How to Change CTL1616 Rechargeable Battery

[asuoab]

Dear All WatchUSEEK Members,

Sorry for my previous broken-link on the tip: "Changing CTL1616 Rechargeable Battery" This time I revised it directly on this forum for sure.
-----------------------------------------------
Watch: Casio G-Shock model MTG-900 - Japan Y
Module: 2638
Battery: Rechargeable CTL1616
Failure: After 18 months from new purchase
------------------------------------------

CTL1616 can be ordered online, the price about 8 USD. The original battery has letter JAPAN without number 2 engraving. Avoid to short the terminals by using a plastic tweezer:

http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o123/asuoab/CTL1616/01.jpg

The easiest side for removing the band is Red-G button side from the left because on this side the holder covers on the most of the back-case:

http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o123/asuoab/CTL1616/02.jpg

Use a flat-screwdriver to push the screw out of the plastic link (this is a buffer-link between stainless steel links and the watch-lug). You may turn the screwdriver when pushing, but it is not necessary because this shaft has no thread. You may need a little liquid soap drop for lubricant.

http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o123/asuoab/CTL1616/03.jpg

The shaft is permanent attached to the watch lug. The rubber holder-link works in combination with 4 back-screws helps to hold the back tight.

http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o123/asuoab/CTL1616/04.jpg

After 4 screws are removed, slightly slide the back out off the other end. If slide too fast, three important springs will fly away, and causes two problems: no charge, no alarm eventually. Write a note for different length on each spring-location. (one is shorter than another)

http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o123/asuoab/CTL1616/05.jpg

Gently lift those springs out and keep in safe place before removing shock-absorbing rubber cushion. After this you should see battery compartment is underneath of another white-plastic panel:

http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o123/asuoab/CTL1616/12.jpg

On the battery-compartment has an instruction-label that need to be followed after battery is replaced. Pay attention on them.

http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o123/asuoab/CTL1616/06.jpg

One side of panel has a latch that holds the battery down. If you look closely by using a magnified loupe you will figure it out how to un-latch: Use flat-screw driver push-pull the latch to the left:

http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o123/asuoab/CTL1616/09.jpg

Use plastic tweezer for battery replacing: Pickup the old one out and properly recycle. (Lithium toxic). Insert the new one in carefully, avoid to zap the terminals with other metal parts.

http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o123/asuoab/CTL1616/07.jpg

After placed the new battery in its compartment properly. Blow dust out, neither leave the finger-prints on the battery terminals nor the movement. (it contains salt and oil will rust the watch). As usually I used latex gloves:

http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o123/asuoab/CTL1616/08.jpg

Check the latch is hooked downmost to the base surely. Return all contact-springs back to the same places where they belong to after put the insulation plastic and rubber cushion back. The assembly-principle is "Last out, First in" (LOFI)

http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o123/asuoab/CTL1616/10.jpg

Use a small tip metal tweezer to short (-) and (AC) terminals per instruction before closing the back. Look at the display should see all digital-segments flash up.
Apply Silicone Lubricant on the gasket. This special grease will prevent the water from leaking into the watch, but will not deteriorate the rubber gasket. If you could buy a new gasket it would be perfect, otherwise use the same old one, then it is still working great. Tightly, evenly srew the back-case, but not exceedingly. (the plastic threads may be 'screwed-up')

http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o123/asuoab/CTL1616/11.jpg

I put my watch into a bowl of water (for coolant), then bring it under sun-beam for an hour ensure fully charge it, but not burn it. Test synchronous, alarm, light... all functions are working good:

http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o123/asuoab/CTL1616/13.jpg

[d.kauffmann]

Where did you get the new battery? I've been searching all over the internet and can't find a CTL1616. My husband's watch is about 4-5 years old now and the batttery isn't holding it's charge. In fact the watch is a GW-300, that's how old it is.

