# Luminox watch batteries



## Wingerr

By any chance does anyone know what kind of batteries are used in the Luminox Navy Seal watches? I've got a 3101 that's finally reached EOL, and it's ticking away at 4 second intervals instead of one. Time to think about changing it.
I was wondering if it uses standard lithium cells or something more exotic.


----------



## BobVA

Regular lithium watch battery. I don't recall the number off the top of my head, but you can get it at Radio Shack.

Cheers,
Bob


----------



## BIGIRON

Local jewler (Rolex/Tag dealer) installed batt in mine for $6.00 a couple of weeks ago. Would have cost me more than the difference in gas to drive to Radio Shack!


----------



## Wingerr

Good to hear, hopefully it's a 2032, cause I got gobs of them.

When the dealer did it, did he do anything with the gasket or o-ring to preserve the watertightness of the watch?
I'm not particularly concerned that it maintains 200m resistance, but I'd like it to keep some measure of dunkability- $6 would be good, if I could find a local jeweler that'd do it for the same-


----------



## Minjin

Get yourself a caseback remover and do it yourself. Then you'll always have the tool for the future. As for the seal or o-ring, I would make sure its clean and maybe dampen a rag slightly with silicone spray and rub it on the seal. That should be plenty good.

Mark


----------



## BIGIRON

Yes, the jewler checked and lubed the seal. That's why I took it to the high-dollar shop. I figure the batt would have cost $3 or $4 over the counter at RS. No way would I try to put it in and risk screwing up the case, etc for a couple of $$.


----------



## Wingerr

Well, I've already got a watch spanner, so I'll give it a twirl, since I don't know of any local jewelers, and they probably want substantially more for the job. As long as I'm not missing out on nitrogen purging or something, I'll give it a try, and just be careful to clean the seals of any debris that could compromise water resistance. If I did have a really high buck timepiece, I'd definitely defer to the pros though.


----------



## bjn70

I replaced the batteries in a couple of my Casios recently. The batteries were easy to find at Walgreens for $3 each. The last time a jeweler did it he charged me $15 for one watch. I did it for the convenience and to see if I could do it.


----------



## firstflight

That is steep bjn70, here, most charges about half the price only.


----------



## Luff

Had mine changed two years ago by a local jeweler ... paid $15. Went diving the next week & it leaked. Jeweler said, he'd fix it. Hah. Called the factory & learned if you want to use your Luminox at depth, it costs about $50 for the factory to replace the battery, seal it and check the pressure seal. Next time I need a battery change, I'll do it myself and take the Timex G-Shock diving from then on.


----------



## Wingerr

Well, got it open without much trouble-
As it turns out, it used an Energizer 395 battery the past 3-1/4 years I've had it. So, I guess I'll go ahead and put the same in.
I'm not sure a job at the jeweler would be any better than my doing it myself, actually, because I can take lots of time to carefully clean out all the built up dirt at the perimeter; I can't see them taking that much time unless they charged adequately for it. Only tools I need are the watch case spanner and a dental pick to clean out the crevices.


----------



## Datasaurusrex

I believe that Luminox voids the warrenty of battery is replaced by non-authorized dealer, just fyi.


----------



## madecov

When I replaced my battery, I used an O ring lube to treat the gasket.
A friend of mine has a jewlery store and he keeps this stuff around just for such cases.

If you live in a larger city there is bound to be a Jewlery repair supply, just see if they have an O ring lube in stock. Or of course you can try google

http://www.watchmaterial.com/catalog/detail.asp?prodid=839&mt=TOOLS


----------



## Wingerr

Well, battery lasted over 3 years, and unless Luminox has a longer warranty than that, I'm good- /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

That o-ring lube looks like good stuff to have around-
I may use a trace of Syl-glide on the o-ring to help keep it from shifting as I screw it back on, it seems to be in pretty good shape as is; not much evidence of a compression set to it. They use a fairly hefty O-ring in there.

Looked on that site at the case openers; the array of different types and prices on them is pretty amazing-
I've got a cheap HF version of the $98.50 one; did the job, but with far less panache.


----------



## Wingerr

Pretty interesting site -
Anyone have any idea how this WATER PRESSURE TESTER works?






By the way, anyone see any trim adjustment on the Luminox to tweak the timing? It runs just a smidgeon fast; thought maybe I could try to throttle it back just a bit while I have it open. Or is it so sensitive I'd be better off not tampering with it?


