New P2 Owner. Display Problem.

[66Cooper]

Hello all,
VERY new to the LED world but finally am. Just received my first LED, a P2. This is to add to my ever growing James Bond collection.
The watch was sold not working but after installing new 357's, the display did come on but is weird. Heres what happens:
Most of time you can see the seconds ticking away at all times. The seconds display is almost all lit with the actual count being just a bit brighter. When the magnet is put to the back, I was able to set it perfectly. The hour and minutes both come up. Seems like the button on the side doesnt do anything.
When I left the watch alone for awhile, the display of off and with all the button pushing, nothing worked. Wore the watch to bed and noticed the seconds were on again when I woke. Took it off and when I came home, it was off and wouldnt do anything when pushing button.
Does this sound like something that can be fixed or is a strike and spare in my future?
Thanks a lot! Will try and get some pix up tomorrow.

[bucko170]

.......noticed the seconds were on again. Took it off and when I came home, it was off and wouldn't do anything

Could it be possible that the batteries had drained due to the watch displaying continuous seconds?

Sounds like it could be something simple and I would definitely explore other options before sending it to 'strikes and spares.'

I am no expert but I'm thinking that maybe the fault is caused by a short circuit or a malfunctioning reed switch - some of the more technically gifted members should be able to talk you through a few simple checks.

Over to the experts........

[66Cooper]

Thanks for the reply.

So, read a little bit on this forum and heard people talking about heating them up to get them working. I tried that but didnt seem to do anything. After, I strapped it on for a bit and it started to show signs of life. Still not right though. The time came on once but then it was back to just the seconds showing.
When I went to bed, I couldnt get it to light again, I kept it on over night and when I woke up this morning, the seconds were on again.
I'm going to say that it is effected by heat for sure but the whole seconds only (and funky looking at that) thing is a whole other problem.
I also read about the magnetic button going flat and not having enough charge to switch the reed. I can push that button all day and I dont think it will come on. Likes to do it on its own though:-)

[66Cooper]

[rewolf]

I'm no Pulsar expert at all but I don't think it's the "heat issue" because that particular problem makes the oscillator stop, that is it would not run at all: no seconds counting and not even any display multiplexing (would show a single bright digit).
Could be simply a stuck reed switch - currently we have a discussion about reed switche in another thread.
I'm sure the Pulsar experts can say more.

[66Cooper]

Thanks!

The reed switch sounds like it might be right. I just had it apart to look at things. When I test the batteries in the back, the screen comes on, actually seemed to work as it should twice. Short lived though and went back to being dead.
I can still set the watch though. When doing so, everything lights up correctly. It is a bit dim though. This is my first LED but I would imagine it should be brighter. That might be an entirely different problem though.
Will have to check out that reed switch thread.

Seems my pix didnt load right. Is there a trick to that?

[bucko170]

Uploading Photographs

(cut and pasted from here http://www.dwf.nu/viewtopic.php?t=1868)


1. Click "browse"
2. Browse to a picture on your machine and click it.
3. Click "Host It" - this will take a few seconds
4."Block & Copy" ALL of the text in the box in front of "Hotlink for Forum 1" - this will start with "[URL and end with /URL],always.
6.Close ImageShack window.
5.Paste(left click mouse) into text box and then put your text before or after that.
6.That's all Folks!!

When doing so, everything lights up correctly. It is a bit dim though.

Are all the battery contacts clean?

[66Cooper]

They look very clean. Will check again just to be sure.

Do you have to use Imageshack to upload. the last thing I need is another place to host pix:-)

[bucko170]

Do you have to use Imageshack to upload

No, I have also used photobucket successfully but I am not sure about using any others.

Great photos!

Tiffany & Co.......Ummm nice!

[clockace]

does 66cooper mean you have a 66 mini-cooper? try researching the posts of june 17,2009 on my p2. it gave me quite a task getting it going, but it has been working fine since june. peter

[66Cooper]

Yes, that is correct. I have a few Minis and other classics. A bit of a petrol head as well as a watch nut.

The more I think about it, the more I want to go with the SASM. I want to wear this watch, and wear it a lot. Just not sure I have the time or patients to trouble shoot this. Might, still hang on to the module though as I feel it might come back from the almost dead.

The seller did his research on this forum as well but didnt really get anywhere. Still, if there is a place to get answers, this is it.

