# This is how to charge your Eco-drive:



## Chris-John

I don't know about anyone else, but I was struggling to find good ways to charge my Eco-drive watches. I don't wear them enough to charge themselves. Just leaving them lying around isn't enough light. Incandescent globes can burn the dial if too close (and waste a lot of electricity). Torches waste batteries. It's not easy to find some kind of lamp that is good for charging. It's not easy to find a place to leave it in the sun, and the sun really makes it too hot.

But I found a really good solution. There are a lot of eBay sellers selling LED lamps that plug into a USB port. So you can plug them into a computer, or into a USB wall charger ( like you get with iPhones). I bought one with about 30 LED globes in it. The light is cool so it won't hurt the watch, and it doesn't use much electricity. A day or two under this and it is fully charged.


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## hendry70

I usually just leave them on the window sill for a day. Take em off when I get home from work and enjoy the lume show. b-)


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## Ottovonn

I've never had trouble keeping an Eco-drive charged. The ones I've owned seemed to run forever no matter where I left them. But thanks for the tip.


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## DocKlock

I've got several of them and they all sit on the windowsill in my bedroom and enjoy the sunshine. I do face them slightly away from the direct sun as I don't want to fade the hands/dials ----- never had any kind of problem!!!!!


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## Pawl_Buster

DocKlock said:


> I've got several of them and they all sit on the windowsill in my bedroom and enjoy the sunshine. I do face them slightly away from the direct sun as I don't want to fade the hands/dials ----- never had any kind of problem!!!!!


You've just discovered that you've been infected with the Seikogottahavit virus. It enters through the eyes and lodges in the brain and causes a constant itch that can only be partially relieved by looking at more Seikos. The only know cure is to actually buy more Seikos. Of course like any virus or drug; it will come back and demand more ;-)


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## Kilovolt

DocKlock said:


> I've got several of them and they all sit on the windowsill in my bedroom and enjoy the sunshine. I do face them slightly away from the direct sun as I don't want to fade the hands/dials ----- never had any kind of problem!!!!!


Same here: I have in my bedroom a bookcase facing a window and all my solar watches (nearly 20) sit on a shelf all the time. I never had a problem.


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## por44

If you need a fast/full charge - pull the crown out & place about 10 inches from a fluorescent desk lamp


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## ec633

I often wondered why people go for the high tech gadget like the ECO Drive. I only recently learned that it also has battery inside requiring frequent maintenance!! No wonder my friend had one sometime ago showing me proudly his new movement. But then, a year down the track, I never saw him wearing that crap again .. probably due to forever changing battery or charging or something else. I'm glad I stick to mechanical , automatic movement all the time.


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## hendry70




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## gaijin

ec633 said:


> I often wondered why people go for the high tech gadget like the ECO Drive. I only recently learned that it also has battery inside requiring frequent maintenance!! No wonder my friend had one sometime ago showing me proudly his new movement. But then, a year down the track, I never saw him wearing that crap again .. probably due to forever changing battery or charging or something else. I'm glad I stick to mechanical , automatic movement all the time.


I'm very happy for you. You are truly blessed to have learned one of life's great lessons so early.


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## Nicolas

Kilovolt said:


> Same here: I have in my bedroom a bookcase facing a window and all my solar watches (nearly 20) sit on a shelf all the time. I never had a problem.


I had "low-e" windows installed a few years ago. They block UV rays. Will that limit the charging ability of the remaining rays that make it through the glass, I mean in terms of my Eco-drive? In other words, do these watches need UV energy to properly charge? I've been opening the window and exposing them directly to sunshine. But this is summer, and winter is coming... (northern hemisphere).


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## Will_f

Nicolas_Rieussec said:


> I had "high-e" windows installed a few years ago. They block UV rays. Will that limit the charging ability of the remaining rays that make it through the glass, I mean in terms of my Eco-drive? In other words, do these watches need UV energy to properly charge? I've been opening the window and exposing them directly to sunshine. But this is summer, and winter is coming... (northern hemisphere).


I think you mean low-E. all glass blocks 99% or mor of UV light (hence the reason you can't get much of a tan if you're behind glass. Low-E reflects infrared light.

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## Nicolas

Yes, you're right, I meant low-e. (I corrected my mistake before I saw your post).

I bought Andersen windows and they sold me that it cuts UV. I just found this on their website:

Ordinary dual-pane glass lets 62% of UV light pass through. Our High-Performance™ Low-E glass cuts that down to 17% with virtually no effect on the clarity and color of the light.





Will_f said:


> I think you mean low-E. all glass blocks 99% or mor of UV light (hence the reason you can't get much of a tan if you're behind glass. Low-E reflects infrared light.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


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## Will_f

Nicolas_Rieussec said:


> Yes, you're right, I meant low-e. (I corrected my mistake before I saw your post).
> 
> I bought Andersen windows and they sold me that it cuts UV. I just found this on their website:
> 
> Ordinary dual-pane glass lets 62% of UV light pass through. Our High-Performance™ Low-E glass cuts that down to 17% with virtually no effect on the clarity and color of the light.


It depends on what you call UV. Here's the transmittance for ordinary glass.









UV is considered to start around 400 nm (shorter wavelength means higher energy UV). Right at 400nm, the transmittance probably is around 62%. However, if you go just a little farther left to say around 380nm, transmittance falls off quite sharply. 380nm looks like deep purple.









So to summarize, Anderson is right, but they're drawing the line defining UV at a little longer wavelength than I am.

In any case, your Watch will charge slower with your low-E windows than with plain glass, but it will still charge.

