Charging Solar watches - Natural vs. Artificial light experiment using Seiko Digital Tuna
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 มิ.ย. 2018
- The new Seiko Digital Tuna SBEP001 has a unique function of measuring the level of the charge it gets from different light sources which gave me an idea of comparing natural daylight (both cloudy and sunny) to an LED flashlight to see which is better.
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Nice video, and very practical test. 😎 I'm curious to know what level of charge you get off a regular incandescent light bulb though.
Sometimes it's not just about intensity of light, but specific wavelengths that are optimal for the solar cell. And LEDs have a very narrow band of wavelengths that they give off. Even to the point there is no real white light LED. They accomplish it by a couple of different tricks. Either putting a red, yellow, and blue leds very close together. Or by using blue leds that pass through a phosphor that emits yellow light. Such that the led passes through, but mixes with the light produced by the phosphor from florescence to look white.
Keep up the good work!
Thanks and you just had me roaming around my house trying to find an incandescent bulb as almost all I have is LED.
I DID however find one and just tested it.... At 20cm it is at level 2, at 15cm it is 3, at 10cm it is at level 4, at 5cm it is level 5 and if I put it almost touching the lightbulb it goes to 6 but it burns my hand so it cannot be good for the watch.
I think you are on to something as the bulb doesn't appear as bright as the LED and yet it gets even better results 👍😄
LOL, now that I think about it, I've replaced about all of mine with LEDs too. Thanks for going the extra mile. Either way, your right in that it easier, cheaper, and more efficient just to use the sun. 👍
You are quite right it's all about the wavelengths and spectrum of the lights being used more towards the ultraviolet end of the spectrum.
@@WatchGeek try using TL lights ( like old study lamps) and compare to your LED lights.
im using an 8 year casio S800 ( cheap low end solar watch) and i find it helpful when i cant get out sunbathing my watch on rainy day ( im in tropical , so it took 2 months of indoor prob to deplete mine to low )
Great comment. An aquarium full spectrum LED light (the kind for keeping planted aquariums happy) will work pretty well as they have white, blue and red mixes to simulate a more realistic sunlight effect. I do agree that there is nothing better than real sun and a south facing window is the best but if one is in a place where this is difficult to obtain for the watches a light like this on a timer will do a decent job.
"...finding logic in watch collecting is almost impossible..." So true.
As usual, enjoyable video with interesting information. Keep it up mate ;)
I take my watch outside so he can pee and play, is a very happy watch.
😂😂😂😂👍
😂😂💀
Nice one 😂👍
It’s a good boy, yes it is!!
Don't forget to check his homework completed.
thanks for the great video. one question my g shock mtg got completely drained... after charging will the battery life get bad as it was drained once? Thank u :)
Great informational video, keep it up and cheers from Southern California!
Thanks 😊
I work midnights.
I put the watch on the window sill after I get home
Has run perfect for years, no money spent on a charger
very useful, thank You Sir!
Since I bought my second watch I stopped using my gw-3500 on every day basis, and for a month and a half watch just lays on top of my desk in pretty dark room with curtains always on. But when I get home I turn on the light, and it also LED light - just two bulbs 7W each to lit the room, and charge level always stays on high level.
Excellent video! Well done, buddie. Love your watches.
Thanks for flashing that light in my eyes
Usefull indeed. Thank you .
This is great! I had been wondering about this!!
Me too, which is why I decided to do the video, I'm glad to know I wasn't the only one interested in that 😄
Good info, thanks. I typically use the sunshine outdoors to charge my solar watches. In winter when it gets to -40 outside, I use the sunlight that comes in via the windows. :)
Great content! Thanks so much! You should also try one of those smart lamps and see what different colors would do.
I live in Sweden. We don't have sunlight in the winter, so I need one of those gadgets
Great video. I have a Casio GRB100, does it need to be in direct sunlight for it to charge?
