# Are solar rechargeable watches best avoided?



## Luminaire

I've been reading around and I'm hearing they only last about a few years and the solar cell takes up valuable face space. 

I believe standard CR2016 lasts just as long as the useful life of the CTL1616 if not longer.

Thoughts?


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## asmshufty

I can say that I have a couple of citizen Eco Drives that have huge faces. I can't really speak to the longevity of them, because I've only had them for about a year and a half. I will say that I haven't heard any complaints from any of our customers who have purchased one. Perhaps its an issue of the brand, or number of functions.


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## gloster

From personal experience, I can say my Citizen Eco-Drive is still going fine after about 8 years. That includes about a year where I didn't wear it. When I charged it back up, it worked fine again. My only other solar watches are both Casio. One is about 3 years old and the other is about 2 years old. Neither has had any problems.

From hearsay, I can say I've been told rechargeable (solar) batteries last anywhere from 10-20 years. They can be replaced when they die.

Eco-Drive's don't take up any face space as they absorb light right through the face. Most Casio's show some of their solar cells, but nothing I find obtrusive. Personally, I don't consider solar a positive or a negative.


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## GTR83

gloster said:


> From personal experience, I can say my Citizen Eco-Drive is still going fine after about 8 years. That includes about a year where I didn't wear it. When I charged it back up, it worked fine again. My only other solar watches are both Casio. One is about 3 years old and the other is about 2 years old. Neither has had any problems.
> 
> From hearsay, I can say I've been told rechargeable (solar) batteries last anywhere from 10-20 years. They can be replaced when they die.
> 
> Eco-Drive's don't take up any face space as they absorb light right through the face. Most Casio's show some of their solar cells, but nothing I find obtrusive. *Personally, I don't consider solar a positive or a negative.*


That's right. It is a novelty, not a must-have feature or a deal breaker. On the flip side, I noticed that with normal batteries, if we leave them inside the watch long after they die, the liquid inside the dead battery can ooze through the module. Do you think this can also happen with the solar cells of Eco-Drives/Pathfinders and the like?


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## Catalin

Luminaire said:


> I've been reading around and I'm hearing they only last about a few years and the solar cell takes up valuable face space.
> 
> I believe standard CR2016 lasts just as long as the useful life of the CTL1616 if not longer.
> 
> Thoughts?


The technology used by Casio and Citizen on the solar/rechargeable part is not identical - Citizen EcoDrive models (mostly using MT920) tend to last very well (my oldest is close to 10 years old and still perfect but there are many older than that which still work fine).

On Casio things are a little more complex and it seems MTL1616 and especially CTL1616 are somehow trickier - I had myself problems with 2-3 models after a few years (like 3-5 years) but most of the problems seem to have been related more to having Auto-EL activated and wearing the watch when sleeping (when probably the light was activated at least once/night).

Another HUGE improvement in the long-term life of solar watches is ALWAYS keeping the watches when not worn in a window (but NOT one where a lot of direct sun would hit the watches and overheat them - overheating seriously shortens the life!).


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## Luminaire

GTR83 said:


> That's right. It is a novelty, not a must-have feature or a deal breaker. On the flip side, I noticed that with normal batteries, if we leave them inside the watch long after they die, the liquid inside the dead battery can ooze through the module. Do you think this can also happen with the solar cells of Eco-Drives/Pathfinders and the like?


 I have never seen it happen with lithium batteries. Even if they do, the electrolyte is not corrosive. The 1.5v button cells use same electrolyte as standard alkaline batteries, which is a blend of caustic sodas.



Catalin said:


> The technology used by Casio and Citizen on the solar/rechargeable part is not identical - Citizen EcoDrive models (mostly using MT920) tend to last very well (my oldest is close to 10 years old and still perfect but there are many older than that which still work fine).


And some Casio with standard CR2016 is advertised as "10 year lithium".



> On Casio things are a little more complex and it seems MTL1616 and especially CTL1616 are somehow trickier - I had myself problems with 2-3 models after a few years (like 3-5 years) but most of the problems seem to have been related more to having Auto-EL activated and wearing the watch when sleeping (when probably the light was activated at least once/night).
> 
> Another HUGE improvement in the long-term life of solar watches is ALWAYS keeping the watches when not worn in a window (but NOT one where a lot of direct sun would hit the watches and overheat them - overheating seriously shortens the life!).


On my Casio, the solar panel segments are arranged in ring-like pattern and uses up space that would otherwise be available for larger LCD to show more information. Heat accelerates degradation on battery and UV degrades resin components, so I'm not sure if that's such a good idea. The capacity of CR2016 is something like 100mAh at 3.0v, which is substantially greater than 10mAh at 2.5v or so of CTL1616. With the normal cell, the capacity is used until it is depleted, but rechargeable is not used like that.


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## GTR83

So you are implying that the output of a CTL1616 is actually lower?


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## Catalin

Luminaire said:


> ...On my Casio, the solar panel segments are arranged in ring-like pattern and uses up space that would otherwise be available for larger LCD to show more information. Heat accelerates degradation on battery and UV degrades resin components, so I'm not sure if that's such a good idea. The capacity of CR2016 is something like 100mAh at 3.0v, which is substantially greater than 10mAh at 2.5v or so of CTL1616. With the normal cell, the capacity is used until it is depleted, but rechargeable is not used like that.


1. Do not confuse your desires with Casio's interests - generally they like very much to use smaller but lower-cost displays ...

2. Keeping a solar watch in daily light but NOT direct sun or heat (which I clearly stated) is ESSENTIAL in order to maximize the life of current rechargeable batteries! A similar thing can be said about kinetic models (using the same Panasonic MT920) - not wearing those at least 3 times/week is clearly resulting in the pretty large number of reported problems.

3. CR2016 is NOT of the same size as CTL1616 - CR1616 is!!! Also the power rating of the CR primary batteries are indeed higher BUT with a correctly-used (and recharged) solar model you get the equivalent of 500 full cycles - so you might need to compare 100 mAh with something like 5000 mAh - and even if you only get the equivalent of 50 recharge cycles that is still 500 mAh. So the bottom line is that the relevant info is the one on actual typical power consumption of the watch - and if you have up to 4 attempts to radio sync EVERY SINGLE NIGHT plus a number of auto-EL starts I can guarantee you that something like the CR1616 will most likely not survive more than 2-3 years.

That being said for models that can use standard lithium batteries a replacement around 5-10 years is definitely not such a big deal - around that point you need anyway to do some gasket checks for watches that indeed are used somehow 'closer to water'.


