Seiko Kinetic watch is not holding charge. How to fit a new capacitor. 7M22 

I have been watching a few videos of this gentleman, he is one of my very few favorite watchmakers, calm, collective and straight to the point!

I have watched several videos on changing the capacitor and this man is by far the best instructor I have seen. Clean fast work, prepared and some of the best photography period. Excellent tutorial.

This video had more tension than the recent cinema movies haha! Great job!

I just replaced my capacitor, I wouldn't have known what the problem was or much less how to fix it if it were'nt for your video. $14 bucks and a little time and my 10-year old Seiko is back in action! Thank you Sir!

Mark, thank you much for this video. I just had a vintage kinetic brought to me for service and, having never worked on one, it was very helpful and reassuring to see what I would be looking at and doing beforehand. I belong to your forum as well, and these videos of yours are valuable guides. The other members reference them for various situations. Thanks again.

Thanks, I have one of these to troubleshoot for a customer and being old school and repairing strictly mechanical watches I am pleased to see they have “old school” problems too!! Thanks so much!!

Bravo! Marvelous! I was actually on the edge of my seat & holding my breath while observing the intricacies of your work!

I was totally fascinated, The last watch I repaired was a Fisk when I was 12; I am now 77 and believe I can still do it thanks to your video.

I just did this today on my Seiko Kinetic, the replacement capacitor is now a lithium-ion battery that recharges instead of just a capacitor holding up a few days worth of charge. Brought mine back to life!

Would you not feel the need to find and remove the broken part of the pivot? Is there not a risk of a loose item inside the case causing potential future damage?

Thanks for video. You sure make it look easy. I'm a first timer at replacing a capacitor in my 5M43 and don't know anything about watches. Took about a half hour following your video. Wow, those screws are super small. Plenty of Seiko parts on line.

Thank you so much for this video. Finally got around to fixing my Seiko Arctura Kinetic which has sentimental value. Followed the video step by step. Once I had filed my smallest screwdriver thin enough for the screws it all went perfectly. The watch is now ticking away happily!

Thanks you very much. After close to 8 years of not wearing my favorite watch I replaced the capacitor and I can wear it again. Those screws are tiny though, it's like brain surgery for your watch.

Thanks so much for this video. I recently found a Seiko Kinetic dive watch in some old dive gear I had in storage. It was’t working and the rubber strap had crumbled away. After watching your video, I opened the watch and removed the capacitor and case o-ring. I got replacements for both and after reviewing this video again, installed the new parts. It’s now running great.

Thank you for a superb tutorial. Carefully following your video, I have just changed the capacitor in my Seiko Kinetic and it is working well first time!! Trickiest bit was getting those small screws back in the cover plate.

Many thanks - you make it look so easy working with those little screws - took me little longer that you but this great video gave me the confidence to take my 20 year old watch apart - determine which capacitor I needed and get the sentimental timepiece working again. Looks like I don't need to get an iWatch :-)

Thanks, man. This video gave me the information, and, more importantly, the confidence, to replace the capacitor in my beloved Kinetic dive watch. 10 Stars!

Amazing craftsmanship! I wish I could do this so competently. This is an awesome video!

Having replaced quite a few capacitors on Seiko Kinetics the first thing I do is to check the voltage in it as sometimes you can get a faulty one, all the new capacitors that I have purchased have always had quite a bit of charge in them which is enough to restart the watch when fitted it also takes the guess work out, the sheared off spigot may have been all that was wrong with the watch, how do you know that you haven't thrown a perfectly good capacitor in the bin? because it wasn't at fault, The video itself was very steady and clear one of the best I have ever seen on Seiko Kinetics.

Yes, I was glued to this from start to finish and a great job done. You make it look so easy. Many thanks. Gaius

I have a Kinetic watch for twenty years, it may also need a new capacitor soon, but it's still stylish and keeps perfect time.

Thanks mate. After losing two of the tiny screws I finally got it together.\ and it works! Those screws sure do travel a long way when they go. I found one on the floor about a meter away and the other amongst some papers on the far corner of my desk. Phew.