The kind of LED light matters a LOT i have noticed. You can test this well with a solar calculator. Flashlights and their single cold-white LEDs really aren't suitable for charging solar watched. But if you lay it under one the shade of a desklamp that you have turned on during the evening, it will suck up that energy from the light at close proximity a lot better and getting quite a lot of power from it. And it's not wasted because you would have turned on the lamp anyway. Keeping that in mind also makes you more aware of what lights to use at your home and where to place them. All to keep the "no-light" periods for your solar watch as short as possible.
Good video, thank you. What model Seiko was that?
Im curious to see if UV light is the key to perhaps charging it faster
So what were the model numbers for the 2 “G-Shocks” shown in this video?
Thank you for shading some light on this l always wonder about!! Thanxs for the clarification!! :-)
weedXD38 shading some light?
You might need a charging station in scandinavia here we got several months without sunshine each year
Vidar Mathisen I own three Tough Solar G-Shocks, and have never seen the battery indicator drop below Medium on any of them, and I live in constantly cloudy Bergen.
I was in Norway for 2 months. ..my protrek kind of died there. Now it works but no matter how much you try to charge it, if I use the compass or the light the power level goes to the minimum straight away (LMH warning sign)....apparently this can be solved by disconnecting the internal battery and connecting it again, but I haven't tried...don't want to open the watch. Any other mean to solve this?
@@STEALTH1DAN seems a bit defective sounding
@@STEALTH1DAN when there was an article that says norway is one of longest sunlight duration ( prob not sunny but beats no sunlight at all right?
Hello Sir,
Great to connect i have a Seiko solar divers edition and the charge has drained. Kept it in direct sunlight but in vain any recommendation will be appreciated.
Sir pls solve my problem pls pls pls I'm having a csio youth series watch how many hours should I keep it in sunlight to have that radium light pls pls pls
Every video I have watched from yourself has been a worthwhile and interesting experiance, I always feel that my time is well spent!
I really appreciate your high standards of accuracy and delivery!!
Great job Sir
!!
Thank you very much for the nice words. Make sure to watch this Sunday as you will be able to participate in a giveaway
I shall attend the gathering Sir!
FYI.
If you bring your flash light closer to the watch (touching the face of the watch) your charge lever will increase. Could reach level 6-7 with that flash light of yours.
It’s called LUX.
The closer light source to the solar panel the more energy it produces.
You have a valid point about charging stations.
Just make sure your tests are as accurate as possible ( like keeping the light on the watch, not half way)
Thank you for the video.
Hi im new to gshock, i just bought a tough solar gshock, but the battery level didnt rise when i use torchlight to charge
@@mygamingchannel8555 try timing how long it takes for the battery to lower without using the torch, and then compare it with the use of the torch.
As I jusr aquired my first solar, I am extremely aware of this. I am glad I can use daylight and as much light from inside places, as I rarely use long-sleeved t-shirts
Cause I’m disabled paralyzed from the waist down and am wheelchair dependent. So it’s pretty tough to get outside much. And it’s really silly and begging for someone to see my watch and steal it. So things like that Coolfire charger for 28 bucks on Amazon is a huge advantage for me. Just saying direct sun light isn’t available to me in my life style. My main piece I have used the charger on is my MTGB1000-1AB.
I have a Casio Pro Trek with its original battery that’s 15 years old that I’ve charged regularly with a small lamp at my watch storage station. I use sunlight mostly but winter can make that difficult, but my little focused light works amazingly.
I understand that the sun is most the efficient. However, I live in a northern city and my watch box sits at a north facing window. This scenario simply does not provide ideal solar exposure for my collection of watches. Any discussion on the best forms of artificial light would be great. Cheers!
Hello, i have a watch question unrelated to this topic. i have a seiko, and i believe its a model SKA-085, a kinetic automatic that i got used unworking. figured itd be the capacitor, so i bought an entirely new one which was almost impossible for me to find, and it went from being unable to charge, to keeping about 24 hours worth of battery from a hard, constant 30 minute shake. rediculous. any thoughts as to what it could be now? thanks
Good post which identifies the some of the few issues with solar watches. Solar watches are good, particularly the ones with the Citizen Eco-drive movement.
If you need a quick charge in an emergency, use your cars halogen headlight on full beam. Place watch around 1 meter distance from headlight and in 30min or so it will provide enough charge for a few days use. Check the watch isn't getting too hot after a few minutes, and increase the distance if it is. Discovered this when camping during a dive holiday. Necessity is the mother of invention!