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## Luminaire

Catalin said:


> 1. Do not confuse your desires with Casio's interests - generally they like very much to use smaller but lower-cost displays ...
> 
> 2. Keeping a solar watch in daily light but NOT direct sun or heat (which I clearly stated) is ESSENTIAL in order to maximize the life of current rechargeable batteries! A similar thing can be said about kinetic models (using the same Panasonic MT920) - not wearing those at least 3 times/week is clearly resulting in the pretty large number of reported problems.
> 
> 3. CR2016 is NOT of the same size as CTL1616 - CR1616 is!!! Also the power rating of the CR primary batteries are indeed higher BUT with a correctly-used (and recharged) solar model you get the equivalent of 500 full cycles - so you might need to compare 100 mAh with something like 5000 mAh - and even if you only get the equivalent of 50 recharge cycles that is still 500 mAh. So the bottom line is that the relevant info is the one on actual typical power consumption of the watch - and if you have up to 4 attempts to radio sync EVERY SINGLE NIGHT plus a number of auto-EL starts I can guarantee you that something like the CR1616 will most likely not survive more than 2-3 years. Actually, wh
> 
> That being said for models that can use standard lithium batteries a replacement around 5-10 years is definitely not such a big deal - around that point you need anyway to do some gasket checks for watches that indeed are used somehow 'closer to water'.


The waveceptor with 3054 module I have without solar uses 3v 79mAh CR1620 and battery life is said to be 2 years. It's probably sat around on the store shelf for quite a bit since its a disc. model and I've had it for about a year and still going. I live in west coast of US, so it often makes every single reception attempts, and only get it every 3-4 days. Battery is drained to the ground before it is replaced, as you expect. Actually, when I bought it, I think the last "get" date was sometime in 2009 and on the 3054, thats six times every single day.

The 3090 module uses 2.5v 10mAh or so CTL1616 (CR1616 is 3v 55mAh) and if we go by your reasoning in #3, it would last the lifetime of watch, but apparently many people are having issues with CTL1616 not lasting that long.


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## Queen6

I have Protrek`s exceeding five years old with constant heavy use and I seen no diminishment of the cells performance. The CTL1616 will most likely outlive the useful cycle of the watch, twenty years is not unrealistic....

The CTL1616 has a cycle life of greater than 100 cycles; even a power hungry digital like the PRG-240 will run with light use of functions (Time, EL, Alarm, Altimeter, Compass, Barometer) for up to six months with no exposure to light, once fully recharged one cycle has been consumed. With this in mind a watch kept in a controlled environment and controlled use can possibly exceed fifty years of use, so twenty years in real life conditions is not so much of a stretch ;-)

Link: CTL1616 Data

CTL1616 Cycle Life Characteristics









A PRG-40 runs on four standard replaceable batteries and you would expect no more than three to four years life with careful use. On a sub note it is much better for the solars to be kept fully charged, deep discharging the cell is not recommended for longevity. Watches that are kept fully charged will run far longer before the cell requires to be replaced compared to one stored in the dark. It is in fact possible to completely dissipate the cell, resulting in the watch being unable to recharge with the only recourse left to replace the capacitor or manually charge it:think:

Got anything hidden the closet boy`s :-d

Q-6


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## GTR83

@Queen6, I just noticed a quirk with my solar watches. They have been charged very moderately (i.e simply put on a desk in a room facing the window, and not on the window sill itself for around 10-20 hours a week) and the PRG-130Y was put to good use with all its power hungry functions including auto EL, wearing it while sleeping, and so on. Strangely, ever since I received it, it has never went down from "H". And just yesterday my GX-56 showed "M" after just one night of activating its auto EL and wearing it while sleeping. It also showed "M" when I received it but I thought it was just shelf time that caused it. Now the GX has much less functions compared to the PRG-130Y so I wonder what causes this phenomenon?


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## Queen6

GTR83 said:


> @Queen6, I just noticed a quirk with my solar watches. They have been charged very moderately (i.e simply put on a desk in a room facing the window, and not on the window sill itself for around 10-20 hours a week) and the PRG-130Y was put to good use with all its power hungry functions including auto EL, wearing it while sleeping, and so on. Strangely, ever since I received it, it has never went down from "H". And just yesterday my GX-56 showed "M" after just one night of activating its auto EL and wearing it while sleeping. It also showed "M" when I received it but I thought it was just shelf time that caused it. Now the GX has much less functions compared to the PRG-130Y so I wonder what causes this phenomenon?


Much depends on the charge state of the cell and the surface area of the solar panel. I observe the same with my GX-56 in that is will drop to "M" well before most of my Protrek`s. I have just recently left the GX in the window for three days solid, as I suspect the cell has never truly reached full charge, even after the watch indicates "H" there is a long way to go to maximum.

From the "mark one eyeball" the GX has a good deal less surface area than the PRG-130 so will not be as efficient at recharging the cell, that being said nor does have the same power draw, at present I put it down to the cell not being at maximun charge, once reached the 56 wil likely not drop power levels unless the watch is not exposed to light for a very long period.

My GX will go back in the window for some more days to ensure it is topped off, as the glass here is also heavily screened against UV which will also effect charge rate, best bet is indirect sunlight for a few more days.

Q-6


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## GTR83

Well it could also because I wear my GX less now that the Riseman is around :-d another strong contender to be a daily beater who also hasn't dropped to M yet. I just found it curious before that the GX should exhibit this characteristic. I guess this means I need to give some extra wrist time for the GX.


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## Queen6

GTR83 said:


> Well it could also because I wear my GX less now that the Riseman is around :-d another strong contender to be a daily beater who also hasn't dropped to M yet. I just found it curious before that the GX should exhibit this characteristic. I guess this means I need to give some extra wrist time for the GX.


Just wear your GX for a full week or so and I think you will find the provlem will just go away...

I tend to be the same I really like the GX, yet tend to find I wear other watches more, out of the "G`s" GD-100MS-4 has been a strong contender until the GDF-100 arrived which has now taken over a the work watch, well that and a dozen or so Protrek`s :-d

Q-6


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## Luminaire

Ideally, yes ideally. AA NiMH batteries are supposed to last 500 to 1,000 cycles. Well, I've had plenty fail. That's under ideal lab conditions.


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## GTR83

Queen6 said:


> Just wear your GX for a full week or so and I think you will find the provlem will just go away...
> 
> I tend to be the same I really like the GX, yet tend to find I wear other watches more, out of the "G`s" *GD-100MS-4* has been a strong contender until the GDF-100 arrived which has now taken over a the work watch, well that and a dozen or so Protrek`s :-d
> 
> Q-6


Well now, if there _is_ a Burning Red or Rescue Orange version of the GD-100MS, I wouldn't hesitate pulling the trigger. ;-) I also wear the 130 the most, it just oozes coolness at least to me... I need to find a titanium bracelet for it in affordable terms...