Thankyou for yet another great video. I've just managed to get the movement working in Seiko I bought as Spares and repairs. Turned out it was the coils - I wouldn't have known to try replacing this part.

I'm glad I watched this admirable video: Now I know I won't attempt the repair myself - Not only do I not have the tools; I'll probably mess it up due to insufficient eye-sight and/or lacking steadiness and fine-control of my hands. It's good to see some people have these great skills. I guess I'll have to pay one of them. 😊

I bought the Seiko Kinetic 100M for my dad on Father's day back in the 90's. It's still like new. My dad took good care of it. It's mine now and it's been sitting in a safe since 03. I just performed micro surgery on it to upgrade the capacitor. After it charges, I hope it runs for months.

Excellent tutorial. By far the best how to explained and demonstrated. Thank you

A couple of notes, about this battery replacement. First, the smallest jewelers screw driver still had to be taken down some on emery paper to fit the screws. Second, your video is at much higher magnification than is obvious. Third, no one told me that the battery was going to want to jump back out after it was in place. It can fling the those tiny screws farther that you would imagine. Three hands would make it much easier in that case, with someone holding the battery down with a tooth pick. This will free you to do tweezers and the screwdriver. Thanks again!

My parents bought me a kinetic after graduating from college. I loved that watch and after four years it needed the capacitor changed. It only cost me 100 bucks and lasted another four years. I sold it and got 150 for it. You can’t beat a Seiko.

excellent video.I put a watch like this into a jewellers and it cost me $95 to get fixed.As I own several of these I will now tackle it myself

An excellent succinct tutorial video presentation, one of the best.

This video really makes me want to get my Kinetic Windward out of the plastic baggie it's been in for the past 5 years and put it back together. I need to pick up a new bezel gasket for it. The Kinetic movement is so neat!

Outstanding video. Very clear / crisp closeups. Thanks.

Well done video. Verbal Detail as well as visual detail on your video is world class! Thank you so much! Bob

Professional quality video. Informative so I'm armed with knowledge when taking my watch to the jeweller. Thanks for posting

Very interesting detailed video with impressive visualization. One might add that, once you have reached the generator rotor, also the charging coil (which was defect in my case) lies free to be replaced. Propably it's a quite common defect as people scratch the coil with the screw driver when replacing the capacitor - be warned...

Just found your channel. I'm hooked. Great videos so thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge

I love you're videos men they are very helpful, thanks for sharing this information with us !

nice job. i recommend wearing rubber gloves or finger covers to avoid static electricity or oil from your hands getting inside the watch. i also recommend getting a jeweler's magnifier because even with reading glasses, i find it hard to get those tiny screws seated and secured. finally, it really helps to have dedicated watch repair tools to open and close the watch securely and hold the case while opening and closing. i have replaced capacitors in citizen eco drive and seiko kinetic watches. first repair, a trial run on an old and cheap eco-drive, somehow irreparably damaged the movement, probably tweezers contacting something adjacent to the capacitor.

Just what I needed! Well done, sir!

I went to watchrepairtalk. Someone there kindly gave me the details of the capacitor for my Seiko Kinetic. Then I bought a capacitor off eBay and also a kit. And then I had also to buy a tool to take the back off the watch! Battery about £12. Kit £12. Back tool £5. The instructions here are very good. Quite a challenge, all the same, but it worked. I do have an OptiVisor magnifier, which helped. Good idea to put screws in a box as you work, rather than just let them roll around. If you drop them you might never find them. Last time I sent my watch away and it cost me £50 plus postage.

Great video - well explained. I have just changed the capacitor in a second hand Seiko Kinetic I bought on eBay. I wouldn't have attempted it without this video for guidance. It is great to give new life to these watches.

I couldn't help but hold my breath when you where doing this, I thought, 'one good sneeze and the whole shebang ends up in the bin'. Your a braver man than me.

Hola ,soy relojero profesional 40 años de experiencia y ver estos videos son muy interesantes ,me gustan .Atentamente un placer por mi parte enhorabuena .Thanks forever !!!

Thanks for share your knowledge!

Very good vids, as a collector of mainly Seiko watches I get a few non-runners, so I think I'm going to try some repairs myself Many Thanks.