I have a gshock that a bought a 2years ago and loved so much. But I then I got an apple watch a year later and out the gshock in my draw
I took it out the other day and was shock when I say it was dead. I thought I have to buy a new batter. I put it on my desk and today I say “Chg” blinking. I looked up what that mean and saw this video and now it make total since. NEVER put the gshock away. And now I love my watch even more.
Thank you for this content, it was very helpful.
Totally correct, but I'm the exception. My room is pretty dark and I can't charge them all up by using them. I own about 80 watches (83, I believe) and their turn comes just once in a while. I converted a normal watch box (no glass) to a charging station with LED lights inside and a switch. I turn on the lights inside the box and let it run for some time and then turn it off in the evening. There is a bit of light bleeding from the case, that's why I don't let it run at night. I own 7 solar watches, all Casio and they are always on High for me, so it works if you really wanna do it. But I agree, for normal people who don't own 83 watches, it's as simple as going outside and touch grass for a while.
Nice to see Gulfmaster! Keep up the excellent work!
Thanks
Very cool and informative. Thanks
Thanks 😊
hello sir, couldn't agree more with you in this topic. to me practicality is everything. thank you again for your englighment. keep it coming. cheers. :)
Thanks for watching.... Again 😁👍
Excellent tests and useful knowledge. Thanks.
Thank you very much for giving us this proof bro totally awesome content 👍👍👍
I have problems in the winter (i live in michigan so it gets very cold) because i always have the watch covered by a long sleeve hoodie or coat, even at work and around the house i wear sweatshirts most of the time.
On my desk at work i have an illuminated magnifying glass with a ring fluorescent bulb that i sometimes take my watch off and set it under.
Its probably no better than the flashlight.
Have you compared flashlight vs fluorescent light?
Informative video! Just subbed.:) Have had problems charging citizen eco-drive, Casio solar watches. Staying away from solar watches for now. What model is that seiko? I have never seen a watch that measures light intensity.
Digital Tuna
Yeah thanks for shining that bright light in our eyes 👀
I just put em in a window (not in direct sunlight) and the battery is always on high.
great video indeed !! thanks, I wonder if it is possible to have the same strength of light through the glass of a window. meaning: can i have the same level of charge if I kept my watch by the window? or does it have to be in an open area without any barrier even a glass????? what do you think... hope if you can demonstrate it
I've had the square Casio Solar Watch for a couple of months now, and it's always showing medium charge. It could be that it's because it's winter in the UK, and hence it's not getting a lot of sun. I sometimes pull my sleeve up a bit when outdoors to expose it to sunlight a bit.
I've left it in my window for hours during the day (but it's not in direct sunlight) to see if it will make a difference to the charge level, and so far haven't had any luck. What sort of charge level does your Seiko watch get when left in a window during the day, but not in direct sunlight? Do you know what charge level is required to create a positive balance of energy throughout the day?
I'm sure when summer comes along the watch will be fine, as it will get much more sun exposure, so I hope the battery stays charged until then.
Try keeping it on a window sill such that the watchface has a clear view of the sky or at least some line of sight to the sky. Do this for 3-4 days and you'll see the charge indicator go from medium to high. Try keeping the watch on your windowsills as much as possible for the battery to get a good amount of juice. Once it's fully charged, you only need a few minutes of exposure to light everyday and it'll stay on high. Worked for me for my Gravitymaster. I lived in the UK countryside for 5 years and I know it gets pretty overcast, especially during winters.
Fascinating!!!
Well, here in northern scandinavia days are very short in winter and I am in an office at work in the few hours of daylight , maybe wearing longsleeve that cover the watch or working infront of a monitor with only light in the roof, add some use of the functions of the watch and you can run out of juice. It has happened.
I have g shock and citizen eco drive solar watches. I keep them in a hard waterproof case with no light at all. Recently found out its bad to let them die and all of them did die so i put it on the dash of my car in sunlight. The screen turned black on the g shocks and was really hot so put them in the freezer to cool it down.... how much damage did i cause doing this? Is my watches messed up for life now? The screens went back to normal and function as normal but takes forever to reach full charge and usually stay at medium charge
Genius man thanks.