Thanks,

d. kauffmann:thanks

[asuoab]

Where did you get the new battery? I've been searching all over the internet and can't find a CTL1616. My husband's watch is about 4-5 years old now and the batttery isn't holding it's charge. In fact the watch is a GW-300, that's how old it is.

Thanks,

d. kauffmann:thanks

Dear D.Kauffmann,

I ordered it at an online store (http://www.americanperfit.com/) . Click on the Accessories (http://apc321.fatcow.com/store/index.html) button, then Batteries (http://apc321.fatcow.com/store/page10.html) button.
That only one store I known, but if someone know a better one please post.

Dec 25th 2006.
PS: My family here including my wife and two sons in Anaheim California wish all WatchUSEEK's members a Merry Christmas! santasmile

[farmnMo]

WOW! Those are awesome pictures. I wish I had seen this prior to working on my GW 300. I promptly lost 2 of the springs. My questions are:
1) Can I disconnect the solar recharge and simply put in a non-rechargeable battery? My last two GW300's have lost power after 2 years. I think the non rechargeables would give me at least that much time, are cheaper, and are more available.
2) In the 9th photo what is the plate just below the watch band (it says "up",has a flat head screw in it, and has a spring that makes contact with it)? Is it the receiver?
I love this watch :-) but the battery really stinks.:-|
Oh yeah, is there a place I can get the springs? Thanks for the help.

[GMT-II]

Does anybody know the purpose of the spring on the pic?

I lost it when i am changing the batt but it seems did not affect any of the operation of the watch. :-s

http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o123/asuoab/CTL1616/12.jpg

[BruceS]

Does anybody know the purpose of the spring on the pic?

I lost it when i am changing the batt but it seems did not affect any of the operation of the watch. :-s

http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o123/asuoab/CTL1616/12.jpg

Is that the alarm spring I've read about perhaps?

[GMT-II]

Is that the alarm spring I've read about perhaps?

Woo.. I think so. Guess I just need to get some replacement. Thks. :-!

[ron281969]

yes there is an noise spring on right side of photo but other two on left side are for battery charge.

[siewth]

CTL1616 = 2.3 Volt rechargeable by selfwatch solar cell
CR1616 = 3 Volt non rechargeble can use but beware about voltage different

[asuoab]

Is that the alarm spring I've read about perhaps?

Sorry BruceS, I never been here for a while, just saw your question today.

There are two spring for alarm (one signal, one ground) the third spring (most right) for touching front solar panel.

[asuoab]

WOW! Those are awesome pictures. I wish I had seen this prior to working on my GW 300. I promptly lost 2 of the springs. My questions are:
1) Can I disconnect the solar recharge and simply put in a non-rechargeable battery? My last two GW300's have lost power after 2 years. I think the non rechargeables would give me at least that much time, are cheaper, and are more available.
2) In the 9th photo what is the plate just below the watch band (it says "up",has a flat head screw in it, and has a spring that makes contact with it)? Is it the receiver?
I love this watch :-) but the battery really stinks.:-|
Oh yeah, is there a place I can get the springs? Thanks for the help.

Oh no! I've been busy at the time you posted here sorry for the lost springs.
1. You can use non-rechargeable to replace, but highly recommended to use the correct nominal voltage 2.3V (CTL1616)
2. +Up indicates the battery polarity only, not the receiver.

I like this watch too because the outer looked like a robot. b-)

[Cabbai]

Great tutorial, thanks!
Any place I can order a CTL1616 battery within the EU?
Cheers

[asuoab]

Great tutorial, thanks!
Any place I can order a CTL1616 battery within the EU?
Cheers

Hi Cabbai,

Thank you for viewing. The only one place I have known is Americanperfit. I have seen they accepted Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Americanexpress, then probably they accepting international purchases as well.

Email them first for inquiry. I used to sent some vintage mechanical watch to EU using international flat rate in provided hard carton envelope at USPS without any damage.

Cheers.:-!