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## Nicolas

Excellent answer, Will_f. It looks like I'm set for the upcoming winter then! Thanks much.


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## Chris-John

I guess I can't do what others do with window sills, because I don't have any! My windows all start from the ground. I feel odd about how hot they get in the sun too. Haven't damaged one yet, but I think the led light is better.


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## BuyIndioOates

por44 said:


> If you need a fast/full charge - pull the crown out & place about 10 inches from a fluorescent desk lamp


Pulling the crown out really makes a difference?

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## BuyIndioOates

I've been trying to charge my Nighthawk for over a week. It's been in my drawer for a year so it's starting from zero I assume. The charging is mostly window sill. But I even had it outside direct sunlight for a few hours yesterday. Still not up and running. Guess I need to be more patient. 

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## yankeexpress

BuyIndioOates said:


> I've been trying to charge my Nighthawk for over a week. It's been in my drawer for a year so it's starting from zero I assume. The charging is mostly window sill. But I even had it outside direct sunlight for a few hours yesterday. Still not up and running. Guess I need to be more patient.


In weak northern winter sunlight it can take a week or two to get a solar charged up.


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## BuyIndioOates

yankeexpress said:


> In weak northern winter sunlight it can take a week or two to get a solar charged up.


Ahhh. Makes sense. Could I use a rechargeable flashlight to help speed the process?

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## BuyIndioOates

yankeexpress said:


> In weak northern winter sunlight it can take a week or two to get a solar charged up.


The other thing I was concerned with... Is the cold winter temperatures in NJ bad for the battery if I left it outside? Seems like it would be.

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## arogle1stus

WUSers:
Figger this one out.
I have 4 EcoDrives. Usually charge them consecutively.
3 of them maintained charge but EcoZilla went dead after
recieving as much sunlight as the other 3.
Contacted Citizen Help Desk asking should I consider repl
Lithium battery.
Citizen replies Zillas dont have batteries. They have "charg-
ing units". What tha heck? 
Placed Zilla back in the sun, charging unit did it's task and
had zero charging problems since. Is a Charging Unit really
a Capacitor? Confused in Ft Worth, Tx.

X Traindriver Art


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## yankeexpress

BuyIndioOates said:


> The other thing I was concerned with... Is the cold winter temperatures in NJ bad for the battery if I left it outside? Seems like it would be.


Mine solar stay fully charged on several northwest window sills out of direct Sun except for about an hour just before Sunset.

Below freezing is prolly bad for the battery.

One of 4 Window sills full of solars catching rays:


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## BuyIndioOates

yankeexpress said:


> Mine solar stay fully charged on several northwest window sills out of direct Sun except for about an hour just before Sunset.
> 
> Below freezing is prolly bad for the battery.
> 
> One of 4 Window sills full of solars catching rays:


Whoa. I'm saving this picture so next time my wife starts in on the "how many watches do you need?!"... 
Also, seeing you are a G Shock guy, if I want to dive into a good square, where should I start?

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## yankeexpress

BuyIndioOates said:


> Whoa. I'm saving this picture so next time my wife starts in on the "how many watches do you need?!"...
> Also, seeing you are a G Shock guy, if I want to dive into a good square, where should I start?


GW-M5610 is solar/atomic JDM comes in several colors. Also with same JDM module is the steel case DLC screwback GW-5000,

GW-M5610SD Desert Sand










GW-5000










From Wornandwound

"For the exact opposite of value, but for true excessive watch nerd pleasure, I'll introduce the Japan-only GW-5000, which is a modern tribute to the very first G-Shock model, the DW5000, which came to market in 1983.

The $325 GW-5000 looks like any $40 "square" G you can buy at Wal-Mart, and that's its beauty. Only the wearer knows it has a metal case, a DLC'd screwdown caseback, solar and atomic features and a softer resin case and band.

Is it overpriced? Of course. 
Is it awesome in its ridiculousness? Of course.

Non-watch people will think you are an idiot for paying over $300 for a plain G-Shock that you have to order from Japan. But that's why they are non-watch people."

GW-5000 DLC










https://geeklounge.wordpress.com/tag/gw-5000-1jf/




























https://www.watchuseek.com/f105/review-psychology-casio-gw-5000-a-543392.html

DW-5600BB With GW-5000 and GWX-5600 (tides & moon phase)


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## BuyIndioOates

yankeexpress said:


> GW-M5610 is solar/atomic JDM comes in several colors. Also with same JDM module is the steel case DLC screwback GW-5000,
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> GW-M5610SD Desert Sand
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> GW-5000
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> From Wornandwound
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> "For the exact opposite of value, but for true excessive watch nerd pleasure, I'll introduce the Japan-only GW-5000, which is a modern tribute to the very first G-Shock model, the DW5000, which came to market in 1983.
> 
> The $325 GW-5000 looks like any $40 "square" G you can buy at Wal-Mart, and that's its beauty. Only the wearer knows it has a metal case, a DLC'd screwdown caseback, solar and atomic features and a softer resin case and band.
> 
> Is it overpriced? Of course.
> Is it awesome in its ridiculousness? Of course.
> 
> Non-watch people will think you are an idiot for paying over $300 for a plain G-Shock that you have to order from Japan. But that's why they are non-watch people."
> 
> GW-5000 DLC
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> https://geeklounge.wordpress.com/tag/gw-5000-1jf/
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> https://www.watchuseek.com/f105/review-psychology-casio-gw-5000-a-543392.html
> 
> DW-5600BB With GW-5000 and GWX-5600 (tides & moon phase)


Wow. Thanks.

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