Hi, does protrek has feature like indicating the charging level?
I do need to put the watch in off position in order to charge?
I was going to conduct this same test, now I do not have to. Thank you
Why do you need to put your watch on a window sill at all (at normal latitudes in the U.S.)? If you have a watch that supposedly can store a ten month charge, then it would seem that just wearing a short sleeve shirt in the summer would keep your watch charged enough to make it through the winter months. Any thoughts?
Perfect review!
A bought a used Citizen Eco Drive and when I got it it was dead. I've tried to charge it for five days now but it's still jumping every 2nd second.
Any tips of what to do?
I charge it in the window in sun light during the day and all night in artifical light.
I use my bright LED desk lamp, and I measured lux, and they are above measurements limit, and works for my watches really great! 😁
P.S. During Summer I don't need it, just Winter.
Ok, I now want the Seiko watch you showed in the video; because you really can never have enough watches. What is the model number? I did just buy the full metal Casio G-Shock GMW-B5000 but am finding it difficult to get the watch to charge above the indicated 20% mark as indicated by the paired app. Even left it outside for two days.
Thanks for the video.
I have a new Casio GA-B2100. I got it as a Christmas present. In the UK that is the season of murky grey skies , a low sun and short days. I noticed my watch dropped from full to medium charge immediately after set up. I thought I would charge it up by placing the watch in a window. It has been there for 3 days and no change from medium charge (despite one of the days being sunny). I even started placing it next to a lamp in the evening. So after four days of winter solar charging without being worn the watch is still displaying ‘m’. Is this normal?
Great videos, can you talk about overcharging solar watches; some watches have a protection against overcharging, could you make a video on this not sure if the Pro treks have it. I do know the Citizen Eco Drive Pro master BN0150-28E has it.
All solar watches have it so no worries 😁
Whats level of charging indoors when you are not wearing the watch? How many sunny days of wearing it will it take to recharge a battery?
Not sure what’s up with my full metal gmwb5000 but it said “LOW” this morning but I was out on a bright sunny day for 3hrs, now tonight it says “LOW” again 5 or 6 hrs later..?
It's worth mentioning that the reason LED flashlights (&lights) are ineffective in providing high energy light to a solar watch (or other solar panel) is the very same reason that they are efficient at providing bright light without consuming power at a high rate (thus the absence of energy reaching the solar panels). LED = Light Emitting Diode. The emitter does not act as a continuous light source; it's a rapidly flashing light emitter. Our vision isn't capable of observing this affect; this is why car LED fog and headlights look so weird when seen in our rear view reversing camera, but normal when viewed directly. Your welcome!
That's not why. And most LEDs don't operate that way. This comment is almost entirely made up. It's incandescent lights that blink at 60Hz. LEDs almost never do this except for some with odd dimmer functions. I used to work at Eaton Halo lighting.
It's the time integral of luminous flux that determines how bright it looks. So it doesn't matter if the source blinks at a 100Hz frequency. It's average energy over time
LEDs are just very effective at turning electrons into photons. 90% vs 4% efficiency compared to a tungsten filament.
Thanks for th information
1-7-2023 hello I recently got the GWM5610u and I was wondering are there different levels of low medium high in regards to power .meaning can you be in medium ,go out in the sun then be on high but if you stayed out in the sun you would get higher. Hope that makes sense.Wis-I like that!
I wish my watch had a feature like that, to measure the amount of power coming from a light source. Now I need to buy this Seiko :p
i hate you now you made me feel like I bought the wrong watch! :)
Have you tried this test with uv lights?
Good info, TY.
Helpful, thanks!
I like the way he talks with his hands when his hands are the only thing you can see besides the watches.
It reminds me of the guy on Svengoolie. You can only see his hands but he makes random movements like this guy to emphasize the fact that he's talking. He sometimes even has to let go of the watch to use his hands, as if he can't talk without them.
my solar watch went flat in April 2022 then I gave it a 5 hour charge and it worked. However in june 2022 it went flat again after I left it in a dark watch box for a while. Now I expose it to light but it ticks 2 seconds and doesn’t hold charge for long. What can I do to revive the battery?
