# Help with Precisionist 98B169 (Campton) battery change, please



## Intrepid04 (Mar 15, 2014)

Hi folks, Happy New Year.

I need your help with a battery change for the Precisionist 98B169, aka Campton. Basically, I would like to know if there is any key element I should look inside the case when replacing the battery. This watch is not moving with a new battery, and I wonder if I damaged it taking the old battery out or placing the new in. I have done several battery changes before, but I remember that once I had to take it to a shop because it was not working when I put it in. The jeweler put the new battery in but never told me if anything was wrong with the watch (or me  He did not charge me extra so, probably nothing was wrong with the watch lol

If any of you have come into a similar problem (with this or other watch), please tell me what I should check or look closely to find out if this watch is damaged. I know I can take it to a jeweler, but I would like first to know what is wrong, if I can, please. I can add actual pictures from inside the case if you wish.

Thanks folks in advance.


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## WichitaViajero (Feb 22, 2013)

I haven't change a battery on a preciosionist, but here's a link to a video, I imagine it shouldn't be that different from your watch, after you open the case back.


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## Intrepid04 (Mar 15, 2014)

WichitaViajero said:


> I haven't change a battery on a preciosionist, but here's a link to a video, I imagine it shouldn't be that different from your watch, after you open the case back.


Thanks for your prompt response, Wichita. I did watch that video before I posted my question. If you watch it closer, you would realize that it's not an instructional video but rather a promotional video about Bulova's good service. Specially at the point to put the battery back in, they cut that part from the video: they show you testing the battery charge before inserting the battery in the watch, and next scene is the battery already in the watch (not showing how to put it back).

I found another video that closely resembles my watch case, and it's a very good video, showing good enough details inside the case, which is exactly as mine.

My problem is, or what I am hoping for, is to see if there is a proper step-by-step that I should/must follow, or costly mistakes to avoid, during that "simple" operation. There are several tiny metals around the hole where the battery is inserted, and I don't know if any of those must be in a precise position to create a full contact with the battery and then the watch should start moving. Here is the video I found:






Gracias nuevamente.


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## WichitaViajero (Feb 22, 2013)

no problem sorry I couldn’t be of more help

When I changed the capacitor on my Eco-Drive movement, I recorded the process, so I could put it back together at the end, and it worked.

Best regards


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## Intrepid04 (Mar 15, 2014)

Wichita, you were of good help and I appreciate it. I just tried to express that I did find that video, meaning, I did my home work before bothering you folks.

Now, do you think that in my case the capacitor may have been damaged during the battery change process? Or may it be toasted by age? What's the life expectancy of that component? Any troubleshooting I could do myself to try to find out what is wrong? If the capacitor is done, should I expect a costly repair if I take it to a Bulova's AD?

Your opinion (and others) is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.


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## Tanker G1 (Feb 28, 2016)

I don't know any reason why a watch would have a battery and a capacitor. I think Wichita was just adding an anecdote. Visually inspect the contact point under the battery to make sure you didn't bugger it up when installing the new battery. Try to get and post a close up pic of the battery housing showing the neg contact.


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## journeyforce (Apr 20, 2013)

Unscrew case back

take small knife and pop battery out. 

place new battery in the battery holder and slightly push down on it so that the battery retainer holds it in place.

Make sure case back gasket looks good and is back in its place.

Screw caseback back on.


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## mojorison_75 (Apr 1, 2017)

I just replaced the battery on an Accutron ii and it was pretty straight forward. You should be able to just gently pop the old one out and then pop the new one back in. There's no retaining clip to push back, spring to mess with or anything like that. 

Are you sure you got the new battery snapped back in good?

Don't take this the wrong way, but you didn't accidentally put it in upside down did you? With all the starting over I've had to do on pretty straight forward projects, I wouldn't put it past me doing this at some point.:-x

I think I'd probably open it up one more time and just look things over before I took it to someone. Who knows it might just be a simple oversight.


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## Ron521 (Feb 20, 2014)

I hope you have solved your problem by now, but one common issue which might create a problem is touching the new battery with your fingers can leave oils on the surface, and prevent a good connection. 

