# Battery Change: Talk about easy as pie!!



## Jer (Feb 10, 2008)

For those of you who didn't see it I started a thread here about my search for an inexpensive trustworthy place within Colorado to have the battery changed on my beloved Tag. I've owned my Tag for about 7yrs or so now and had always taken it to an Authorized Tag dealer and even then was particular about which ones I took it to. Fortunately, every time my battery died I was in a larger city (San Diego, Las Vegas & Chicago) so I took it to a larger dealer to have changed. Each time it set me about $50+ and I just assumed it was complex and didn't want to trust it to just anyone let alone attempt to do it myself. This last time when my battery died I wanted to find something local since I wasn't traveling anytime soon. I called a newer local shop that advertised being a Tag AD and they wanted $68 and to ship it to their parent store some place back east and it would take 2-3 weeks. This wasn't an option so, through the advice of a few members here I decided to tackle this myself. I ordered a watch case tool on eBay for about $12 shipped and it showed up four days later. I picked up a battery (394) at Wal-Mart for $3.77 and changed it myself. The funny thing is that I checked the mail while on my way to meet my wife and mother for lunch and had it with me when I arrived to the resteraunt. I was waiting in the parking lot for them and decided the check out case tool. I was seeing how it aligned with the case and before I knew it I had the thing open and the battery changed. It really was that easy. All you need is a watch case tool and a small flat head screw driver much like one you would have for a screwdriver.

So, I'm no longer a slave to paying stupid amounts for battery changes. I invested in a $12 tool and will pay ~$4 every two years or so now for a battery change. I'll post up the pics below because someone wanted to see the inside of the watch since they had one too and I'll post pics of the tool I got since I'm sure someone will ask anyway.

Here's the watch, my Tag quartz chrono (scratches are magnified by the camera flash and aren't that bad in person but it's worn daily for about 7yrs):










Here's the tool I bought on eBay. It was about $12 shipped and arrived quickly and even has a bag of various size/shape tips for different watch cases but the tips that were on it were perfect for mine:









Wal-Mart had a tool for about half the price but it was a two tip tool and it looked much less capable of gripping the case back securely. I would advise getting a three tip tool that can be adjust as I don't think I could have removed my case back w/o a scratch/gouge with a 2 tip tool. I was able to adjust the tips to be inside three notches and then crank them down good and tight so that it really squeezed them together. I then pushed the tool again the watch and the watch back against the tool firmly to get good contact and turned slowly for maximum torque and it came right off. The bracelet makes this task a little more difficult that I guessed it was going to be as it gets in the way and requires repositioning of the tool a couple times before you're able to turn the case cover by hand. In all, this tool just saved me over $50 or so and was a heck of a great buy IMO.

Here's a picture of the inside for those that wanted to see what the inside of these watches look like (Sorry for the large size but I thought some people would want to see the detail):










It's not as intimidating as I thought it would be. There's two small screws (what you need the glasses screwdriver for) that hold a strap that holds the batter in place. The little, and I mean little, strap has two notches cut out around the screws so that you don't have to remove the screws all the way. I learned this the hard way and ended up taking them out all the way the first time. Getting those tiny screws back in was a little more difficult (I'm SUPER glad my tiny glasses screwdriver was magnitized because I'm not sure how I could have done this other wise as small as they are) and my next battery change will take 2min total. Just loosen those two small screws and that golden strap that holds the batter in swings out sideways. Then use the small screw driver to pop out the batter and put everything back together and you're done!

Thanks to WatchUSeek.com I will never spend $50+ on a battery change again and I hope this thread can help someone else & give them confidence to do this themselves and to save lots of money doing so. :thanks


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## ellmorr (Dec 8, 2007)

Just a tip get a cotton swab then clean that groove arpund the O-ring seal its gonna help your sealing better,this is what I did to all my Tag everytime I changed battery,,,enjoy..


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## ellmorr (Dec 8, 2007)

ellmorr said:


> Just a tip get a cotton swab then clean that groove around the O-ring seal its gonna help your sealing better,this is what I did to all my Tag everytime I changed battery,,,enjoy..


I forgot put an alcohol on the cotton swab..


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## Jer (Feb 10, 2008)

ellmorr said:


> I forgot put an alcohol on the cotton swab..


The funny thing is that I was just getting ready to reply to tell you that I planned on removing the seal and doing that with denatured alcohol to clean things up. Looks like you beat me to the punch with using alcohol but one thing I would stress is that anyone who does this removes the seal (small black rubber gasket) because the alky will dry it out and cause it to become brittle and fail. Rubber doesn't get along with solvents and on something like this it's not a good idea to risk it. Also, after having it open I don't see why a seal would be real expensive. It looks like your standard soft rubber gasket and I'm relatively certain a suitable replacement can be found at most auto part stores.

Thanks for the heads up though.


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## dent (Jan 21, 2008)

Jer said:


> The funny thing is that I was just getting ready to reply to tell you that I planned on removing the seal and doing that with denatured alcohol to clean things up. Looks like you beat me to the punch with using alcohol but one thing I would stress is that anyone who does this removes the seal (small black rubber gasket) because the alky will dry it out and cause it to become brittle and fail. Rubber doesn't get along with solvents and on something like this it's not a good idea to risk it. Also, after having it open I don't see why a seal would be real expensive. It looks like your standard soft rubber gasket and I'm relatively certain a suitable replacement can be found at most auto part stores.
> 
> Thanks for the heads up though.