Is my Seiko Solar Power watch completely dead? I haven't used it in a year as its been sitting on my shelf. Just recently i decided to charge my watch under the sun for 3 hours but nothing, not even any slight movement.
Is my battery completely dead that it needs replacement?
Lots of comments on the energy for charging solar powered watches. My question, in case it has not been asked is on ultraviolet light (UV Light). How would this light source affect the charge, at what level and would it charge the watch at a faster pace than sunlight? I appreciate your studies and your sharing of information. Great job on sharing on your videos.
yes, a small uv light would be sufficient to charge a solar watch. however uv lights are bad for humans. just like how sunlight is bad for humans.
be VERY careful with uv lights powerful ones can literally give you a sunburn in seconds. and even low power ones if left on in a room (it's invisible so you wouldn't notice) would give ve you a sunburn overnight. if not on for just a few moments it needs to be covered by a uv absorbing shell or put inside a container that blocks all light.
I have some problems with my watch , citizen e310 , I put it on high temperature then my watch stopped working, do you have any suggestions for me? What should I do first
I have a Bering solar watch, quite simply you just need to let it see some light, any light and it will keep going for a very long time. When I first took it out of the box, in the evening in a subdued lit room, it started working right away with 2 second jumps showing it was under charged. Within a couple of hours it was running normally. I know it will live for decades so long as it can have some light as it's food source
what's the seiko model?
Good review. @ 01:21, what model of -Shock, please?
If you are referring to the square gshock, it is a GW-S5600 with a replaced bezel and strap. I put a regular DW-5600 bezel and strap on it
I also have a krieger and the glow in the dark parts of it doesnt glow very long anymore but i place it under a blue led light and it starts to glow again but only for like 30 mins then the glows gets very weak. Whats up with this? why is this?
Thanks, that was very interesting info. liked and subscribed
What happen if you put it in a dark place dor a long period of time ?
Should I put the kings in the drawer in the dark. In the dark they turn off or should I put them out on display. If I put them out the kings will stay on
Good info and nice video.
Thanks
My watch is Casio Edifice tough solar model no 5123 Eqs-500
But unfortunately I traveled and left it for almost 6 month , now it's not working.. What do you think ? Can it work again ?
How much lux flashlight in test?
Dude. Succinct and very informative. Thanks.
Hey still liking the reviews,keep up the good work,how’s newfy getting on 🐕🐕🏴👍
Thanks, he's doing ok, he almost got put to sleep by incompetent vets but everything turned out ok
Hiya ive just watched your video on charging solar powered watchs. Now then i have Casio ECW-M300 E. 5117. IVE HAD THIS WATCH AROUND ABOUT 9/10 YEARS. NOW LAST WEEK I FOUND THAT BATTERY LEVEL .NEARLY C FOR CHARGING. SO MOST OF THE TIME AT THIS TIME OF YEAR ITS CLOUDY. SO PUT MY WATCH ON THE WINDOWSILL. TO CHARGE ITS BEEN THERE FOR 10DAYS AND NOW ITS REACH M ON CHARGING SCALL. SO IF WITH THESE CONDITIONS WILL THE WATCH BE FULLY CHARGED IN ANOYHER 10/14 DAYS? WHAT DO THINK
Hi what model is that watch your holding at 1:20? The blue one! Thanks in advance
GWN-Q1000 - first quad sensor G-SHOCK
Sir,
I truly enjoy the technical approach to your videos on timekeepers. I am seeking advice on thoughts concerning Seiko or Citizen for solar watches. I currently own as my daily and one and only timepiece, MWC P656 Titanium, Tridium, Sapphire, PVD coated 10 Year swiss quartz movement. I am considering as a replacement a solar Sieko or Citizen. Two have caught my eye,
SEIKO PROSPEX Watch V157-0CJ0 SOLAR QUARTZ FIELD MASTER and the Citizen Promaster Diver Eco-Drive Green Dial Men's Watch BN0227-17X plus variants to include other Citizen and Seiko Solar durable long lasting tanks. Something not overally tactical but durable for all situations and daily life.