I always pick the battery up with tweezers (only by the sides and NEVER by top and bottom which would short the battery out). Sometimes I have to use the tweezers and another tiny screwdriver to help maneuver the battery into position.


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## ObiWonWD40 (Apr 29, 2018)

Ron makes a good point here. The battery will start to corrode over time from the oils off your hands, so I would never handle the battery with bare fingers. I bought a set of plastic tweezers so they are none conducting especially for the job.

Now I must say that I have never needed to change the battery on a Bulova with a precisionist style movement, but from looking at a movement with the battery installed I have seen that there is a spring clip on the side designed to hold it in place. I note that the guy in the video does slide the battery in against that spring which is the right way, but then you need to push against the spring clip to get the battery under the lip on the opposite side. From what I see there is no AC or "all clear" that you need to short against the battery to reset the movement.

I hope that you have managed to fix your watch, but if not I would be tempted to try a few things first. Take the battery out and check it with a meter to see that it has not gone dead in storage. You should get a good 3V reading, anything significantly less and I would junk the battery and get a new one. I have had a few, fortunately very few, dead new batteries, so these days I check them before I fit them as it saves the time a trouble of the watch not working, the moments of grief while you try to work out what you did wrong and the relief/frustration when you find it was a dead battery! If the battery is ok then wipe it over with a cleaning wipe before you stick it back in. I use proper electronic cleaning wipes but I was in the computer industry for years so have those things on hand. But a good wipe with a clean kitchen towel should be alright, just make sure it is not shedding a load of dust as the cheap ones do. Slide it back in against the clip, you will probably need to use a loupe or a magnifying glass to take a good look to see the part I am talking about.

As to buying batteries, if you look on the web you can find some sites where the common battery types have been tested. Please don't buy loads and don't buy cheap, both a false economies. For normal Silver Oxide watch batteries I buy either Maxell, Sony or Renata, for the CR2016 types I use either Panasonic or Maxell. This is based not on my testing but after research that you should do for yourself on the web and make your own mind up. Whilst some of the highly promoted battery suppliers have good batteries the capacity is lower than those I mentioned, which means you are going to change them more frequently! Find yourself a good supplier who sells to the watch or computer industry as you will then get a quality genuine product and fresh stock as they will have a high turnover and just buy what you need.

Hope this helps you. Finally a personal Gripe! If I am looking at a Seiko or any of it's derivatives like Pulsar and Lorus or for that matter Citizen/Miyota I can find the full Specs and service sheets for pretty much all their watch movements, quartz and mechanical, on-line. But Bulova like a lot of the Swiss makers seem to keep theirs a State Secret. Which I suppose is their right, but it sure does make our lives difficult, and in particular mine difficult! Moan Mode OFF.

Very best regards,
Jim

PS You may find this link with pictures helpful?
https://www.watchuseek.com/f21/inside-precisionist-2570858.html


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## Intrepid04 (Mar 15, 2014)

Hello folks:

I kind of got lost..., but I never forgot I should come back and say THANK YOU to all of you for your valuable advise, time, suggestions, directions and references. I read and followed them all, but I wasn't able to put my watch back to work. I decided to take it to a local and he successfully put the watch to work; ...well, sort of. He did put the battery in, and the watch is "working", ...but now the hour hand gets stuck at 4 hour! Everything else keeps moving precisely: minute hand and second hand; date wheel doesn't change, of course, as the hour hand doesn't advance any farther than 4 o'clock. If I pull the crown one click out and rotate it manually, the calendar wheel moves/ date changes cleanly, which makes me think that the wheel has no problem per se, but probably something/dirt stuck in the gears that prevents the hour hand to move further ahead. Anyway, this's probably theme for a different thread... I just wanted to thank you all once again for your valuable info and help.


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## mystic nerd (Aug 10, 2013)

Intrepid04, it’s possible there’s something on the dial at 4 o’clock that’s physically stopping the hour hand there. 

Take a close look. Maybe the hour marker has loosened s bit and has lifted up to hit the hour hand. Remember, the hour hand is the one closest to the dial, so it’s the one that would hit anything that’s protruding upwards - and the other two hands might clear that same obstacle.

I’ve seen hands and markers come loose from their proper locations. This shouldn’t happen on a young watch of course, but it could happen.


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