The Case of the Power Hungry Casio

[Raissermesser]

A few years ago, I lucked out on a drastically reduced Casio AMW-320R. It was maybe 75% off, out with the cheap watches at Walmart. It wasn't a mistake; the battery was dead. Bought the watch, bought a battery there at Walmart, and it became my dress watch.

It was maybe about two years, if that, that the watch needed a new battery. The quartz movement slowed, then became erratic, and the LCD display dimmed. Ordered a new battery, which never arrived, and ended up buying another from Walmart.

In about a year, this watch needed another new battery. I was now suspecting the batteries at the Walmart where I bought them. If they were sitting in the drawer without selling out, I might see precisely what was happening with this watch. I don't think there's much call for the Energizer 351 battery these days. Ordered several, and this time they came in. Replaced it, and the watch is working normally again.

Comments? Is it the batteries, or do I have a power mad watch?

 

[Bhugo]

Do you use the lighted display a lot? That kills batteries.

 

[Raissermesser]

It doesn't have one. It has phosphorescent hands and indicators. The LCD display isn't lighted.

 

[StillShaving]

Maybe it is a combination of both? That the batteries had sat for a while before using them and that the watch is a bit power hungry. I would expect batteries to last at least 3 years in just about any watch. Your watch is unusual in that it is nearly 2 watches in one, so powering the relatively large hands and powering the LCD would put a bigger load on the battery as compared to a thin hand dress watch or LCD only display.

 

[ajkel64]

It seems to me like a power hungry watch but I am no expert. I would not expect to get a bad battery every time I purchased one.

 

[Alacrity59]

Sounds like you have used just two batteries in this watch? If so my bet would be on a bad battery.

 

[Canadian Mountain Man]

+1 for bad battery & its a power hungry movement

 

[Raissermesser]

Update:

It's the watch. Today it's doing the same thing, with the battery I installed a few weeks ago.

Sigh. I really liked that watch.

 

[StillShaving]

Maybe, but I also wonder if it needs a different type of battery. I vaguely remember reading that there are (were) high drain and low drain cells in the same size. But now they have seemly been combined into one. A dual purpose battery..... but are they really compatible with a movement that needs a high drain.

Too bad your watch is not working smoothly.

 

[BigLeegr]

I bought a Casio AW-81 a few years ago (also from Walmart I think). It came with a battery that was supposed to last 5 years or something. It lasted about 2. I figured it was just old/sat on the shelf a while. Since then I have put a new battery in it about once a year. This last year I put in 3. All different makes/costs. All died rather quickly. I have since given up on the watch.

 

[MarkM10431]

A few years ago, I lucked out on a drastically reduced Casio AMW-320R. It was maybe 75% off, out with the cheap watches at Walmart. It wasn't a mistake; the battery was dead. Bought the watch, bought a battery there at Walmart, and it became my dress watch.

It was maybe about two years, if that, that the watch needed a new battery. The quartz movement slowed, then became erratic, and the LCD display dimmed. Ordered a new battery, which never arrived, and ended up buying another from Walmart.

In about a year, this watch needed another new battery. I was now suspecting the batteries at the Walmart where I bought them. If they were sitting in the drawer without selling out, I might see precisely what was happening with this watch. I don't think there's much call for the Energizer 351 battery these days. Ordered several, and this time they came in. Replaced it, and the watch is working normally again.

Comments? Is it the batteries, or do I have a power mad watch?

I'd guess the watch. I have a Suunto that batteries last less than a year

 

[Gryffindor]

My first Suunto Core ate fresh batteries in two days. Had to exchange it. Next one was fine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Raissermesser]

Am wearing the watch today. Set it last night, and the mechanical portion is keeping time. It didn't last week. Definitely the watch.

 

[StillShaving]

I wonder if the movement doesn't need servicing much like an mechanical watch does. Not that servicing is cost effective, but I could imagine the gear train moving the hands having excessive friction after break in.

 

[Steve V.]

I'm late to the party but Varta German made batteries are the best I've found.

 

[FarmerTan]

I'm late to the party but Varta German made batteries are the best I've found.

Better late than never tho.

 

[StillShaving]

Maybe, but I also wonder if it needs a different type of battery. I vaguely remember reading that there are (were) high drain and low drain cells in the same size. But now they have seemly been combined into one. A dual purpose battery..... but are they really compatible with a movement that needs a high drain.

Too bad your watch is not working smoothly.

Replying to my own post, but it was information like given in the posts below which I was referring to. Mainly to be aware to use silver oxide instead of alkaline.
Which Watch Battery do you need?
Buying Button Cells for Digital Calipers

You can buy Chinese button cells cheap on eBay, at flea markets, and at the dollar stores, but the sellers typically are ignorant of alkaline vs silver-oxide non-interchangeability. Don't believe claims that alkaline cells are replacements for silver oxide, or that LR44 is just a cross-referenced equivalent to SR44 or 357.​

 

[MarkM10431]

additional thoughts.. I went to batteries plus for the Suunto battery. I bought a lifetime battery deal, and I have received double the batteries on the plan if i had paied for them as i went