Thoughts would greatly appreciated. This will end up being the last one and daily EDC and everything else watch for next 10 plus years.
Thanks so much! I was trying to find out if I should let my gshock solar die or go low from time to time or keep it fully charged all the time, as different types of batteries work differently and some store up a "memory" if you keep them always charged, which reduces the battery life greatly.
You answered my question that I should keep my watch as fully charged as possible. Thank you. 😁👍
What is the difference between the SBEP 1, 3 ,5 and 13?!only optics?prices are nearly the Same.
Odličan video! Jedno pitanje vezano za solarni sat, naime naručio sam G-shock GX-56BB-1 koji se puni ovim načinom, ali me zanima koliko utiče činjenica da je isti dugo ležao u mraku zapakovan u svojoj kutiji. Kako je Seiko ovaj problem riješio? Takodjer, da li mijenjanje ove baterije rade specijalizirani časovničari ili može svaki ozbiljan prodavač . Lp iz Sarajeva
I sami možete napraviti izmjenu baterije kada znate model. Jedino treba paziti da ne oštetite brtvu i sa se ista vrati pravilno prilikom zatvaranja.
Činjenica da je sat bio dugo u mraku ne bi trebala značiti ništa loše jer se problem javlja kod satova koji opetovano više puta bivaju ispražnjeni do kraja. Samo ćete trebati biti strpljivi jer će vjerojatno trebati dani da se probudi a vjerojatno tjedni da dođe do značajnog pomaka u nivou napunjenosti. Moj savjet je staviti ga na prozor da gleda prema van (ali ne direktno na sunce) i dajte mu bar 3-5 dana da dođe sebi
Watch Geek Hvala mnogo što ste izdvojili vremena da mi odgovorite! Lp
Hvala na pregledu i sretno sa satom 👍😊
Javite jel sve u redu kad ga dobijete, pozdrav iz Slavonskog Broda
Watch Geek Stigao, sve ok i bez problema! Da li neki od vaših videa odgovara mom modelu u smislu detaljnog nastimavanja i pregleda funkcija općenito? Pozz
Is it fairly easy to find someone that would fit solar batteries for my watch ?
nice one for that video the window chill it is from now on thanks........
Try to avoid leaving it in direct light to not overheat the battery
Very informative video. On the Casio G-shock “tough solar” digital watches, where exactly on the face of the watch is the solar cell which receives light and then charges the battery with it?
How abou the battery replacement series? I have one, but today the condition is off, maybe my seiko is getting low battery
what's model is casio square?that's model is with carbon fiber and you replacement band and bezel?thanks for your time
It is a GW-S5600 modified with a regular GW-M5610 bezel and strap.
Here's the review of it. It's the lightest G-Shock ever made as all stainless steel parts have been replaced with titanium.
th-cam.com/video/1NTA94LiUZ4/w-d-xo.html
Watch Geek and why did you change the carbon fiber you were not satisfied with?thanks for the information..
No, I simply want to save it for a possible future resale and I prefer the stealthy look of the regular matte resin
yeah, probably the best square g ever. featherlight!!! thank you for that great video, able to get that watch used and still in good condition. really recommended it. cheers. :)
hi i liked your video regarding solar powered watch...can you make a video for g-shock MTG-B1000?
If I ever get one I will
Good video. yeah i've as vid showing similar but using a solar cell and a multimeter to try and convince people that even these powerful LED flashlights are no match for the sun.
Hi🙂
I've bought a Casio WVQ110, new, but stored in his box from 2010. Now it's no working, but do you think that with a long and strong light exposure, it will come to life again? Or maybe it needs a new battery? I've seen that the right battery is a Panasonic CTL2015
Hi. I have Casio LIW-100TDJ. I stored this for 6-7 years. And it wasn't working. Average rechargeable batteries, they can last for 5-8 years. So i bought new battery and changed. Then placed direct to sun. And it's working like new. So i think you should buy new battery and replace the old one.