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## Queen6

Luminaire said:


> Ideally, yes ideally. AA NiMH batteries are supposed to last 500 to 1,000 cycles. Well, I've had plenty fail. That's under ideal lab conditions.


I can only speak from my own experiences and the technical specifications of the cell/watch, so far I have never had an issue with a "Tough Solar" and I frequently live and work in conditions that are far from ideal, right now the humidity is 75% and will peak at 95% in overcast conditions, could be worse, at least it`s not cold like this one :-d









Q-6


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## lvt

Luminaire said:


> I've been reading around and I'm hearing they only last about a few years and the solar cell takes up valuable face space.
> 
> I believe standard CR2016 lasts just as long as the useful life of the CTL1616 if not longer.
> 
> Thoughts?


Some real facts about solar technology I know :

- Solar cells can last 20 years even more, I saw a lot of 80's solar powered vintage Casio which still work amazingly.

- Solar rechargeable batteries are generally used in multi-function watches which require a lot of power when features like measuring temp, altitude, barometric pressure, atomic time syncing... are activated. So for the same lifespan says 5 years a solar charged battery produces much more power than a traditional Li battery as they are constantly charged and discharged every day.

So my conclusion is that solar technology is reliable (we might fly across the Ocean in solar powered planes soon) economic (spare rechargeable battery doesn't cost more than a regular Li battery), simple (will save you several battery changes during the watch's useful life). In other words if you want a multi-function watch make it's recommended to buy a solar, if you simply want a watch with only the basic time telling feature you could buy a non-solar watch instead.


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## cal..45

lvt said:


> Some real facts about solar technology I know :
> 
> - Solar rechargeable batteries are generally used in multi-function watches which require a lot of power when features like measuring temp, altitude, barometric pressure, atomic time syncing... are activated. So for the same lifespan says 5 years a solar charged battery produces much more power than a traditional Li battery as they are constantly charged and discharged every day.


You shouldn't believe anything you read or hear, your "real facts" are pretty much all wrong.

Solar power is *never* used in multifunctional (ABC) watches except those made by Casio. Any other manufacturer of serious ABC's pretty much relies on CR20xx Lithiums and - believe me - for a darn good reason (certainly not, because all other companies are too stupid to make solar watches). A *full featured* ABC requires a lot of power (you got that right) and here is the main problem: a low capacity CTL1616 simply is not able to deliver all that power and to recharge in a sufficient time. That is one of the main reasons why Casio never can stand against serious ABC competitors and crops a lot of the functions. Power is also about voltage and how do you think is it possible for a 2.3 volt rechargeble to provide more power than a 3.0 volt Lithium?



> So my conclusion is that solar technology is reliable (we might fly across the Ocean in solar powered planes soon) economic (spare rechargeable battery doesn't cost more than a regular Li battery), simple (will save you several battery changes during the watch's useful life). In other words if you want a multi-function watch make it's recommended to buy a solar, if you simply want a watch with only the basic time telling feature you could buy a non-solar watch instead.


Pretty much the opposite is true: if one is looking for a basic analog or digital watch with some additional functions (like alarms, timer, stopwatch) then solar is just fine (still not preferable IMO). If one is looking for a *full featured* ABC watch, solar is the second worst thing to go (#1 worst is the PRG-40 with 4xSR927 batteries - it doesn't get much more idiotic than that).

cheers


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## Queen6

Casio produces Solar powered ABC`s for one sole reason, they can and as with all technologies the are positives and negatives, only you will know if the compromises are acceptable. Equally user replaceable battery`s also have compromises and potential weak points, I own both solar & user replaceable and I see the good & bad in both, those interested post up as it will be a long reply :-d

The PRG-40 is now a twelve year old design and it`s lineage is clear, the four battery`s can be replaced in the same manner as any typical G-Shock and any watch shop should be more than capable or you can simply DIY. The watch has a low battery indicator which kicks in months before it will actually shut down due to lack of power, and same as any replaceable battery powered watch if you are going into the field for an extended period of time you should look to replace the cells.

One of the primary reasons the PRG-40 has so many batteries is it`s run time the watch will run for up to 3-4 years before requiring a battery change. The watch itself has a limited feature set in comparison to the latest offering`s, however you will not find a digital with better readability thanks to the tremendous contrast ratio, once again this is partially due to it`s massive power source. On the ABC side the watch fare`s as most Protrek`s do, although it does have some tricks up it`s sleeve with the ability to perpetually display the Baro. If you can find a PRG-40B you will not find a better display, nothing comes close, even the other 40`s which are already way ahead of the average LCD... 








PRG-40B :think: idiotic or masterful, most that have the "B" already know ;-)

Q-6


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## cal..45

I wasn't refering to the PRG-40 as an idiotic watch per se, but to it's power source which is plain silly. I know that watch very well and I'm very aware of the highly legible, ultra contrast display. It might have a battery-life indicator, but so does many other ABC watches on the market. It is already a little challenge to open up a watch with a four screws caseback under perfect circumstances and change the battery, but it is a hassle to do it with the PRG-40. Instead of housing four SR927 with a capacity of 120-160 mah (alltogehter) the watch could easily house a single CR2032 with 230mah, why do you think they sit in computers as backup power sources?

You speak of compromises and potential weak point of user replacable batteries - name me one, because no matter how I hard I think, it comes nothing to my mind. And you know as well as I do, that solar powered ABC's, while they appear to be practical (and they surely are to a certain point) in the field are limited, just because of that and they *ARE* compromised no matter how much one likes them. I always have a good laugh when people whining about Suunto or other ABC brands because they are not "tough solar" and how the manufacturers should redesign them. Well if those watches were, they would be Casios and people could whining then, about the lack of features lol.

cheers


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## Queen6

Just like opinions battery`s vary the SR927W can hold as much as 67 mAh giving the PRG-40 a combined capacity of over 260 mAh :think: The 40 is what it is an old design Casio have never updated their watches barring the firmware and they wont be starting anytime soon, why they developed the watch to have four cells is anybody`s guess, as only Casio`s engineers truly know why. Certainly the watches run time proves that there is something in it as the 40 generally out lasts other ABC`s by a factor of two, and the battery change is only going to occur every 3-4 years unless you hammer the EL & compass, which is well worth thinking about...

