What Is Eco-Drive?

Citizen Eco-Drive watches use the simplest, yet most technically advanced  power generating and storage system in the Watch Manufacturing Industry. A Solar  Cell and a rechargeable battery are the power provider for these Quartz Watches.  Eco-Drive's ability to use light from any source to generate electrical power  means that the supply is limitless and free. The absence of any added complex  power generating machinery that would require additional upkeep is another big  advantage.

What Is A Solar Cell?

The Eco-Drive watch uses a microns thin disc of amorphus Silicon under the  dial to convert light energy into electrical energy through the photovoltaic  process. The electrical energy is  then stored in a rechargeable battery. The  charging is done in a more efficient manner than was ever before thought  possible. Because of this newly developed technology, it is now  practical to use  a wide variety of attractive dials.

What Kind Of Battery Is Used In  Eco-Drive?

The Lithium Ion battery. It is of such quality that the normal  charge/discharge cycle affects it to such a small degree that it doesn't need to  be replaced like an ordinary silver oxide  battery. With normal care and exposure  to light, the owner can be assured of a lifetime of reliable and trouble free  time-keeping. As an added benefit to the environment, it contains none  of the  caustic chemicals used in ordinary batteries.

My Instruction Book Refers To A Secondary  Battery; are There Two Batteries In My Watch?

No, there is only one battery in your Eco-Drive watch and it is a  rechargeable one, (referred to in paragraph above). Technically, a rechargeable  battery is often called a secondary  battery. Unlike Eco-Drive watches, most  quartz watches use a silver oxide battery technically referred to as a primary  battery which is used until it is depleted and then it's discarded.

How Long Will My Battery Last?

The battery will last for a lifetime of use. The factory engineers project  that even after twenty years, the battery will still have eighty percent of its  ability to be recharged.

What Does It Mean When The Second Hand On My  Watch Jumps 2 Seconds At A Time?

It means that the reserve power is getting low and that the  battery needs to be recharged. See Low Charge Warning Mode following

How Can I Tell If The Watch Is Not Getting  Enough Light?

In normal use, the watch displays the time and the sweep-second hand moves in  one second intervals. A very important feature of Eco-Drive is the Low Charge  Warning Mode which as a result of low battery voltage, causes the second hand to  jump two seconds at a time (while still keeping correct time). When this signal  is seen, the watch should be exposed to bright light  following the recharging  guidelines shown in its instruction manual. There are two exceptions to this  signal: the Eco-Drive two hand models and the Chronograph models.

Two  Hand Models
In The Two Hand models, the minute hand which normally moves  at 1/3 minute intervals, begins moving once every full minute to indicate that  it is in a Low Charge State.

Chronograph Models
In the  Chronograph Models, the second hand moves to the 'Charge' position on the dial  and remains there until it is sufficiently recharged or stops.

The Low  Charge  Warnings appear if the watch has not received sufficient light to  maintain its power reserve and is a reminder that the watch should be exposed to  bright light until it is charged up again. After it is sufficiently charged, the  second hand will go back to the normal one second jump by itself, this includes  the Chronograph models. The Two Hand models will resume normal  operation.

What Does It Mean When My Second Hand  Jumps Alternately In One And Two Second Steps?

It means that your watch has stopped and it needs to be charged up and set to  the correct time. See Time Reset Advisory following.

My Watch Is Running But Appears To Have Lost  Time.

A second important feature, Time Reset Advisory, warns that the watch has  stopped completely and then been exposed to enough light to start running again.  The time shown would likely be incorrect and need to be reset after recharging  the watch sufficiently. To indicate this warning, the sweep second hand movement  alternates between two, one second jumps and a two second  jump (hitch movement)  with the following two exceptions: the Eco-Drive two hand models and the  Eco-Drive Chronograph.

Two Hand Models
Time Reset Mode in the  two  hand models is indicated when the minute hand moves distinctly and quickly  in three 1/3 minute increments at the end of each full minute.

Chronograph Models
In the Chronograph models, the second hand  moves to the 'Set' indication on the dial.

How Do I Get It To Return To Normal  Operation?

After the watch has stopped and been restarted by exposure to bright light,  it will remain in the Time Reset Warning (hitch movement) mode until one or the  other of two things happen:

First, if the watch is set to the correct  time after partial recharging, the hitch movement will change to a two step  movement indicating that more charging is needed. While charging is continued,  the watch will keep correct time and after sufficient charging, will go back to  the regular one second step by itself.

Second, if the watch is not set  until after it is charged up to a sufficient level where the circuit signals the  watch to start the one second step again, it will stay in the Time Reset  Advisory (hitch) mode. However, after it has reached the above charge level, and  the time on the watch is set, it will go back to the normal one second step  movement.

