# Accutron 218 battery recomendation?



## matt1415 (Mar 18, 2015)

I got the jeweler to replace the battery on this accutron a few years back when I lacked the knowledge and it just recently died. They put in a Renata 386 but I always found the watch ran a bit slow considering it's an accutron. Probably not a battery related issue but I've been using energizer multi drains on my 214's and never had any issues other than the fact they only last for about 1.5 years. Any recomendations on a good battery for this 218?








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## odd_and_vintage_fan (Dec 4, 2014)

You can search the Accutron forum. The general consensus is a 344 if I recall correctly.

My personal one with a 218 runs on a 390 and does better on Renata than Energizer for reasons unknown.


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## BenchGuy (Sep 23, 2012)

Use a 344. Should not run any differently on 344 than it did on 386...both are 1.55 V Silver Oxide batteries. You should not need an Accucell for this movement...most 218s will phase nicely for silver oxide cells. The fact that it has been running a bit slow is actually good...better than running super fast (which would indicate a phasing or other problem). How slow is it running? Also, when was it last serviced? Regards, BG


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## WatchmakerUK (Sep 20, 2016)

Hello, the best suitable battery for 218 model is 189(1130) maxell,panasonic,renata,energizer.
Regards, WMUK.


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## matt1415 (Mar 18, 2015)

BenchGuy said:


> Use a 344. Should not run any differently on 344 than it did on 386...both are 1.55 V Silver Oxide batteries. You should not need an Accucell for this movement...most 218s will phase nicely for silver oxide cells. The fact that it has been running a bit slow is actually good...better than running super fast (which would indicate a phasing or other problem). How slow is it running? Also, when was it last serviced? Regards, BG


The watch use to run aprx -18 sec/day but I noticed an odd improvement in the accuracy as the battery life drained. The watch has never been properly serviced in the time I have had it but I intend to lubricate it after I install a new battery. Also what is the difference between the 386 and the 344?


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## BenchGuy (Sep 23, 2012)

matt1415 said:


> The watch use to run aprx -18 sec/day but I noticed an odd improvement in the accuracy as the battery life drained. The watch has never been properly serviced in the time I have had it but I intend to lubricate it after I install a new battery. Also what is the difference between the 386 and the 344?


-18s/d is beyond the adjustment range of the regulators. Lubrication will not be the issue. Accumulation of debris on the index wheel or on the index/pawl stones could be an issue (this is easily seen under 40-60x magnification). You probably unwittingly introduced new contamination, just by opening the watch up... You will be unable to do any meaningful lubrication without disassembly of the train...all the jewels are capped...and I'll bet they are all dry. Accutrons are not "magic". They are very simple movements...but VERY intolerant of mishandling. Touch the beryllium-copper index wheel with tweezers and you can throw it away. Adjustment of the pawl finger position needs to be within 1-9 microns. If you are not comfortable, confident, and competent shaping hairsprings on 5-6 ligne mechanical movements, then attempting service/repair of Accutron is likely to be a failure.
As for "speeding up" with battery depletion with Accutrons...nothing "odd" about this at all: lower voltage results in lower impulse to "kick" the tuning fork with each oscillation. Amplitude decreases...frequency increases (albeit only very slightly).
If you like this timepiece, I would encourage you to get it in competent hands to be serviced.

Battery reference: http://www.batteriesandbutter.com/maxell_chart.pdf
The 386 may short with some casings.

Regards, BG


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## matt1415 (Mar 18, 2015)

BenchGuy said:


> -18s/d is beyond the adjustment range of the regulators. Lubrication will not be the issue. Accumulation of debris on the index wheel or on the index/pawl stones could be an issue (this is easily seen under 40-60x magnification). You probably unwittingly introduced new contamination, just by opening the watch up... You will be unable to do any meaningful lubrication without disassembly of the train...all the jewels are capped...and I'll bet they are all dry. Accutrons are not "magic". They are very simple movements...but VERY intolerant of mishandling. Touch the beryllium-copper index wheel with tweezers and you can throw it away. Adjustment of the pawl finger position needs to be within 1-9 microns. If you are not comfortable, confident, and competent shaping hairsprings on 5-6 ligne mechanical movements, then attempting service/repair of Accutron is likely to be a failure.
> As for "speeding up" with battery depletion with Accutrons...nothing "odd" about this at all: lower voltage results in lower impulse to "kick" the tuning fork with each oscillation. Amplitude decreases...frequency increases (albeit only very slightly).
> If you like this timepiece, I would encourage you to get it in competent hands to be serviced.
> 
> ...


Everything you said makes sense, you answered another question I had with the 386 shorting out. I noticed a piece of tape had been placed covering the battery compartment and now I know why it was there. Thanks for all the info

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## steinbeck (Dec 26, 2010)

I use the energizer 344/350 for my 218 and it works fine (only a bit slow).


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## odd_and_vintage_fan (Dec 4, 2014)

+1 to what BenchGuy said.

If it's been more than 5 years since you've had it serviced, especially at -18 s/day, it would benefit from getting sent to a professional for cleaning/oiling of the movement. The Accutron forum recently named a few of our favored repairers in a thread. $200 thereabouts will get you another 5 years of it running smoothly within timekeeping spec of 2 s/day and without damaging the movement.

https://www.watchuseek.com/f705/1962-bulova-accutron-alpha-repair-3617578.html


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