To see the positive and negative in all you need to sometimes step back; User replaceable "coin cell`s" are convenient and they do bring many positives, they equally have a negative side; water resistance is generally compromised, you need kit`s for some watches, the battery change if not done correctly will result in water intrusion, in some environmental conditions opening the watch is not desirable i.e. 95% humidity, loss of any of the battery hatch components renders the watch useless and people loose stuff in the field all the time. Once the cell is drained the only option is replacement and if you do not have a replacement to hand... The list is only as long as you can imagine, and of course the vast majority can be worked around, as can the solar powered ABC`s and the biggest attraction for most is no user intervention and worry about the battery.

Even in some areas sourcing a replacement cell can be a challenge, and that is why I think Casio went with the SR927W as it is more common. The Tough Solar`s for me work, not perfectly mind, yet they offer a level of assurance once you have had them for a few months you can safely bet that they will run for many years without issue. I had one ABC run out of juice and wasn't able to get a replacement battery for several months, so the watch lay dormant. These days I normally use a Core and a Protrek "belt & braces" ;-)

Q-6


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## lvt

cal..45 said:


> Solar power is *never* used in multifunctional (ABC) watches except those made by Casio. Any other manufacturer of serious ABC's pretty much relies on CR20xx Lithiums and - believe me - for a darn good reason (certainly not, because all other companies are too stupid to make solar watches). A *full featured* ABC requires a lot of power (you got that right) and here is the main problem: a low capacity CTL1616 simply is not able to deliver all that power and to recharge in a sufficient time. That is one of the main reasons why Casio never can stand against serious ABC competitors and crops a lot of the functions. Power is also about voltage and how do you think is it possible for a 2.3 volt rechargeble to provide more power than a 3.0 volt Lithium?


There is nothing wrong with the solar technology itself, the problem you mentioned can be solved by using bigger batteries and larger solar panel. The voltage of 2.3V doesn't make the CTL1616 weaker than a 3.0V Li because small electronic components generally use 1.5V, the CTL1616 is selected because it's small and powerful enough for the current functions, it's just a design problem.

Casio has its own market segment and sale politics, they can dominate the ABC market if they want to, no other digital watch manufacturer can compete with them in term of pricing and invention.



cal..45 said:


> Pretty much the opposite is true: if one is looking for a basic analog or digital watch with some additional functions (like alarms, timer, stopwatch) then solar is just fine (still not preferable IMO). If one is looking for a *full featured* ABC watch, solar is the second worst thing to go (#1 worst is the PRG-40 with 4xSR927 batteries - it doesn't get much more idiotic than that)


I don't own a PRG-40 so I can't comment on that matter, but I think the use of 4 batteries isn't systematically idiotic, it depends on how the batteris are installed, for example if one of them is exclusively reserved for light and one another for sound it's rather smart IMO.


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## cal..45

lvt said:


> There is nothing wrong with the solar technology itself, the problem you mentioned can be solved by using bigger batteries and larger solar panel. The voltage of 2.3V doesn't make the CTL1616 weaker than a 3.0V Li because small electronic components generally use 1.5V, the CTL1616 is selected because it's small and powerful enough for the current functions, it's just a design problem.


There is currently no solar battery that comes even close to the power a CR2032 provides. Sure larger solars could be used (as before the infamous ML2016 found in several G-Shock's) but all of this is hypothetical because Casio simply don't do it. We are talking about ABC watches here and none of them (with exception of the PRG-40) uses a 1.5volt silver-oxide style battery. I have always said, that solar powered watches are far better than any silver-oxide battery powered watch - no doub't about that. However they are simply no substitute for a high-power CR20xx cell, at least not in the world of serious ABC's.



> Casio has its own market segment and sale politics, they can dominate the ABC market if they want to, no other digital watch manufacturer can compete with them in term of pricing and invention.


I hope you really don't believe this, otherwise Casio's marketing strategy made a darn good job.



> I don't own a PRG-40 so I can't comment on that matter, but I think the use of 4 batteries isn't systematically idiotic, it depends on how the batteris are installed, for example if one of them is exclusively reserved for light and one another for sound it's rather smart IMO.


Any item that is not made for deskdiving but for the real world outside is idiotic, if it can't be "fixed" with the most basic tools (keep it simple, keep it stupid - old saying, still going strong). It really doesn't get any easier than to open a dedicated battery hatch and flip the cell. Barely takes two minutes and no worries about WR or similar. Try to do this with a four screws caseback under less than optimum circumstances and you'll see what I mean. Again, there is a reason why pretty much any other ABC manufacturer sticks to the battery hatch/Cr20xx design and I have a felling that the engineers at Suunto, Silva (Tech4o), Highgear, and even Timex might have spend some time in the field, rather than deskdiving Casio engineers who invent time-pieces which are good enough for theory and deskdiving but lack of real important stuff for outddors (besides solar technology, where is the altimeter lock and sea pressure level just to name two essentials? )

cheers


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## Sean779

lvt said:


> I think the use of 4 batteries isn't systematically idiotic, it depends on how the batteris are installed, for example if one of them is exclusively reserved for light and one another for sound it's rather smart IMO.


wouldn't that mean they would fail sequentially rather than all at once?


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## lvt

cal..45 said:


> where is the altimeter lock and sea pressure level just to name two essentials ?


Their watches are made essentially to measure weather forecast, not altitude (why would you want to measure your altitude all day long ?) so the altitude lock & mean sea level pressure aren't a must, when you are watching the weather changes the graph is the most important as it display real-time data from the sensor (pressure rising == weather gets better, pressure failling == weather gets worse) and you don't need to refer to a local weather station to know the daily mean sea level pressure. This is not a lack in feature but the watches just work in another way, they allow you to re-calibrate the current temperature, altitude and barometric reading, when you are at an unknow location with no mean sea level pressure information available all you can do is to manually update the altitude to a known altitude so the watch will use the air pressure to calculate the altitude, in this case the altimeter lock and mean sea level pressure input are totally useless.


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## lvt

Sean779 said:


> wouldn't that mean they would fail sequentially rather than all at once?


I don't know because I don't have one, but it seems that the 4 batteries are divised into two distinct power circuits, maybe one for the basic functions (time keeping, alarm, light...) and another for advanced functions (compass, alti-baro...), and as you said in a worse scenario you may lose all ABC functions but the watch is still shows time, that's why I don't call it idiotic.


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## lvt

cal..45 said:


> There is currently no solar battery that comes even close to the power a CR2032 provides. Sure larger solars could be used (as before the infamous ML2016 found in several G-Shock's) but all of this is hypothetical because Casio simply don't do it.


I'm pretty sure that you know the reason, it's not about the solar technology or the battery issue to blame but it's natural, we don't have sunbeam with the same density on Earth, the same watches may work well in Sahara but it could eventually fail in Antarctica. It's like bringing your electric car to a place where people still use torch at night so you'll miss your old car with a gasoline engine.