The amount of charging time, under varying light conditions,  to go from a stopped watch to a one second step is shown in each instruction  book.

When the watch has received the charging time recommended in its  instruction  book and the time has been set, the hitch movement and the two step  movement will disappear. The sweep second hand on the Three Hand models and on  the Chronograph will then return to the  one second step and the minute hand on  the Two Hand models will return to the normal 1/3 minute stepping operation.  Reminder: the recharging time, shown in each instruction book will  differ  depending on the caliber number.

What Is The Quick Start Feature?

All Eco-Drive watches are equipped with a Quick Start Feature with the  exception of a few models. This means that in the event that the watch has been  stored where it had no exposure to light for recharging and had run until the  battery was completely discharged, several seconds exposure to bright light  would start it running. The instant the watch started running, it  would go into  the Time Reset Advisory Mode shown by the hitch movement (described previously  under the Time Reset Advisory section). The same charging requirements and  setting the  time would be necessary before the hitch movement would be  canceled.

How Long Will My Watch Run After It Is Fully  Charged?

Your watch is designed to run continuously and will do so if it is regularly  exposed to bright light. Your watch uses very little energy and that is easily  replenished during normal use. If your watch is put away where no light is  available to it while in a fully charged state, depending on the model, it will  run for from 45 days to 5 years (Caliber No.E760). Click here to see the Eco-Drive  Recharging Guide.

My Watch Doesn't Seem To Be Taking A  Charge, What Could Be Wrong?

The predominant reason for failure to charge is that the watch is not getting  sufficient light. Influencing this are the short cloudy days and long nights of  Winter. It is advisable that the watch be used normally, but exposed to bright  light on a regular basis in order to enjoy its carefree use.

How Can I Be Sure That The Watch Is Not  Faulty?

Follow the guidelines in the instruction manual that came with your watch and  fully recharge and set the correct time on your watch. After that is done, if  the watch still does not operate as expected, you may return it to us for free  of charge warranty service. For more than ninety-nine percent of the Eco-Drive  watches returned to us for service, it is only necessary to  fully recharge the  watch to resolve the problem.

After My Watch Stopped, I Had The Battery  Replaced But It Still Doesn't Run, What Do I Do?

A persistent problem coming in to the Repair Department is watches that have  been damaged due to someone's attempt to replace the original rechargeable  battery by substituting an ordinary  silver oxide cell. The damage is apparently  done by those who have little or no training in watch repair.

A warning  label, placed on the inside caseback of each Eco-Drive model,  states, "do not  put other than the battery designated" and the part number for the rechargeable  battery, 295-XX, appears prominently on the movement cover. This  information  appears to have been ignored completely.

Additionally, the correct  battery has a spotwelded gold colored connecting strap which is necessary to  make contact with  the circuit of the watch. There is no such connector on a  silver oxide substitute so no connection can be made to the circuit,  consequently the watch will not run. In some watches, the original battery has  been pried out, damaging the circuit and displacing parts.

The present  Policy for handling any Eco-Drive watch damaged in the above manner is that it   will be repaired and returned to the customer at no charge as a courtesy. In  addition, it is emphasized that the rechargeable battery in an Eco-Drive watch  should only be changed, if ever necessary, by a Technician. In most cases,  sufficient recharging was all that would have been needed.

While Charging My Eco-Drive Watch, It Was  Damaged By Excessive Heat. How Does This Happen?

Although not a frequently occurring problem, the Repair Department receives  Eco-Drive watches which are damaged due to excessive heat during recharging.  Warning is given in the instruction books not to subject the watch to conditions  where the temperature may exceed 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Examples given are:  charging the watch on the dashboard of a car, using an  incandescent lamp(regular  light bulb) closer than 20" or using a Halogen lamp.

The Policy for  handling this kind of accidental damage to Eco-Drive includes dial  replacement  and any necessary repair done at no charge as a courtesy. Additionally,  recommended procedures for safe charging are reiterated.

How Can I Recharge My Watch In A Safe  Manner?

Exposing your watch to ambient light on a daily basis is sufficient to keep  it charged up. If your watch displays the Low Charge Warning however, it can be  safely charged by exposing it to  a fluorescent desk lamp, with the dial(face) up  and within about 8 inches or an incandescent lamp(regular light bulb) no closer  than 20 inches. Never use a halogen lamp since the heat  generated by it can  cause damage to your watch. The most efficient and the quickest is in direct  bright sunlight(not windowsill) and never on the dashboard of a car.