I have literally just done this repair on my own watch.Many thanks for the upload,and as suggested I used a sharpened match stick as peg wood... ha.

Brilliant Video feeling very confident on having a go with my Kinetic but ive also found broken pivot on my charging rotor how did you retrieve the broken bit out please?

Dear sir your videos are always great. Please do a video on simple Chinese Quartz analogue mechanism dis-assembly, cleaning, testing and assembling. This would be a great help for people doing simple mechanism repair. Regards,

Got the capacitor changed and watch seams fine.great video but you make it look easy,but i got there in the end but it was touch and go for a while.thanks.

I really like the idea to use a paste to hold the screws! Good idea! Thanks!

Excellent thank you i did it!! Maybe not as quick as you and hit the pause a few times! Thanks for this

Great vid, just what I need!. Where can I find a charging rotor from?

That is some beautiful work. Thanks for the video!

Thanks, excellent video. Beautifully done.

Just used this video to change the capacitor in my 5M42 - 0B80. All good apart from the 60 year old eyes. Thanks for the upload

amazing to watchand now I understand how the kinetic works. The second hand was sweeping but not aligning with the second markers on the watch face - can it be re-aligned?

Many thanks and happy holidays - I revived one of my favorite Seiko Arctura Kinetics!

I think you had to look for the broken part of that pivot. It may make problem inside the watch in future.

Awesome video. Thank you so much for making it. So informative and concise.

Thanks for this helpful instruction.

I just picked up a seiko kinetic at a value village for ten bucks and after wearing it for a bit it now works 👍

I wondered why my scuba diver seiko wasn't holding its charge its been in (the old capacitor) since new 2012. Thank you. I'll get this sorted when I'm paid Thursday. That's not all wrong with it I bounced it off a door frame some years ago, the second hands come off the bezel I've bodged on ill get a quote for the work I'll break it guaranteed, it still works if I'm constantly on the go or hold it and spin the rotor like a maniac. I know it's not going to be cheap.

How frequently do you recommend servicing a Kinetic movement and what oils do you recommend? I've got a 5M23 that needs a capacitor replacement and I'm contemplating on servicing it as well.

Fantastic. You just saved me £150 for watch repair. Thank you.

Hi. Great clear video, so that leads me to the question: What scope are you using please? I'm in the process of sourcing a scope for micro-electronics and micro-mechanics, and this scope fov looks good enough. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Very interesting.. You make watch repair look easy. I know very well it isn't.. I've never actually seen one of these watches, but I do remember the commercials for them 😁

Many thanks. Keep teh videos coming.

Fantastic video, helpful and clear advice coupled with very good camera visuals. My 15+ year old kinetic is working and keeping time whilst on my wrist but will stop after 3 to 4 hours when I take it off before going to bed. Does this sound like a capacitor issue?

Excellent demonstration Good clear explanation nice voice Thanks

I had 2 differents kinetics to replace the capacitor, number1 a 5M43 Movement and number2 a 5M62 movement. I bought a 3023 44Z (TC920s) battery for number 2 and after replacement and 20 minutes shaking I had a 2 seconds jumping hand, the same battery in number1 was ok, later I placed a 30235MY (also TC920s battery) in number2 and now it works fine.

Fantastic video, thank you

excellent video. camera work is fantastic. very well narrated

How did you get the broken charging rotor pivot pin out?

thanks for tutorial I now have a working watch ☺

You are awesome.. You make it look so easy !

Good video, a lot of information. (Looks in fact easier than an advanced car-gearbox repair, where you have to heat, to cool, to crimp, to pressfit, to torque, to seal, to adjust.) ...But several postings below/above about the removal of the tiny pivot are not answered. (I donot let broken-off gear teeth swirling in the gearbox...and waiting for a jamming.) So: - very small magnet (magnetised needle point)? Stub-end tacks on it? - vacuum application by very small tube, like solder removal on a print; broken off stub-end is sucked in? - others? Any comments are welcome.

Thank u vry much for a informational video. Wat if after replacing the battery watch is working only by wearing it, and stops after a while wat could be the problem?