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## cal..45

> Their watches are made essentially to measure weather forecast, not altitude (why would you want to measure your altitude all day long ?) so the altitude lock & mean sea level pressure aren't a must, when you are watching the weather changes the graph is the most important as it display real-time data from the sensor (pressure rising == weather gets better, pressure failling == weather gets worse) and you don't need to refer to a local weather station to know the daily mean sea level pressure. This is not a lack in feature but the watches just work in another way, they allow you to re-calibrate the current temperature, altitude and barometric reading, when you are at an unknow location with no mean sea level pressure information available all you can do is to manually update the altitude to a known altitude so the watch will use the air pressure to calculate the altitude, in this case the altimeter lock and mean sea level pressure input are totally useless.


lvt,

No offense, but I'm done. I will not continue to discuss this matter any further with someone who clearly and obviously does not understand the cohesion of current pressure, sea-pressure, barometer and altitude and therefore the purpose and how an ABC watch should work. I would understand your statements if Casio would be your employer but with that - sorry - total nonsense you just wrote, I suggest to get a little homework done or even better get yourself a Suunto Core or a Tech4o and spend some days in the wild before you continue to write rubbish stuff like that.



> I'm pretty sure that you know the reason, it's not about the solar technology or the battery issue to blame but it's natural, we don't have sunbeam with the same density on Earth, the same watches may work well in Sahara but it could eventually fail in Antarctica. It's like bringing your electric car to a place where people still use torch at night so you'll miss your old car with a gasoline engine.


And because solar batteries are limited with the current technology, it's natural for you to go the non-logic way and use them, instead relying on high capacity batteries. That sure makes sense for you and for Casio, just not for the rest of the world with common sense...

cheers


----------



## mooncameras

The batteries used in watches are the same as what's in computer motherboards to keep Bios Date and other functions intact. I have worked on hundreds of computers some over 30 years old plus and have yet to seen a leak yet... i would not worry about leaking cells... they ar built to keep good for a very long time as far as the battery being drained and needing replacement is another story. hope this helps with your leak question.


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## bezgeo85

cal..45 said:


> lvt,
> 
> No offense, but I'm done. I will not continue to discuss this matter any further with someone who clearly and obviously does not understand the cohesion of current pressure, sea-pressure, barometer and altitude and therefore the purpose and how an ABC watch should work. I would understand your statements if Casio would be your employer but with that - sorry - total nonsense you just wrote, I suggest to get a little homework done or even better get yourself a Suunto Core or a Tech4o and spend some days in the wild before you continue to write rubbish stuff like that.
> 
> And because solar batteries are limited with the current technology, it's natural for you to go the non-logic way and use them, instead relying on high capacity batteries. That sure makes sense for you and for Casio, just not for the rest of the world with common sense...
> 
> cheers


Totally agree that if it comes for timekeeping solar is good

But if it comes for SERIOUS FIELD WATCH user that wants serious accuracy and use a non solar is better

You simply have to choose

If you want a solar which is good but less functionable ok

If you want a better function field watch non solar again ok


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## mooncameras

bezgeo85 said:


> Totally agree that if it comes for timekeeping solar is good
> 
> But if it comes for SERIOUS FIELD WATCH user that wants serious accuracy and use a non solar is better
> 
> You simply have to choose
> 
> If you want a solar which is good but less functionable ok
> 
> If you want a better function field watch non solar again ok


I agree to all of this...


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## xevious

I think the problem some people are having with the ABC + Solar combination is the idea of what an ABC watch really is. Which functions are the priority, ABC or time keeping? With Casio, it is time keeping first, ABC second. With Suunto, most models have ABC function first, and time keeping is second.

So, when talking about an ABC watch, the _priority of functions_ needs to be qualified. For Casio, the solar capability works just fine with the provided ABC functionality. I think it is inappropriate to deride the brand and say having solar recharging makes them useless. If that were the case, _they would not sell_. Otherwise, the assumption is that most people buying them either suffer with any deficiencies (rather than returning the watch and buying a different brand), or don't really put their ABC functions to much use. *Or*... the watches work just fine. I believe this is the case.

Now stepping around the whole ABC function feud and getting back to the OP question, "Are solar rechargeable watches best avoided?"... Not really. Citizen and Casio seem to have nearly perfected the technology (Seiko is newer to the game, catching up), now just facing the task of optimizing--getting more lifespan out of the batteries. I own 7 solar rechargeable watches. One is 12 years old now and still going strong. The only issue is that when amassing enough watches, there becomes a pain to remembering to keep them exposed to light. It's not a good idea to let them completely discharge. I've heard it is best to not let them drop below a medium (50%) charge level.

There are some watches made now with 10 year lithium batteries. A solar rechargeable watch has a secondary battery that is supposed to last 15-20 years, perhaps even more. How long does it take for the additional price of the solar function to make up for the cost of battery replacements with the non-solar watch? For a watch requiring a new battery every 3 years, it could be 20 years if you replace the battery yourself, or much less (6-7 years) if you pay someone to do it. It's not a striking savings... but the technology is a sound idea. It will only get better. Citizen came out with a simple analog Eco-drive watch with just a date function, whereby it can go 5 years on a full charge. *5 years*! That's remarkable. Once they can achieve that with a full functioned watch, and increase the life of the battery to last something like 40 years, I don't think it'll make any sense to buy a watch that needs a battery every 3, 5, 7, or 10 years.


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## zed4130

Queen6 said:


> Casio produces Solar powered ABC`s for one sole reason, they can and as with all technologies the are positives and negatives, only you will know if the compromises are acceptable. Equally user replaceable battery`s also have compromises and potential weak points, I own both solar & user replaceable and I see the good & bad in both, those interested post up as it will be a long reply :-d
> 
> The PRG-40 is now a twelve year old design and it`s lineage is clear, the four battery`s can be replaced in the same manner as any typical G-Shock and any watch shop should be more than capable or you can simply DIY. The watch has a low battery indicator which kicks in months before it will actually shut down due to lack of power, and same as any replaceable battery powered watch if you are going into the field for an extended period of time you should look to replace the cells.
> 
> One of the primary reasons the PRG-40 has so many batteries is it`s run time the watch will run for up to 3-4 years before requiring a battery change. The watch itself has a limited feature set in comparison to the latest offering`s, however you will not find a digital with better readability thanks to the tremendous contrast ratio, once again this is partially due to it`s massive power source. On the ABC side the watch fare`s as most Protrek`s do, although it does have some tricks up it`s sleeve with the ability to perpetually display the Baro. If you can find a PRG-40B you will not find a better display, nothing comes close, even the other 40`s which are already way ahead of the average LCD...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> PRG-40B :think: idiotic or masterful, most that have the "B" already know ;-)
> 
> Q-6


I put new batteries in my prg-40 a year ago and still going strong, i like ABC watches but only have this model so cant compare ,but ive heard too many bad things about solar on ABC watches so ill stick to my dinosaur lol


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## rem

PRG240 with Tough Solar works well enough for me. Just be careful with the Auto EL especially if you sleep wearing your watch. But the battery status of mine has stayed in H ever since I purchased it.


