anybody ever change a battery in a casio watch?

[blueindian]

I have casio pathfinder watch which has a dead battery. everyone wants like $30 just to change the battery. my wife's baby g is also dead, and they want $30 to change that battery (today on amazon there's a new baby g just like her's for $30).

anyway, i wonder if i can do it myself? has anyone ever tried? i notice even some of the online places won't do casio.

[welfareloser]

do you know how much the battery itself costs? (my guess is, most of that $30...)

if you can get the battery for $10 or less, i'd say give it a try... if the battery is more like $20, i wouldn't bother... just let the guy at the mall with the itty bitty tools do it for you.

[blueindian]

do you know how much the battery itself costs? (my guess is, most of that $30...)

if you can get the battery for $10 or less, i'd say give it a try... if the battery is more like $20, i wouldn't bother... just let the guy at the mall with the itty bitty tools do it for you.

battery is $5. my watch, however, was $300 (at full retail, which i didn't pay). I don't want to break it.

[DarkFury]

You probably need a special tool to get the back off to get the battery in...

And yeah, it sucks that they charge so much to replace a dayuum battery. :angry: :2far:

[welfareloser]

oooh. i'd just pop the $30.

have you tried target or walmart? they do batteries, probably cheaper.

and in my hometown, there's a mom-n-pop jewelry store that will do battery replacements, simple repairs, etc - basically any 5-minute job - for free. might want to ask around and see if anyone knows of a place like that...

[blueindian]

oooh. i'd just pop the $30.

have you tried target or walmart? they do batteries, probably cheaper.

and in my hometown, there's a mom-n-pop jewelry store that will do battery replacements, simple repairs, etc, for free. might want to ask around and see if anyone knows of a place like that...

no, but i've tried target, sears, JC Penny(who does every other watch in the world),and a bunch of jewlery stores. they all send them to casio and it costs ~$30.

bleh. maybe i'll try it with my wife's first, i can replace it for the same price as a new battery if i break it.

[Jcranmer]

Is the back the type that pops off (smooth with a tiny slot on one edge for a tool to fit) or is it the type that unscrews? (If it unscrews there will be indentions all around the back for a special wrench to fit)

Replacing a watch battery is pretty easy, for the most part. The hard part is finding the correct tools to do it with. I bought a wrench style tool off of ebay, for less then $15.00 and it's been worth every penny of it. I do usually shy away from messing with the pry off backs though, I either slip and scratch the back of the watch or slip and end up bleeding. :eek3:

Here's an ebay link to the type of tool that I bought:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=40133&item=4941364221&rd=1

(This is not my auction or anyone I know, just one I found doing a "watch tool" search)

[WhiskeyPapa]

$30? Crap man. My wife has an $800 Cyma and it only costs $11 for a battery replacement at the jewelery store.

I just searched "replace battery casio pathfinder" on Usenet and found a few posts from people who messed up their watches trying to replace their own battery. If I were you I'd just pay the $30.

[revil]

i don't ever have to buy a battery. my watch recharges itself. just bought it. it's quite nice.

[Burzhui]

dude it's a pain in the ass if you don't know how, go to like macy's watch department i got my battery relaced for 10 bucks

I have a Casio G-shock reissman watch, used to be $350

[whitak24]

$30 is really expensive, so i have to think there is something difficult/special about doing the replacement. seems like a big risk to try to do it yourself.

[blueindian]

I have a Casio G-shock reissman watch, used to be $350

i don't think we have macy's around here.

FYI: the reason it's $30 is because of shipping & handling. the actual charge seems to be in the $15 area which is a lot more reasonable.

[look_ma]

I have tried replacing my batteries before, but shortly after I wash my hands, or go swimming my watch dies. Some watches needs to be resealed supposedly. Just pay the 30 bucks and get it over with it.

[Burzhui]

i don't think we have macy's around here.

FYI: the reason it's $30 is because of shipping & handling. the actual charge seems to be in the $15 area which is a lot more reasonable.

then go to any jewelerer they will do it

[ShawnLee]

Having worked at a Watch Repair store...