One thing, I noticed that the battery hold-downs on the case back were clear epoxied to it. Is that OK?? Does it need to be grounded to the caseback?

[charger105]

Hi 66Cooper.

It sounds like the reed switch is almost certainly the issue with this module. That's good news because that is a basic fix. Run the module out of the case with a 3V battery pack (with aligator clips), and short the demand reed switch out with a piece of wire. It should show the time, and then display running seconds continuously until you break contact.

Be aware that these modules have a light sensor, which is triggered by incandescant light, so it will appear dim under a bright fluorescant light.

Rgds,
Andrew.

[66Cooper]

Interesting and will have to give that a shot.
I dont have a 3v supply but could I just use the use the regular batteries with the caseback pressed tight?
Any pix of exactly what to do?

[clockace]

mini-coop, you can go to radioshack and get a 3v power pack for a few $. it uses 2x"AA" cells. get some small smooth jaw alligator clips and connect to the powerpack wires. make sure you color code them so you don't hook it up backwards. i used red for +. this is much easier and results are more consistent than trying to hold the back in place, push buttons, etc. the butterfly does not need to be grounded to the back. yours looks good and firm. leave it alone. hook the alligator clips to the respective tabs on the module. it is kind of fiddly to get them in place proper, but it will work best that way. i got this advice from our administrator ed last spring when i was working on mine. ed also said to hook it up and just let it run for a few hours. these chips are old. after i had done all this, i still had some problems, and the warming under a 100w incandescent lamp worked for me. apparently this does not always work tho'. it seems as tho' your qc is ok, and andrew agrees with that. i respect his decision on that as well. hope all works out for you. i really like mine. it is apparently an early one. the date 1972 is on the module. peter by the way, do you have the battery spacers for the smaller cells?

[66Cooper]

That sounds like a plan. Going to see what I can do over the next few days.

One thing to clarify, I am trying to jump the reed switch (glass tube on side of module where button is), right? Just looking to place a jumper wire from one side to other. When I do this, the time should appear then the seconds? How long will the time be on for and how long the seconds? Want to make sure I do everything right.

Thanks a lot for all the help!

[Sully008]

Welcome to the forums!

Yes, that's correct. When you jump the reed switch, the time will display for ~2 seconds, then the seconds will count indefinitely until you break the connection.

Mike

That sounds like a plan. Going to see what I can do over the next few days.

One thing to clarify, I am trying to jump the reed switch (glass tube on side of module where button is), right? Just looking to place a jumper wire from one side to other. When I do this, the time should appear then the seconds? How long will the time be on for and how long the seconds? Want to make sure I do everything right.

Thanks a lot for all the help!

[66Cooper]

OK, thanks.

Actually, isnt that what is wrong with the watch now? Seems like then it does decide to turn on, I may get the time for what could be 2 seconds and then the seconds come on and dont turn off. Agian, this is when it decides to turn on:-)

[charger105]

Actually, isnt that what is wrong with the watch now? Seems like then it does decide to turn on, I may get the time for what could be 2 seconds and then the seconds come on and dont turn off.

Yes, this is why the suspicion is that you've got a flakey reed switch. I'd say that sometimes the reeds are permanently touching, and at other times they are permanently apart (irrespective of button position). As you bounce around in bed , the reeds probably move around too.

Rgds.

[66Cooper]

Haha, I know the whole bed thing is funny.

I am going to have go at this tonight. Will post my findings.

[66Cooper]

Ok, here is exactly what I did and what I got.

I took the watch apart and removed the module. I then took a piece of folded aluminum foil to act as a flat jumper for the batteries to simulate the caseback.
Put the module and batteries on the foil and right away noticed a slight sign of life..as usual I guess.
I then added a jumper wire to go from one side of the reed switch to the other. With the light on, it looked like nothing happened. I turned off the light and did the same thing and I think the module is working as it should. Time come ups and then seconds. The display is just VERY dim.
I did notice that if I try and set the watch, in the day, I could see it but it was also very dim.

What do you think? Anything else I can try to get better performance out of this module?

[66Cooper]

Tested it again and it for sure works as it should when I jump the reed. The time does come up and then seconds. The far right digit is the brightest (but the whole thing still lights up with the actual number being a bit brighter) and the other digits get lighter heading left.

I really dont think you would be able to tell time very well. Beat!

[charger105]

Are they the same batteries you've been using all along ? If the display has been constantly on for a good length of time, they will have drained rather quickly.

Rgds.