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## scanny

Just a real life example of solar. My PAW-2000 went from H to M after 1 week constantly using altimeter every day for about 6 hours (skiing). Watch basicaly saw light for seconds I looked to altimeter or checked time. Long sleeves all the time, cloudy weather, short days. Altimeter was set to take reading every 2 sec and I kept turning it back on when it went back to time after 2 hours I think. I don't think watch was charged well at the first place, it showed "H", but probably it was somewhere in the midle of "H" - it hard to charge it well in winter. But anyway to me it's a good performance, especially if solar battery lasts 10 years. I don't really see the situation when I could have not enough power in the watch. To me it seems easier and safer to expose watch to light then replace battery in field conditions. But battery is ok too, I have an ABC with battery and it lasted for 2 years with moderate use.


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## Luminaire

Another thing about primary lithium (non-rechargeable) is that degradation is close to zero. So, under very small load, the self discharge or degradation can exceed the power used by the watch.

I've got a package of Energizer AA 1.5v lithium, I bought a few years ago, still in package. Expiration date? march 2025. 

Rechargeables, if used at a very very low draw, it will self destruct before the load consumes all the capacity. A fully charged Lithium rechargeable will not survive 15 years sitting around.

Simple Casios with CR2025s are rated "10 year battery".


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## jzmtl

Always fun to watch Q6 and Cal45 duke it out. 

I went through the battery vs. solar ( core vs. paw2000) less than a year ago. I weighted all options and went with battery. Reasoning being that I live in the north where long sleeves dominate most of the year, and I don't want to keep it on window when I'm not wearing.

If I lived in some place like Texas or Florida, or was looking for a watch with only time function, my choice might have been different.


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## Queen6

jzmtl said:


> Always fun to watch Q6 and Cal45 duke it out.


Absolutely, I dont always agree with cal..45, however his argument is always sound, logical, well thought out and based on his experience. The bigger thing is that the interaction`s always tend to raise more questions and stimulate the debate, long may it continue ;-)

Q-6


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## Queen6

jzmtl said:


> I went through the battery vs. solar ( core vs. paw2000) less than a year ago. I weighted all options and went with battery. Reasoning being that I live in the north where long sleeves dominate most of the year, and I don't want to keep it on window when I'm not wearing.


Your logic is impecable, although the power source would not be my defining reason to choose an ABC - the Core`s performance as an ABC is several magnitudes greater than the 2000 I have two Core`s myself ;-)

Q-6


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## Sedi

xevious said:


> With Casio, it is time keeping first, ABC second. With Suunto, most models have ABC function first, and time keeping is second.


Might be true for some models but not for all. The Suunto Vector/X-Lander has 24 hr timer setable to the second, 24 hr stopwatch, 3 alarms, seconds can be adjusted when adjusting the time - I think that is superior to most Casios (except for the 5 alarms on many Pathfinders). Accuracy on my X-Lander is also far better than on most of my Casios (about 2-3 seconds deviation a month). Unfortunately those superb time-keeping features are not found on the Core - that's why I'll probably never buy one.

cheers, Sedi


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## normdiaz

My Citizen Eco-Drive cal. E760 (purchased new) completed it's 10th year last month. Has never stopped or faltered. Never kept away from a light source, natural or artificial, except partial nighttime hours. (Dual power-save modes probably help.)


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## philskywalker

Ive never had a problem with my numerous rechargeables...


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## Queen6

Queen6 said:


> I have Protrek`s exceeding five years old with constant heavy use and I seen no diminishment of the cells performance. The CTL1616 will most likely outlive the useful cycle of the watch, twenty years is not unrealistic....
> 
> The CTL1616 has a cycle life of greater than 100 cycles; even a power hungry digital like the PRG-240 will run with light use of functions (Time, EL, Alarm, Altimeter, Compass, Barometer) for up to six months with no exposure to light, once fully recharged one cycle has been consumed. With this in mind a watch kept in a controlled environment and controlled use can possibly exceed fifty years of use, so twenty years in real life conditions is not so much of a stretch ;-)
> 
> Link: CTL1616 Data
> 
> CTL1616 Cycle Life Characteristics
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A PRG-40 runs on four standard replaceable batteries and you would expect no more than three to four years life with careful use. On a sub note it is much better for the solars to be kept fully charged, deep discharging the cell is not recommended for longevity. Watches that are kept fully charged will run far longer before the cell requires to be replaced compared to one stored in the dark. It is in fact possible to completely dissipate the cell, resulting in the watch being unable to recharge with the only recourse left to replace the capacitor or manually charge it:think:
> 
> Got anything hidden the closet boy`s :-d
> 
> Q-6


Five years on, and I am still of the same opinion; the same watches are working as well as they ever have. Some have even been in deep storage for years, with no issue. There is fundamentally no issue with Solar powered watches, specifically Casio`s & Citizen`s.

Some of my Solar ProTreks are now over 10 years old from a lightly used PRG-80L-3V that has spent most of it`s life in the shadows, to it`s sibling a PRG-80L-2V that should be awarded "honours" for the abuse it has taken over the last 10 years, from deep sub zero temperature and near zero humidity of winters in the Taklamakan Desert, to the burning heat of the desert in the State of Qatar, 110% humidity in borneo & Malaysia, it`s been thorough Monsoon`s, Typhoon`s, Hurricanes, Twister`s, Sandstorms, Floods, unfortunately mostly attached to me in the field :-d Far as I can see the solar power cell is working well and the watch is as good as it ever was, barring the expected wear & tear, and a couple of replacement straps over the years.

I have a third PRG-80, a Black Titan out of Japan, however it was unfortunately exposed to a massive magnetic field which completely fried the compass, aside this the watch still functions and the cell is still good. Lets see how they are doing in another five ;-)

Q-6


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## Rocat

Queen6 Nice to see you back posting. BTW your posts are legendary for researching the older models. I bought a PAG80 because of your posts and added the fabric strap from the PRW-1100BJ-1JF. That made all the difference.














Just wanted to say thanks for all the older posts.


