Factory repaired Pulsar P3? P4 module on P3 plastic?

[dutchsiberia]

Hi, I was looking at a Pulsar watch for a forum friend (Dutch forum) and discovered why the bottom left switch wasn't working. (loose connection in white circle) But as you can see, this module is not a P3 module? Is this like a P4 module that has been put on the P3 carrier after a repair?

The module. (I soldered the loose connection, watch works great now)


Back,


And the module from my watch for comparison, the regular P3 module :)

[abem]

Hi.

You may have noticed the Hamilton 955 sticker on the back indicating that the module originally came from a Hamilton QED. So this is not a factory repair but rather a repair by some enterprising/scheming third party - sometimes also known as a "FrankenPulsar" module.

Well, a working Frankie is still way better than a non-working Pulsar.

-abe.

[dutchsiberia]

Yes, I thought that would be the case, thanks :) The owner is very happy he can set the time and date again, I don't think he mind it's a frankenpulsar :)

[spinchb]

I had one of these a few months ago that I posted a picture of. The mod job on mine looks a bit neater. I quite like the P4 look on the P3. The digits are brighter, crisper looking. I was thinking of going full P4 on it and installation a flick of the wrist feature.

S.

[bruce wegmann]

I have run across (and still have) a couple P3s that already had the Auto-Command inertial switch installed. The work is well-done, and functions perfectly. It almost seems a logical "next step" in the evolution of the P3. The origin of these remains a it of a mystery, and has been the subject of intense, and often acrimonious, debate.

[dutchsiberia]

If only those watches could talk....
The module is working great by the way, very accurate. And I completely overlooked it has a line segment display


I've shipped the watch already to the owner, is it easy to see if the module has an auto-command of auto-set switch? (auto-command is that flick your wrist and see the time, right?)

[bruce wegmann]

All P4s (and the Pulse-Time) use the same line-segment displays (actually, they are still composed of dots, but have 11 or 13 of them, instead of the 5 used in the P3s...the smaller dots are much closer together, and because of the limited resolution of the eye, blend into a continuous line). I have seen one or two that used Dress circuit boards, and so have slightly smaller digits (and, of course, no provision for the Auto-Command feature).
BTW, the display in the original P3 module above was made by Monsanto (has the distinctive silvery aluminum electrode "mask" with "holes" ...the actual LED emitting area). The other style, with thin, ladder-shaped contacts, are from Litronix.

[abem]

Hi.

I have a ladies P4 that has a dot / short bar display similar to the appearance of the digits in the Bulova Big Block. I actually prefer it to the line display that became ubiquitous. This was discussed a while back:
viewtopic.php?f=79&t=4976

I'll repost some photos if anyone in interested.

-abe.