Yes, I've changed a Casio battery. No, it's not that hard. You shouldn't pay more than 12 bucks to have someone do it. If you have small screwdrivers and know where they sell batteries at Radio Shack, you should be fine.

If you want me to walk you through it, just PM me. But the main thing to know is this. No matter what you do, once you open it, it won't be waterproof anymore.

[DarkFury]

If you want me to walk you through it, just PM me. But the main thing to know is this. No matter what you do, once you open it, it won't be waterproof anymore.
Even if you lube up the threads upon re-closing it? :hmm:

[Jcranmer]

Well the times I have paid to have a watch battery replaced in a water proof watch, that is always part of the conditions. Once they open it, they tell you not to get it in water.. I'm sure if you do it correctly and put a little oil on the o-ring and threads you can be pretty sure it's ok, but you just never know....

[blueindian]

then go to any jewelerer they will do it

nope. been to every one in two malls. they'll do any watch except a casio. all the jewlery stores want to send it off, to the tune of $30.


But the main thing to know is this. No matter what you do, once you open it, it won't be waterproof anymore.

all the places you send it to guarentee it will still be watreproof. actually, my pathfinder has a sensor in it that, somehow, can tell whether or not the watch has been properly re-sealed.

basically, i've decided to just pay for both watches. i just wish i could find a local place to do it.

[ShawnLee]

all the places you send it to guarentee it will still be watreproof. actually, my pathfinder has a sensor in it that, somehow, can tell whether or not the watch has been properly re-sealed.Yeah, you have to send it to a watchmaker to have it resealed. They re-seal with new gaskets and whatnot, but I believe they do it under a different pressure to amke the seal properly work, if I remember correctly.

DF, as for relubing the gasket, it helps, but isn't anything to guarantee. The silicone lube does seal, but there's no way to guarantee how that will act under pressure.

Like I told everyone I ever changed a battery for, "If it's the first time you're changing it, you'll probably be fine as long as you don't go more than a few feet underwater with it. You shouldn't have a problem taking a shower or washing the dishes."

The worst is the man to whom I explicitly told, "This isn't waterproof anymore so don't treat it like it is." He came back after having left his watch in the hot tub, and wanted to blame me because it had rust damage. Shoot, even if he'd come in immediately and let me take it apart and dry it out, it probably would've been fine. Instead, he waits a week, find out that it's not working and decides that the steam he sees on the inside of the crystal is my fault... Sucker.

Anyhow...

Most places won't do it because they don't have lithium batteries, and they don't want to deal with placing the watch back in its case.

If you don't mind the water pressure deal, here's a general walkthrough. Too simple, you'll think I'm being condescending reading this, but I'm not. I'm just covering bases.

Unscrew back and remove.
The watch itself is sort of sitting in the case, much like a clam in a shell.
If you don't have to take it out or move it, don't. If you have to, just remember how everything is placed.
Usually, there are springs in holes, if they fall out, don't worry, just remember what went where, and put it back before you put it back together.
If the battery has a strap or retaining pin just slide it out from underneath there.
You should be able to read what type of battery it is. Get a replacement of the exact same size.
Slide it in the same way.
If the watch doesn't automatically turn on, you need to short circuit the battery. Basically, there'll be a small circle that should note that you need to short circuit it (it might be labled AC), just touch something metal to the positive side of the battery and then to it. Or you just touch the dead battery to a pin, and touch the button the same way.
Slide things back.
The gasket will probably be stretched out of shape. Deal with it however you want. Keep it in there if possible, but if it's not, the watch will still work, you just need to be more careful around water.
Screw it back on.

[ShawnLee]

Is the back the type that pops off (smooth with a tiny slot on one edge for a tool to fit) or is it the type that unscrews? (If it unscrews there will be indentions all around the back for a special wrench to fit)

Replacing a watch battery is pretty easy, for the most part. The hard part is finding the correct tools to do it with. I bought a wrench style tool off of ebay, for less then $15.00 and it's been worth every penny of it. I do usually shy away from messing with the pry off backs though, I either slip and scratch the back of the watch or slip and end up bleeding. :eek3: Oh, and this is a button cell type of battery for an analog watch. A digital watch is slightly different. An analog Timex is a combination of both.