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## DemolitionMan

Mirror your sentiments Rocat. Read many of Queen6 posts before I bought a well used Paw1200, must be 3 years ago, and its still going strong.


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## Queen6

Rocat said:


> Queen6 Nice to see you back posting. BTW your posts are legendary for researching the older models. I bought a PAG80 because of your posts and added the fabric strap from the PRW-1100BJ-1JF. That made all the difference.
> 
> Just wanted to say thanks for all the older posts.





DemolitionMan said:


> Mirror your sentiments Rocat. Read many of Queen6 posts before I bought a well used Paw1200, must be 3 years ago, and its still going strong


Thx guys  I dropped out of ABC`s, as for a long time there was no real advancements, or interesting innovations for my needs. Casio was also clearly looking at making the ProTrek line more attractive to a broader audience, equally the "satinizing" of the brand was not a direction I cared for, as in general, it just made it easier for the watches to be damaged or look shabby faster, which is clearly not desirable given the price point of the higher end models. Ultimately I am in the market for the most durable multifunction ABC Field watch in production, for the office there are far better alternatives.

Spin on a few years enter the first Casio ABC to pique my interest since the "Dark Ages" :-d I just picked up a new GWG-1000-1A3PR. So far suitably impressed with the watches impressive functionality and relative ease of use. MudMaster has tremendous presence thanks to it`s size, moreover it`s strong visual appearance, only negative I can see initially for a tool watch used in the field, the keeper should be swapped out for something more practical, a basic black or matching green resin keeper will help to reduce the likelihood of the strap "snagging & fowling".

As for the watches ABC accuracy I can see immediately that the "Triple Sensor Version 3" is far superior to my other Casio ABC`s offering greater stability and resolution of data. Build quality is right up there with the other "high-end" G-Shocks, with only my GPW-1000`s exceeding it. Arguably the GWG-1000 is the far more practical tool for field use, thanks to it`s strong feature set and fully resin exterior. I very much appreciate the semi persistent features allowing one to display barometric data and temperature etc. for realistic periods of time, not just a few seconds.

I can see why Casio are underplaying the GWG-1000`s ABC functionality to guard it`s dedicated ProTrek lineup, equally this is the ProTrek many strived for, designed for the extremes, visually "aggressive" very much a tool, nor is it attempting to "hide" these traits, usability is bolstered by the analogue nature of the watch, equally it`s backed up by the secondary LCD display allowing the watch to deliver a high resolution of data as required, all wrapped up in G-Shock`s latest tech, absolutely a winner, and of course Solar powered :-!

Been a while coming, all the same an interesting journey for me from the PRG-40 to the current GWG-1000...

Q-6


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## kostependrhs

I started reading this to learn more about solar watches. Now I m tired reading comparisons between silly abc watches.

Thats out of topic plus i totally dislike them because of their sizes. If mr Bean was a more "sporty" character, should wear one to complete his look.

I have a solar LCW-M150TD-1AER (not this one, photo from the web). I 'm not much excited about solar watches. Do not recommend them and will not buy another. Here is my reasons:

1. You have one more thing to care about (charging the battery) You even have to wear the watch in a certain way.
2. You will have to replace the battery after all, like any other watch.
3. I doubt if i will be able to find a replacement rechargeable battery of good quality, after 10 or 20 years. I 'm almost sure i could not, ending with a dead "high tech" watch.

Solar power in watches, is just a novelty to sell the same product again plus a useless bell and whistle.


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## Queen6

kostependrhs said:


> I started reading this to learn more about solar watches. Now I m tired reading comparisons between silly abc watches.
> 
> Thats out of topic plus i totally dislike them because of their sizes. If mr Bean was a more "sporty" character, should wear one to complete his look.
> 
> I have a solar LCW-M150TD-1AER (not this one, photo from the web). I 'm not much excited about solar watches. Do not recommend them and will not buy another. Here is my reasons:
> 
> 1. You have one more thing to care about (charging the battery) You even have to wear the watch in a certain way.
> 2. You will have to replace the battery after all, like any other watch.
> 3. I doubt if i will be able to find a replacement rechargeable battery of good quality, after 10 or 20 years. I 'm almost sure i could not, ending with a dead "high tech" watch.
> 
> Solar power in watches, is just a novelty to sell the same product again plus a useless bell and whistle.


This is due to your usage case not matching/meeting others, the large size of ABC watches is a benefit for some as it allows for far greater readability of the expansive feature sets & multifunctional design. Would I wear an ABC to all occasions? A business meeting for instance, resoundingly the answer is No, same as I wouldn't take one of my prestige mechanicals on a field trip to Borneo, the sub Arctic, the Kalahari etc.

As for Solars, you can buy the cells (capacitors) easily even for watches that are decades old, nor are they likely to fade so rapidly. Some of the places I have lived and worked, once the battery is depleted your watch will be in the garbage as there is no realistic way to replace it unless you do it yourself, assuming you have the skill, tools and a spare battery. I have never had an issue with a solar powered watch, equally I don't live and work in a cave, and apply common sense.Thankfully we have multiple options, with companies offering multiple solutions.

BTW one of the major components of this forum is the discussion of ABC watches, in general ABC watches are a niche product, those that wear them, either choose them for the functionality, durability and or stylistic appeal, what did you seriously expect, "different horses, for different courses". very much applies...

Q-6


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## idkfa

I don't think a solar watch will ever be an issue for most people, barring a failure in the module or a faulty battery (the early G-Shock G-5600 with Module 2597 had a lot of failures). I think that is how Citizen can make the claim that you will never need to replace the battery, for most watches the user won't notice if the battery's capacity drops off. I would guess that a battery with even 50% (or less) capacity remaining from original would go unnoticed if the user is wearing it with any regularity.


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## skriefal

kostependrhs said:


> You even have to wear the watch in a certain way.


What? I've owned a few solar-powered Citizen Eco-Drives. Never paid any attention to how I wore them. Or even to how I stored them when not in use -- usually on the top of a dresser, so they got a little light to prevent them from running down entirely (but no more). Never a problem.


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## kostependrhs

skriefal said:


> What? I've owned a few solar-powered Citizen Eco-Drives. Never paid any attention to how I wore them. Or even to how I stored them when not in use -- usually on the top of a dresser, so they got a little light to prevent them from running down entirely (but no more). Never a problem.


