Bench Testing Seiko 3823 Movement

[RickTock]

Hi folks,

Does anyone have any good ideas on how to bench test a vintage Seiko 3823 movement while uncased? Unlike modern quartz movements, one cant just drop a battery in to get the movement running. This movement depends on being installed in its front-load case and with the screw-down battery hatch closed in order to run. Makes it tricky to trouble-shoot when one can't see what's going on with the movement running.

Thanks!

[JohnR725]

Bulova once made something perfect for this movement holder that you can attach a battery like this

Otherwise you have to make your own battery holder and a variety of tiny electrical clips work just fine.

 

[watchweasol]

Hi use an independent  power supply easy enough to make, using a battery  1.5v or a dual purpose one that caters for 3v as well. Made one my self like the Bulova one but then improved on it by building a test unit by a chap named Catt from the net which is very good.

[rossjackson01]

1 hour ago, watchweasol said:

Hi use an independent  power supply easy enough to make, using a battery  1.5v or a dual purpose one that caters for 3v as well. Made one my self like the Bulova one but then improved on it by building a test unit by a chap named Catt from the net which is very good.

Not that I will work on a quartz watch. Bur what you said sounds interesting. Do you have a photograph of your unit, or al least a link for the YouTube 'Catt'. I can't find anything under the name of Catt that gives information about watches.

Hope your having a good Christmas.

I was just putting my Christmas presents, tools, away and decided to look at the  forum. Sad I know.

[watchweasol]

Hi Ross when I go into the shop I will do the business, pictures and I will find the information on how to build it for you. 

[JohnR725]

8 hours ago, rossjackson01 said:

Sad I know.

Yes you're going to have to make a New Year's resolution to get a life and not spend so much time here oh wait, I suppose that means I'd have to make the same silly New Year's resolution of having a life and spending too much time here so just forget about that silly thing everyone has to have a hobby.

8 hours ago, rossjackson01 said:

Catt

It's a secret code word you need the secret decoder ring to grasp its meaning.

It's a reference to something forbidden at least by a horological Association Which is explained in the paragraphs on the webpage.

http://www.pocketwatchrepair.com/catt/pwr-supply.php

Here's another example of something similar. Then if you didn't have the Bulova holder for electronics they do make nice small clips that will clip on to the watch itself without a problem. Because that's typically what I do with my power supply just don't have a picture of the clips that I'm using but I see if I find something

https://electric-watches.co.uk/accutron-test-meter-mark-3/

Here's what I'm using what I work on electric watches their very nice and tiny and providing you have really lightweight wire that don't pull on anything but basically any of the really tiny microbe grabbing for electronics would work

Here's a link to all kinds of places you can buy them from then you do want to buy them into separate colors C keep track your plus and minus so typically that The red and black

https://www.pomonaelectronics.com/products/test-clips/micrograbber-test-clip-do-it-yourself-available-ten-colors

 

 

 

 

[watchweasol]

Hi Ross. @JohnR725 has done the job for me.  The link John has provided to Martin Catt is the one and contains all the plans ( printabl) for you.     Thanks John and Merry Christmas to you.    Making resolutions is half the fun the other is breaking the.

[LittleWatchShop]

15 hours ago, JohnR725 said:

Bulova once made something perfect for this movement holder that you can attach a battery like this

Otherwise you have to make your own battery holder and a variety of tiny electrical clips work just fine.

 

 

[RickTock]

Thanks folks, quick update:

I was able to locate a Bulova Universal Movement Holder No. 300. I think it will really help with bench testing, but have another issue (see Soldering Advice thread) to overcome before I get to that stage.

I was really intrigued by the Catt Variable Voltage Power Supply (linked above in this thread) and started poking around looking at sourcing the components. But I run out of knowledge when when specifying required resistors, etc., as I can find many with the author's requirements for resistance, tolerance, etc but see many options for specified power (in Watts) and am unsure of how to calculate appropriate power specs for each component. Any advice would be mose appreciated.

Here a material list from the author:

And the sort of thing I'm seeing on a component vendor's site:

Thanks!

Edited January 10, 2024 by RickTock

[JohnR725]

 

everything on the schematic is low-power so typically would use 1/4 watt but if you're really worried about it you could have 1/2 but that would kinda be overkill perhaps