Quick Answer
- The lack of adequate lighting to charge the battery in the solar watch.
- A damaged battery could be of another reason behind the problem in the solar watch.
- The damage to mechanical parts or circuits also causes the watch to stop working.
What do you do when your solar watch stops working?
Take the watch to a watchmaker to get the watch diagnosed. This is the best option for most cases
If you have experience in repairing the watch, you can do the repair job a home. In most cases, changing the rechargeable battery with the new battery will resolve the issues.
The damaged battery will not charge when you put the watch under direct sunlight. No charge means no power to run the essential mechanism of the solar watch. Hence, the watch will stop working.
If it is water damage, then put the watch in the sunlight. Let it heat for a while. If there is water inside trapped in the mechanism of the watch, it will get vaporized.
Also, the water-damaged watch needs a battery replacement (what about the Garmin watch battery replacement).
Can you fix a solar watch?
Once you know the real cause of the problem, it would be easy to fix the solar watch. The solar watch is similar to the ordinary watch. It would have standard features such as the battery, dial mechanism, knob to set the time and date, etc.
The solar panel is moulded in the automatic system, where the solar energy is converted into useful storage energy. The rechargeable battery will be used to store the energy generated from the solar panel.
If your solar watch shows a function error, then there is the possibility that the rechargeable battery has some problem.
The solar watch with the damaged body or mechanical parts would not be possible to repair at home. It requires expert handling to fix the parts.
You may have to remove some of the damaged parts and replace them with another to solve the problem.
How do you revive a solar watch?
The solar watch requires a sufficient charge to make it perform a normal function. There is a reset procedure that you can use to review a solar watch. The first thing that you have to do is pull out the crown entirely.
Next, hold both Chrono pushers for at least 3 seconds. Push the crown back to normal. You will notice the hands will start moving, and your watch will spring back to normal life.
How long do solar-powered watches last?
All solar-powered watches come with a capacitor (battery). These mechanisms require replacement after 10 years of use. If we think about the watch, it has an indefinite life. Keep the watch in a dry and clean place.
It should be affected by the humidity or the cold weather.
The heat produced in the watch may generate small water bubbles inside the mechanism, starting to rust the battery and other essential components.
If you can store the watch in an oxygen-free environment, then it can last for thousands of years without needing repair.
However, the battery of the solar watch comes with a limited life span (Seiko solar watch lifespan). It may last for 10 to 15 years without needing replacement.
Some experts suggest, even though the manufacturer has claimed that you do not have to replace the battery for 10 years, you should not keep your battery so long in working condition.
The battery is filled with chemicals. Sometimes the chemicals start spilling into the watch as it becomes old.
Therefore, it is advisable to change the battery every 4 to 5 years and put the new rechargeable battery compatible with your solar watch.
Can you overcharge a solar watch?
The solar watch comes with an automatic mechanism that moderates the power supply to the rechargeable battery. When the power reaches its maximum level, the flow of the energy is controlled.
At the same time, the charge in the battery is also calculated to ensure that the battery does not reach the max limit.
As soon as the battery is fully charged, the function is automatically disconnected from the solar panel, and no more charge is flowing into the battery.
The mechanism also protects the battery from overheating.
Also, the watches are equipped with a lithium-ion battery. The protection shield helps the battery from damage.
Whenever the watch is exposed to light, the solar panel starts generating power.
Without a locking mechanism, the battery keeps charging during the day, which may cause an overheating problem.
In the worst scenario, the battery may burn, and the battery’s whole function will get damaged.
How does the solar watch battery protection system work?
Best To Buy
Battery protection technology is used in all modern devices. The lithium-ion battery is used in laptops, cell phones, and many other electronic devices. When you plug them into the power circuit, the battery gets charged without harming the battery and the system.
Once the battery is fully charged, the indicator on the watch will show that the power is full. You can put the watch away from the light.
Again when the battery charge reaches 95 to 97 percent, the charging will automatically resume.
Overheating is a common problem that you have to manage when charging the watch. If the indicator says the battery is fully charged, you should not use direct sunlight for charging.
The continuous flow of the energy in the battery will heat the watch and core system.
The mechanism will stop working if the battery is facing an overheating problem. Also, if the battery has a digital function, it may not work until the battery reaches the average temperature.
What to do if the solar watch stop working?
The first thing that you need to do is to identify the cause of the problem. Reset the watch and see if the machine starts working. If that does not solve the problem, the next step is to change the battery. Most probably, the damaged battery would be the main reason why the solar watch stopped working.
Reach out to the nearby watch repairing shop and get the battery replaced with a new one. The rechargeable battery has a limited life span.
After a few years, the performance of the battery gets reduced. So it is essential to change the battery after every 5 to 6 years.
If your watch is under warranty, then take the watch to the nearby service centre. The minor issue is generally fixed immediately.
The mechanism issue is mainly taken time. The service centre people will diagnose the watch by opening the back panel and trying to find the reason behind the problem in the watch.
In this case, if the issue is serious and needs more time to fix, you may have to leave your watch in the service centre for repair.
The experts from the company will take a look at the watch and replace the damaged parts to solve the problem.
Watches are repairable devices. You can also fix the problem at home if you know how to handle the tools and internal functions of the watch.
You can do it at home without needing the experts for advice. However, you should consult the experts to avoid damage to the delicate pieces of the watch.
Eng. Matthew Joseph Nandirio is the Founder of walkingsolar.
After graduating from the University of Houston in 2002, matt started working as a Solar Electrical Engineer for several multi-national solar energy companies.
He has a wide range of experiences including solar system requirement analysis, planning, maintaining, debugging and even solar device development through research.
He now shares his 20 years of expertise through his articles on the walkingsolar website.
Further, he is also the author of two books on Solar Technology, “Solar Power for Villages” and “DIY Solar System for Dummies”.