[tinkerman]

asuoab,
This post is a close match to the model I have in that mine has the same shaped backing plate. My watch died on me and felt it was the battery that is the problem. But my biggest problem is my 2yr old grand daughter came to play and got a hold of the watch while apart, ARG!! I need a pictoral view of my particular model GW300-1a (2608) showing or instructing me to which spring goes where since they are not all equal. I could really use some help from you or anyone out there in this forum with this information, thanks.

[Kdarmy]

Quote: "Use a flat-screwdriver to push the screw out of the plastic link (this is a buffer-link between stainless steel links and the watch-lug). You may turn the screwdriver when pushing, but it is not necessary because this shaft has no thread. You may need a little liquid soap drop for lubricant."

Are you sure about this? :-s

I can't believe that to remove the resin part from the watch to access the back cover requires it to be pried from the shaft.

I just bought the G011-D G-Shock and it has the same setup as seen in your pictures, but the difference is that the resin part in question is also covered by metal from the band...bottom line is, this part is not going to be pried apart to remove it as seen in your picture.

If I were to take this band off as described, the band would be trashed. :-(

I am sure that the screws do indeed screw together. If you refer to the post "How to change a G-Shock Battery: Addendum special models." you can see the Wademan picture which shows screws of the same type in question which have indeed been unscrewed from each other.


Regards,
Keith

[chasm]

Where did you get the new battery? I've been searching all over the internet and can't find a CTL1616. My husband's watch is about 4-5 years old now and the batttery isn't holding it's charge. In fact the watch is a GW-300, that's how old it is.

Thanks,

d. kauffmann:thanks


batteryBob.com wrote:
> That CTL1616 is a capacitor used in solar and kinetic movement watches made
> by Casio and others.



this is a source for the "battery" for the solar/atomic watches as stated above. Bob, who continued a lengthy offline discussion from his website on Christmas Eve, was evidently quite knowledgable about electronics and if he says that it is a solar charged capacitor, I would agree with him. I say that because I am an old ham operator. And the manner in which mine dies abruptly says that is exactly what it is. a capacitor. it does not slowly fade away, it is either there, or it is completely dead. but it will recharge in the daylight. HOW LONG I should charge it is something entirely unknown as the instruction manual is so pathetic that even after I ripped off all the language sections I did not need, I was still left with very little of any value.
fwiw
chas

[Swatch]

Hi, I am not a expert in this kind of G-Shock, but why buy this models if other models with a normal battery can be used without replace the battery for almost 2 years and more???

[Doni]

Hi, I am not a expert in this kind of G-Shock, but why buy this models if other models with a normal battery can be used without replace the battery for almost 2 years and more???

This was the issue only with the earlier solar/atomic G-shocks. It was a substandard batch of battery cells they had inside, wich quickly wore out in about 1.5 - 2 years of usage. Today they (supposedly) fixed the problem, coming up with a new batch of CTL1616 in the new watches, wich read "JAPAN 2" instead of just "JAPAN" on the back. We'll see how long this one should last.

[chasm]

This was the issue only with the earlier solar/atomic G-shocks. It was a substandard batch of battery cells they had inside, wich quickly wore out in about 1.5 - 2 years of usage. Today they (supposedly) fixed the problem, coming up with a new batch of CTL1616 in the new watches, wich read "JAPAN 2" instead of just "JAPAN" on the back. We'll see how long this one should last.
I surely hope that the two CTL1616 which i ordered (how many does my GW500A require?) from BatteryBob.com have this marking on the back of the capacitors.
also, where do you get nylon tweezers? just kidding, i have a minimal set for maintaining my computers. thanks for that heads up Doni. regards

[DrLex]

