Seiko Watches - Page 4 - Recent Questions, Troubleshooting & Support

The Seiko Kinetic watches use a Capacitor (rechargeable battery) that costs between 16 and 30 dollars.) They drain drastically if they are tested using a typical battery tester using 2 prongs to get a reading. It shortens the life of a capacitor significantly. Don't ruin a good capacitor by testing it with a battery tester. You already know if it is doing the "2 second Tango" the capacitor is depleted and needs replacement. A lot of Kinetics sold used will tick when worn and a little while after being taken off the wrist, but then stop. Those are depleted capacitors, that need to be replaced. If it is a 10 second Indicator swing replace the capacitor within a few weeks. A 20 second swing is good for months in most modern Kinetics. The Kinetic capacitor will not be at full charge when first installed. Either wear the watch you installed the new capacitor in for a few days, or put it on an electric toothbrush charger for a few hours, and it will reach maximum charge.

Seiko makes genuine Seiko capacitors for the various Seiko Kinetic watches. The Seiko capacitor 3023 5MZ is about 16 dollars on Amazon right now, it fits the 5M42 and 5M43 Kinetic. The Seiko capacitor 3023 44Z is about 26 dollars on Amazon. It is for the 5M62 and 5M63 Kinetic models. However the less expensive 3023 5MZ replaces the 3023 44Z for 10 dollars less. And also comes with the 2 accessories I like to replace when I install a new capacitor, the metal hold-down, and the Mylar insulator. The 3023 44Z, although more expensive, does not include either. Both capacitors are the TC920S. Don't waste money buying the 3023 44Z. Get the 3023 5MZ instead. It is 10 dollars cheaper and the same thing. (Use plastic tweezers always, and don't touch the contacts, ever.)

There are some articles and videos circulating recently about replacing a Seiko Kinetic Capacitor with a common Silver Oxide battery, the type used in common watches. In a word: Don't. I have replaced over 200 Seiko Kinetic Capacitors (sometimes mistakenly referred to as a "battery") and am very comfortable discussing the right way to get a Kinetic running correctly, versus the wrong way. Can you remove the Kinetic's rotor and put in a Silver Oxide battery the same size as the previous Capacitor and your watch will work? Possibly. Will you install the new battery upside-down? Very likely.l If you touch any of the vital contacts inside the watch with the battery will it fry your watch? Possibly. Will the watch overheat or burn? Possibly. Typical batteries don't have the inner chemical makeup of a Lithium-Titanium Capacitor. Is the pendulum that is weighted and designed to turn the rotor going to be negatively affected? Probably. The cost of a correct Seiko Kinetic Capacitor has dropped dramatically, reputable sources like Amazon now sell genuine Seiko Capacitor kits for about 20 dollars. Why risk a 400 dollar watch to save 10 dollars on a battery. Let me know if you have any general questions about Seiko Kinetic Capacitors and/or Batteries. There is a lot of inaccurate information floating around, which can be expensive.