiser?

I have nothing. Just a collector that can install a battery and add some grease here and there. I can also unwind an “overwound” movement. 

[nevenbekriev]

If the balance oscillates (and the amplitude is good) and the train is not moving, this means some problem with the transmission of the balance movement to the train. I don't know this particular movement, the ones I have worked on are made with pallet fork and "escape wheel" which look like ones in mechanical movements, but actually act in reverse. There is an index wheel and ratchet for the escape wheel that need adjustment there. Of course, it is possible the train to be blocked somehow, but it will be not letting the balance to oscillate free.

!!!Do not try to demagnetize this movement!!! Do not try to remove the balance, as the coils have to be removed first.

[AndyGSi]

11 minutes ago, edrelich said:

I have nothing. Just a collector that can install a battery and add some grease here and there. I can also unwind an “overwound” movement. 

I think you're best passing this to someone else to look at then.

[Nucejoe]

 The hand trying to move, indicates gear train is not blocked.  As neven said, escapement on this works in reverse, in other word power is transfered from

fork to the escape wheel, that is escape wheel controls energy  escape , your watch  rather  intakes energy from the fork and transfer it to the escape wheel .

No one suspect is escape wheel not turning, either it doesn't want to move due to dried oil ( probability 15%) , OR is doesn't recieve energy to move ( probability 85%) .

I just made up these probability figures, so by micor-strech of imagination shouldn't hold me responsible.

Who knows ? 

1 hour ago, edrelich said:

I don’t want to take it apart aside from maybe just taking out the balance and reinstalling. 

So I take the balance-cock assembly, show a clear close up from escape & fork area, thats where is fault is hiding.

Regs

Edited March 25 by Nucejoe
Edit

[edrelich]

5 minutes ago, Nucejoe said:

 The hand trying to move, indicates gear train is not blocked.  As neven said, escapement on this works in reverse, in other word power is transfered from

fork to the escape wheel, that is escape wheel doesn't let energy escape rather in intakes energy from the fork.  No suspect is escape wheel not turning, either it doesn't want to move due to dried oil, OR is doesn't recieve energy to move. 

So I take the balance-cock assembly, show a clear close up from escape & fork area, thats where is fault is hiding.

Regs

thank you! I have no idea what the balance cock assembly is so I’ll have to check when I get home and see if I can get a semi decent picture!

8 minutes ago, GuyMontag said:

Be careful doing that. There are a couple of videos on youtube of people servicing the 9154 and neither remove the balance correctly. It is very easy to damage the coils if you don't follow the exact procedure shown in the tech sheet, which requires the movement to be removed from the case.

It sounds like I’ll be selling this thing as is and moving on! Anyone want it for $100? Ha

[Nucejoe]

 The guy hanging on tac ( see photo) is balance+cock assembly. Not a suspect in your watch.

 

[nevenbekriev]

It is electromechanical movement and the balance is completely different. It consist of two wheels/layers of magnets and the coil is situated between them. In order to remove the balance, first the coil must be removed. There are 2 screws that hold the coil and they must be removed, then the coil pulled  to side (the movement out of the case) but carefully as not to touch and rub on the magnets as the coil wire is so thin and fragile that it is a miracle that has survived till today.

[edrelich]

On 3/25/2025 at 12:18 PM, Nucejoe said:

 The guy hanging on tac ( see photo) is balance+cock assembly. Not a suspect in your watch.

 

Oh! Thanks I’m familiar with that part and have removed and reinstalled on mechanical. Not trying on this one! Ha

[Nucejoe]

19 minutes ago, edrelich said:

Oh! Thanks I’m familiar with that part and have removed and reinstalled on mechanical. Not trying on this one! Ha

Yes, I resd your post. This being different, 

I winder of a schematic diagram of this caliber is available. 

 

 

[AndyGSi]

15 minutes ago, Nucejoe said:

I winder of a schematic diagram of this caliber is available.

Have you seen the link above with the ESA 9150 Service Manual?