I have a WV-100, bought in December 2003. I started noticing that the watch had trouble staying at full charge about half a year ago. Now it's downright impossible to get it to 'full' level, no matter how long I leave it in direct sunlight. The watch stays one level below 'full' which would still enable all functions, but when I try to use the EL light, the 'Recover' indicator shows up immediately. It probably won't be long before it will also start 'recovering' when playing alarm beeps.
4 years isn't that bad, but the FAQ on the Casio site says that the battery should last as long as the watch, and the reason why I bought a solar watch was that I never wanted to change the battery. Well, it seems like I'll have to do it anyway :-( Even if the replacement would only last 4 years, I would still be happy, because I know I won't be able to resist buying a new watch in 4 years ;-)

Has anyone from Europe ordered at americanperfit.com? They sell the CTL1616 for US$8.5, which is only €5.8 these days. Unless they would charge an outrageous shipping fee, that price will be impossible to beat by any European store (the cheapest I could find here was in some UK shops who sell the battery for at least £10, i.e. €13).

[Cabbai]

I have a WV-100, bought in December 2003. I started noticing that the watch had trouble staying at full charge about half a year ago. Now it's downright impossible to get it to 'full' level, no matter how long I leave it in direct sunlight. The watch stays one level below 'full' which would still enable all functions, but when I try to use the EL light, the 'Recover' indicator shows up immediately. It probably won't be long before it will also start 'recovering' when playing alarm beeps.
4 years isn't that bad, but the FAQ on the Casio site says that the battery should last as long as the watch, and the reason why I bought a solar watch was that I never wanted to change the battery. Well, it seems like I'll have to do it anyway :-( Even if the replacement would only last 4 years, I would still be happy, because I know I won't be able to resist buying a new watch in 4 years ;-)

Has anyone from Europe ordered at americanperfit.com? They sell the CTL1616 for US$8.5, which is only €5.8 these days. Unless they would charge an outrageous shipping fee, that price will be impossible to beat by any European store (the cheapest I could find here was in some UK shops who sell the battery for at least £10, i.e. €13).


I have DrLex. I bought one for my USLA Gulfman and they charged me no extra shipping cost at all. However I cannot remember how much I paid for it as I've lot the receipt. I believe they charged me only what was stated on their website.
I live in Spain by the shores of the Mediterranean b-)b-)b-)b-)b-)

[DrLex]

I have DrLex. I bought one for my USLA Gulfman and they charged me no extra shipping cost at all. However I cannot remember how much I paid for it as I've lot the receipt. I believe they charged me only what was stated on their website.
Indeed, I got an e-mail reply from them and shipping & handling is only $3.75. I'm placing my order now :-!

I live in Spain by the shores of the Mediterranean b-)b-)b-)b-)b-)
Seems like an ideal place for a solar watch ;-)

[Zdfwflyer]

My G Shock 1500 analog/digital combo (module 3366) needs new rechargeable.
Is the CTL1616 correct one and how many?
Watch keeps time OK but displays R for recover and light and will not check Ft. Collins in automatic.
I have bought from Battery Bob before and want to be sure to order right cell.
Also what is good source for plastic tweezers?

[DrLex]

My G Shock 1500 analog/digital combo (module 3366) needs new rechargeable.
Is the CTL1616 correct one and how many?
Watch keeps time OK but displays R for recover and light and will not check Ft. Collins in automatic.
I have bought from Battery Bob before and want to be sure to order right cell.
Also what is good source for plastic tweezers?
Yes, according to information I find on the web, it uses the CTL1616, but I don't know how many. The most sure way to find out is to open the watch.

[DAY8293A]

Hi,, my first post on here. I have the gw-300. The battery indicator has been showing low, and the screen going blank. I tried putting it in the sun, but it would charge , and go blank at night. I opened it and got a battery, but it was not a rechargable ctl 1616. I replaced the cover, but the rubber seal has stretched. I don't know if it has resealed or not. But, the good thing is that it is now charging, I think. I won't know until the morning. I have been keeping it under a light for a few hours. The indicator is showing mid range on the charge. I felt like others, that the advertisement said you would never need a battery, and am disappointed. I got the watch around 2001, I think, and have not been wearing the watch very much until just lately. I cleaned around the edges of the watch before I opened it and feel that helped in the fact that it now seems to be charging again. Wonder if that is what some of the others needed?? Just a good cleaning?? How long have these batteries been lasting??,, thanks,, DAY,,,

[gshockman]

wow... thanks for that mini how to tutorial... I would just add to be careful with the rubber seal... I was changing the battery of a gshock some time ago, and the rubber seal fell out... Good thing i noticed it.