Jer, thank you very much for the tip! It's been very useful to hear that I won't have to pay so much to replace the battery!:-!


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## FoCsU (Sep 6, 2007)

looks easy  quite suprised about the simplicity of the movement after cover opening.... 
but nice to see what it looks from the inside, rhanks a lot!


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## spooled (Sep 29, 2009)

Greetings, first post after searching for this topic. I recently took my wife's Tag Kirium to the shop for a new pin on the band. I figured I would have the battery changed while I was there. Mind you the watch is keeping time and no issues. I received a call claiming the movement needed to be replaced, and was going to run me $275. I politely declined and picked up the watch. Fed up with paying $45 for a battery each time I went ahead and opened the watch up. Unfortunately, the dealer decided to keep my battery, which leads me here...What size battery do I need for my Kirium WL1311? I cannot find any markings indicating battery size.

Regards,

Rick
Mobile, AL

Tag Searacer
Tag Kirium


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## bmwfreak (Jun 7, 2008)

spooled said:


> What size battery do I need for my Kirium WL1311? I cannot find any markings indicating battery size.


Not sure about that. If you post a picture of the back with the cover removed, we may be able to identify the movement and look up the correct battery base on the movement #.


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

Nowadays all batteries are 1.5 volts and handle both high and low drain. So all you need do is find one that fits. 

If you can give me the diameter and depth of the hole (mm preferred) I can tell you what will work.


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## spooled (Sep 29, 2009)

Thanks for the follow up guys, here are a couple of pics...


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## skoochy (Jan 6, 2009)

spooled said:


> Greetings, first post after searching for this topic. I recently took my wife's Tag Kirium to the shop for a new pin on the band. I figured I would have the battery changed while I was there. Mind you the watch is keeping time and no issues. I received a call claiming the movement needed to be replaced, and was going to run me $275. I politely declined and picked up the watch. Fed up with paying $45 for a battery each time I went ahead and opened the watch up. Unfortunately, the dealer decided to keep my battery, which leads me here...What size battery do I need for my Kirium WL1311? I cannot find any markings indicating battery size.


The Kirium ladies' size watches usually use ETA 956.xxx movements, and a 377 or 364 battery (usually either one will work, there's 0.6mm difference in thickness). The reason either battery can usually work is because there's a clip that goes on the battery and takes up the space between the battery and the case back. Hopefully you still have that clip!

(The equivalent battery is SR620SW or SR626SW.)

Also if you indeed need to have a new movement installed (it's quite common for people who think it is really easy to change batteries to damage coils on quartz movements), the generic replacement movement (same item from ETA without a "TAG" label) is not terribly expensive, usually under $30, and any competent watchmaker could replace it inexpensively.

-s-


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## spooled (Sep 29, 2009)

skoochy said:


> The Kirium ladies' size watches usually use ETA 956.xxx movements, and a 377 or 364 battery (usually either one will work, there's 0.6mm difference in thickness). The reason either battery can usually work is because there's a clip that goes on the battery and takes up the space between the battery and the case back. Hopefully you still have that clip!
> 
> (The equivalent battery is SR620SW or SR626SW.)
> 
> ...


Good info. The picture attached is how I got the watch back. Does it appear that anything is missing? Is the clip that you are referring to the little gold angled piece on the edge of the battery tray held by the single screw?


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

spooled said:


> Good info. The picture attached is how I got the watch back. Does it appear that anything is missing? Is the clip that you are referring to the little gold angled piece on the edge of the battery tray held by the single screw?


Do not remove that check mark shaped clip. The battery goes + side up and is inserted by putting it in the hole with the edge of the battery against the clip. It won't fit in at first but a slight downward pressure combined with a slight sideways pressure to spread the clip will cause it to slip in fairly easily.

... or it becomes easy with practice. Noting is that easy the first time. ;-)


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## spooled (Sep 29, 2009)

Thank you. I saw where it was mentioned to clean the rubber ring seal/edges with alcohol. Do I need to put anything on the seal to lubricate it prior to screwing the back cover on, or am I safe just twisting it back down? I just don't want to bind up the rubber seal.


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## skoochy (Jan 6, 2009)

spooled said:


> Good info. The picture attached is how I got the watch back. Does it appear that anything is missing? Is the clip that you are referring to the little gold angled piece on the edge of the battery tray held by the single screw?


No, the clip attaches to the battery before it is placed in the movement. See the attached document and look for part "4412" on page 4. It is "necessario quando la sicurezza" when the space between the caseback and movement is too great, which it is generally in TAGs. Without that clip it is with almost certainty that the battery will pop out of its place when the watch is bumped on the wrist.

-s-


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## skoochy (Jan 6, 2009)

spooled said:


> Thank you. I saw where it was mentioned to clean the rubber ring seal/edges with alcohol. Do I need to put anything on the seal to lubricate it prior to screwing the back cover on, or am I safe just twisting it back down? I just don't want to bind up the rubber seal.


The rubber ring should be lightly lubricated with silicone grease. If you are not going to lubricate the seal, you should not clean it and the case/caseback with alcohol, just wipe it with lint free cloth. Using alcohol will remove any remaining lubricant from all surfaces, and closing the caseback tightly can cause damage to the seal if it and the caseback are not lubricated.

-s-


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