Thank you for the video. A few more steps than replacing Citizen Eco Drive capacitor. What would you recommend a modern Citizen eco drive, Seiko Kinetic or Quartz in terms of servicing?

I am a watch mechanic for the past forty years...experienced with thousands of different watches that I got to be serviced by me...Truthfully I am telling with you with respect that it's a variable thing we had to go through...!!! Thank you so much for your good clarity videos... Also for your soft dialogue...!!!

Beautiful video; thank you! Being new to the world of Seiko Kinetics, is it fair to say that these work in the following manner: 1) wrist movement drives a geared magnetic rotor, 2) The spinning magnetic field induces an electrical current in the two copper coil units flanking the rotor at 90° angles, 3) The induced electric current flows into the battery and capacitor (I wonder which one is first), 4) The charge in the battery drives a quartz watch movement. Please let me know if this is an accurate description. I was also wondering what your opinion might be on use of an “electric toothbrush charger base” to provide an oscillating magnetic current to charge the unit. There is a video on RU-vid regarding “charging Seiko Kinetic” demonstrating this procedure. Wondering whether there are any risks to the watch by using a non-OEM charger. Much appreciation to you and any fellow RU-vidrs for your thoughts.

Great tutorial, helped diagnose fault with my late father's watch. The charging rotor pivot is broken, can you recommend from whom I can buy a replacement in the UK. 👍

Great video and job. You have to have very steady hands to do this and have the proper tools. I just fixed a rear turn signal on my scooter and after had a hard time figuring how and what to take off. Then had to remember what screws went with what and lost a clip somehow and could find and must’ve fell while I was putting the scooter parts back together several times to have everything line up/ put back as it was. So I was looking to buy a Seiko kinetic and had one I think when they first came out in the late 90s. So you mean these older kinetic technology watches will no longer hold a charge and need to replace the capacitor? I wonder of Seiko still make kinetic watches? I winder how how this would cost to have it done and get the new parts? Again, great video and job and the close camera coverage.

I just finished doing a 5M42 lithium upgrade OMG three screws of hell and I had to resort with a tiny blob of rodico on the end of a screwdriver and finally got one in, then the second and even the rotor screw was a fighter and pinged off but luckily I found where it went and now its all together and just giving it a good rotoring and seems to hold charge.

Hello, I just discovered your channel while I was looking for info to restore an old watch that I have. I'd like to ask if it's possible to replace the glass from a watch, in that case where to buy some standard glass and how to trim it to fit the required size.

very interesting and intricate work well done sir

Enjoyed this. Thanks.

Its intresting.. Thank you..

Great video. Can I ask if the broken piece of the charging rotor pivot was found before replacing with a new one?

Great video. New capacitor arrived. To my dismay, my smallest screwdriver (1.5mm) is too large to fit the slot of the screw. Can you recommend an appropriate size? Link please? Appreciated.

Wish I'd watched your videos before wrecking my watches!

Is this the same kind of batter/capacitor that a Seiko solar watch has?

Hi, I changed both and my kinetic still is not running. Any suggestions???? Nice video btw.

Hi, you are doing really nice videos. Can u rebuilt a watch with a breitling navitimer dial, hands, crown etc? But with another clockwork? That would be great.

Hi , This is excellent video, I had the same issue with my Seiko, the rotor is broken, same exactly as the video, can someone tell me where can I get this part? I tried amazon but couldn't find and Seiko kinetic rotor, any suggestions????

My Seiko Kinetic 100M Number 5M62 OCTO is 5 years old now. I wear it intermittently with other watches usually when the Seiko is fully charged ie half a dial sweep by the second hand and then put it aside. In this state it is supposed to last at least 4 months before running out of stored power but mine soons runs within a month necessitating wearing it again, prematurely, I think. I have sourced the equivalent Lion battery, a Panasonic MT 920 with appropriate soldered tags from ebay so wonder whether it's worth having a go at replacement rather early in its life?

Very good demo. Less talk more demo. kudos for you.

A great little video!

Great channel you have here. But a thought - where did the broken part of the pivot go?

Perfect work BRAVO AAA !!!!!!!!!!!

interesting watch. Job done perfect :)