----------



## madecov

Pressure testers use air pressure.
When the air pumped in and pressurized it read to an equivalent depth. when the case "pops" and allows air inside, there is a drop in the pressure surrounding the watch. You can then read the pressure that the watch withstood.


----------



## BobVA

If you're seriously worried about the water resistance, you should replace/lube both the rear gasket and the gasket on the crown, then do a pressure test. 

If you do it yourself, you should be able to take it to a watch shop and get a pressure check for little cost, since it only takes a few seconds to do.

Cheers,
Bob


----------



## Wingerr

Interesting- I wouldn't have thought the additional air volume inside the case would be enough to change the air pressure in the container significantly enough to detect- It doesn't seem to have an electronic sensor to it, just a gauge.
What if it just gradually leaks in rather than popping abruptly? Would the tester still be able to detect that transition?

I may see about getting it checked out at a watch shop, just for curiousity, since I don't have a real requirement for the water resistance.


----------



## Deanster

I usually take my watches to the local mall - they do battery, new o-ring, install and pressure test for ~$15...

totally worth it for the pressure test, IMHO... nothing worse than a dive watch that's not dependably watertight.


----------



## BobVA

[ QUOTE ]
*Wingerr said:*
Pretty interesting site -
Anyone have any idea how this WATER PRESSURE TESTER works?

By the way, anyone see any trim adjustment on the Luminox to tweak the timing? It runs just a smidgeon fast; thought maybe I could try to throttle it back just a bit while I have it open. Or is it so sensitive I'd be better off not tampering with it? 

[/ QUOTE ]

[edited to correct having my facts backwards on this model tester /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif ]
1. The way that works is you pour in water up to the red line, put the watch in, then seal the top. You then pull the lever on the side to raise the pressure (read on the guage) in the air space above the water to a specified level. After letting the watch soak for bit at high pressure, it's lowered into the water and the pressure on the air above the water released. If the watch is leaky, the (now) higher pressure air remaining in the submerged watch will leak out, causing bubbles.

Although it's not an exact analog of external pressure, it works well enough for most purposes. Most importantly it doesn't force water into the case /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

2. Adjustment: Pretty much went out with the advent of inexpensive quartz movements - cuts part costs by not having to pay for and install a variable capacitor.

Cheers,
Bob


----------



## Wingerr

Ah, that makes sense then. I wonder though, once you pull the vacuum, and you see the bubbles coming out, isn't there still a chance you'll draw water back into the watch case when you release the vacuum? Unless it's because the internal air volume is too small for it to create much of an internal suction effect?
I suppose you would really need to somehow make sure the watch you're testing has SOME measure of water resistance, because you still need to dunk it in water.


----------



## BobVA

[ QUOTE ]
*Wingerr said:*
Ah, that makes sense then. I wonder though, once you pull the vacuum, and you see the bubbles coming out, isn't there still a chance you'll draw water back into the watch case when you release the vacuum? 

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, that stumped me. But there's a simple explanation - I gave you the wrong answer /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif. The results are the same, but the process works like this:
- The watch is put above the water and the tank is sealed.
- The handle is used to pump the pressure UP and the watch is allowed to "soak" for a bit (if there's a leak, the pressure in the watch will go up at this point).
- Then the watch is lowered into the water, and the excess pressure is vented from the tank.
- If the watch is leaky, the higher pressure air that forced its way in will now leak out.


.... and you get bubbles if there's a leak. But this version makes more sense relative to your question - the higher pressure in the watch will prevent any intrusion of water (unless you left off the crown or something).

That's what I get for going by hear-say. Or maybe there is some ancient tester that works like I previously described and I asked some ancient guy about it!

I have read about "pro" testers that work by measuring the deformity of the case/crystal with rising air pressure (which should happen if there's no leaks) or, as somebody mentioned above, measuring the minute volume change caused by a leak but those are expensive and require periodic calibration.

I belive the only way to measure really deep water resistance is a pressurized water tank, actually looking for water intrusion. Those tests are first run with no movement in the case /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


Cheers,
Bob


----------



## Wingerr

This is weird, contacted Luminox, and they said with much certainty that my watch takes a lithium 2016 cell.
Either they had two different versions of the same model, or I've got a knockoff or something- pretty good copy, if that's the case. Mine definitely has a silver oxide in there though.
Bob, you said yours was a regular lithium battery; any way to confirm you needed a 2016? Do the guts look like mine, in the picture up above?


----------