Casio s manual, page 1 on the left: "You should try to keep your watch outside of your sleeve as much as possible. Charging is reduced significantly if the face is partialy covered"
http://support.casio.com/en/manual/009/qw5135.pdf


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## Queen6

kostependrhs said:


> Casio s manual, page 1 on the left: "You should try to keep your watch outside of your sleeve as much as possible. Charging is reduced significantly if the face is partialy covered"
> http://support.casio.com/en/manual/009/qw5135.pdf


And that`s an issue in Greece :-d I have previously lived in fairly northern latitudes with long cold winters, and short daylight hours. Even ABC watches with heavy usage I have never once completely depleted the battery. A Complex ABC watch can be used up to 6-9 months (no power saving) without any exposure to light, a standard quartz watch significantly longer.

This month I will depart for Norway and will be working there for the bulk of the winter, the "field" watches that I will be taking will all be solar powered as there is no issue with the technology employed, nor do I have any concerns. A solar powered watch does not need to be fully charged to fully function, rather it requires a minimum charge level to do so, which under normal usage is very difficult to drop below.

Q-6


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## skriefal

kostependrhs said:


> Casio s manual, page 1 on the left: "You should try to keep your watch outside of your sleeve as much as possible. Charging is reduced significantly if the face is partialy covered"


Technically true. But it's a matter of degree. You really won't need to worry about that unless the watch is entirely run down (or nearly so). Which rarely happens; and if it did you'd likely put it in the window for a few days rather than wear it in that state. Similar statements could be made about automatic watches, with the rotor working better when wearing the watch in certain positions or during certain activities.

Wear the watch as usual and don't worry about it.


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## xevious

Yeah, there's no "certain way" it needs to be worn, only that it should be covered all the time. It needs sunlight! But, if you get plenty of sunlight on your window sill, leave it there when not wearing it and you'll never have to worry about your watch being covered on your wrist. Both CASIO and CITIZEN watches do an excellent job of getting an ample charge from modest lighting. And the time it takes to recharge after slipping down a bit is not much. SEIKO could learn a lot from these companies.


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## zapiao

Queen6 said:


> I can only speak from my own experiences and the technical specifications of the cell/watch, so far I have never had an issue with a "Tough Solar" and I frequently live and work in conditions that are far from ideal


Please read this thread: https://www.watchuseek.com/f17/how-much-time-chrg-379010.html


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## Queen6

Dropping the cell from full "H" to zero or even "CHRG" will take many months. The chances of a watch in use not being exposed to some light is at the very least highly unlikely. A watch not in use will simply sleep for several years on a full charge as along as "PS" is set to on. With your experiment you deliberately set out to deplete the cell which is a very different matter, equally interesting.

Q-6


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## zapiao

https://scontent-mad1-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...96_7230106841112761457_o.jpg?efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9


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## zapiao

Still working and i proved that dont need to AC the batt after full depletion.


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## Queen6

zapiao said:


> Still working and i proved that dont need to AC the batt after full depletion.


The watch will shutdown before the cell is 100% depleted, likely once the 1.5V discharge cutoff is sensed. This mechanism is very common with Lithium based cells as a safety factor. If the cell does become completely drained the solar panel may not be able to charge it, however the CTL1616 cell can be manually charged at the expected voltage & current with the use of a resistor, to revive it. As for AC it may or may not be required, all it does is reset the watch in the event of it locking up which is possible with the majority of Casio`s, after battery change.

Q-6


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## zapiao

Since i can t start a new thread i m gonna ask here if it is possible to put a another strap instead the original in the PRG-70? I dont know if i can get one here where i live. And how hard it is to change it?


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## Queen6

zapiao said:


> Since i can t start a new thread i m gonna ask here if it is possible to put a another strap instead the original in the PRG-70? I dont know if i can get one here where i live. And how hard it is to change it?



Best bet would be to track down one of the other Casio`s, PRG-70/90, PRW-1200 & PAG-1200 if memory serves, possibly also some of the SPF`s (Sea Pathfinders). As the connection to the watch head is unique therefore seriously limiting the options. Unfortunately I don't own one of these variants so is difficult for me to be 100% accurate, this link may help with the lineage - Protrek: Camouflage Pattern Belt- PRG-550B-5, PRG-240R-5 Watch Series

Got me thinking about that SPW-1000-2V I aways wanted, there`s always and itch, you can't scratch :-d

Just to keep the thread on track, I dug out my PRG-80L-3V from 2005 to compare against my 2015 GWG-1000-1A3PR to see just how far Casio has progressed over the last 10 years with ABC`s. The PRG has been in longterm storage much of it`s life and is in near "mint" condition, equally the solar powered battery shows no indication of degrading;
















"Brothers in arms" a decade apart. The PRG-80L is now back on it`s original black/green leather strap, looking all the better for it b-) The militaresque Black & Green aesthetic really works on both of these visually strong and highly capable "field" watches...

Q-6


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## zapiao

The next Casio will be solar OF COURSE. I cant imagine my self buying anything without sun exposure to work. My beloved PRG-70 has reached 10 years and still working like a charme altough a full cell depletion. My double beloved PRG-100 has now 8 years and nothing to declare too. 10 year battery watches? What for?


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## fiskadoro

I have a couple of solar watches, and both have proved reliable. My ten-year old Casio Wave Ceptor always shows a full charge and still picks up a signal every night (providing it's off my wrist) and it doesn't even need to be near a window. Likewise, my Junghans Mega Solar ceramic can keep running for 4 months in the dark, apparently — not that I've ever let it sit that long because I love to wear it! It's also atomic and syncs without a glitch. I dunno — the geeky part of me just loves the combination of solar and atomic/radio!


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## Watch_Geekmaster

While I didn't bother to read through 7 pages of this thread, here's my answer to the original question.

"Are solar rechargeable watches *best avoided*?"

The answer is *Yes*. You should avoid buying them, if you know your will be over-worrying about charging them. The benefits of avoiding them are:
1. You won't need to worry about the energy level of your watch.
2. You won't need to waste energy by using artificial lights to charge your watch, and to worry about cooking it.
3. You won't need to worry that you will be depleting the energy of the Sun faster.

;-)

Seriously, both the Digital/ABC and G-Shock forums (may be other WUS forums as well) are filled with threads time after time for the worries about solar watches. They are really designed to be worry free!


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## Tsarli

Avoided? Au contraire! I love my Tough Solar, EcoDrive and Seiko Solar watches, matter of fact I wish all my quartz watches were solar powered. If there's anything I "worry" about, it's changing the batteries on my non-solar quartz watches.


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## VR16710

Tsarli said:


> Avoided? Au contraire! I love my Tough Solar, EcoDrive and Seiko Solar watches, matter of fact I wish all my quartz watches were solar powered. If there's anything I "worry" about, it's changing the batteries on my non-solar quartz watches.


Me too! Of course that might change once the rainy season sets in, I don't see it being a problem though.


----------