[Catch22]

How are the metal screws removed in order to release the bracelet?

The original description does not show this clearly enough.

Catch22

[marxman99]

I have this same watch. I removed the back prior to seeing these instructions. Having done so I now have a question around the small springs. How many springs should there be? I have three (3); a long one and two (2) short ones. I have read various forums and cannot seem to get a clear understanding on how many this model should have. Also, I have seen the question asked many times and no answer as to are there any sources for obtaining replacement springs.

Thanks for your time and excellent photos

[leem]

Great instructions! I much prefer a $12 battery and a $6 screwdriver to scrapping a $90 watch.

Let me add these notes from fixing my 5 year old GW-500A with a Module number of 2688. Has the same layout as the watch shown in the pictures.

American Perfit was my source for the CTL1616 battery.

I set up a work space with a bright light, a Magna-visor, a hand lens, and a sheet of paper to make a disassembly sketch as I went. If you are over 50 yes you will do better work with really good light!

I used two jeweler's screwdrivers with 2 mm wide flat blades to hold and turn the wrist band screws. I noted in my sketch that the band with the buckle goes to the top of the watch case. My watch bands were dirty so I removed both of them and scrubbed them with a brush and dish detergent.

If your watch is dirty, clean the case with a toothbrush and detergent or use an ultrasonic jewlery cleaner if available.

I used a size #00 Philips screwdriver to open the case.

Regarding the three springs: The picture labeled "05.jpg" above shows tweezers holding the "long" spring. In my watch this spring is 10.56 mm long. In the same picture, just out of focus behind the tweezer tips is one of the "short springs". In my watch this spring is 4.15 mm long. You can tell the difference in size by visual inspection. On reassembly, handle the long spring first and if it is in the wrong hole it will stick out clearly.

On reassembling my watch, I had problems getting the gasket groove clean. A cotton swab is too big and a toothpick is too small to clean grit out of the gasket groove. If I have a leak it is because I may have left a piece of grit in the gasket groove.

[JohnDiamant]

Sorry BruceS, I never been here for a while, just saw your question today.

There are two spring for alarm (one signal, one ground) the third spring (most right) for touching front solar panel.

Can you tell us where the 3rd (most right / solor panel) spring belongs? Is this the hole near the "up" indicator (top center) or is this the lower right hole (different of your pictures show a spring in each of those two spots). I understand the alarm springs are the ones near the upper left (the long one) and the one on the lower left side of the battery, right?

Thanks.

[DragonJade]

Can you tell us where the 3rd (most right / solor panel) spring belongs? Is this the hole near the "up" indicator (top center) or is this the lower right hole (different of your pictures show a spring in each of those two spots). I understand the alarm springs are the ones near the upper left (the long one) and the one on the lower left side of the battery, right?

Thanks.

You don't say what watch you have specifically, but this might help:

When you open up your watch and remove the metal back plate, there is a rubber disc with several holes in. This should help you work out where the springs go. The springs will poke though these holes.

[m3rs4]

Can you tell us where the 3rd (most right / solor panel) spring belongs? Is this the hole near the "up" indicator (top center) or is this the lower right hole (different of your pictures show a spring in each of those two spots). I understand the alarm springs are the ones near the upper left (the long one) and the one on the lower left side of the battery, right?

Thanks.

#1 spring : on right is for the alarm, &
#2 spring : on lower left is -ve terminal of solar panel.
#3 spring : on upper left, unknown.

there are 2 more springs (not in picture) on the far right underneath the watch module. I believe they are +ve terminal of solar panel.