Caveman's Watch Forum

That's it! I am DONE with Renata watch cells! Ricky Lee February 22, 2012 06:29PM

Registered: April 2005 Posts: 18,193 (2012-03)

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..it was OK. But at the end of the day, I noticed that the digital display was a bit dim. A sure-fire sign that the cell is on the way out, so I made a mental note to change it Real Soon. Ironically it slipped under my radar when I was freshening up a bunch of other watches last weekend. So this morning, over coffee, I pulled it out with the intent of rectifying the oversight. To my horror, not only was the watch totally dead, there was a huge black "stain" on the LCD display.

So with much trepidation, and knowing what I was going to find, I opened it up. Sure enough the Renata SR1120W cell had leaked!

Now, as I have mentioned in the past, I'm not a big fan of Renata watch cells in the first place. I've seen several others leak, though those were not my personal watches. Still, it's no fun breaking the news to a customer that their watch is a write-off because of a defective battery.

But when it happens to MY watch it's personal, dang it!

Anywho, I got to wondering - is it just bad luck on my part? Or have others experienced catastrophic failures with Renata watch cells? Well. Looky here:

Quote
davee

Tissot service in Secaucus

I sent my Tissot TXL7 to Secaucus facility on Aug 30 via 2 day service.

Called in on Sep 12 - response> the watch is diagnosed, we will send the estimate by the end of the week.

Called on Sep 19 - response> we are sending the estimate today.

Called again on Sep 26 - response> we are sending the estimate today.

Called on Oct 4 - response> Sent the estimate on Aug 26 and again 28! (both via mail) because of no response... ??

Since I still haven't received the estimate in the mail, they are sending it again, but I finally got the info over the phone. "Original request for partial maintenance service can not be done because the battery leaked and damaged the movement."

I sent the watch for partial maintenance because of the EOL indicator which came on few days before and to get it resealed. "Full service is required" And the price is some $200 or $205.

Is it possible, that the battery leaked out? I can't believe it. Renata battery. The watch is 3.5 years old and was in Tissot service in Europe once, about 6 months after purchase because of faulty bracelet link. But they also did the partial maintence at that time so the battery was about 3 years old. Please tell me your opinion because I don't know what to think about this situation. Don't blaim me I don't trust them because of misleading info about the estimate.

I tried to search forums and coudn't find any related battery info, but I learned about Secaucus and the slow process mainly from Omega forums. Unbelievable.

Thank you.

Quote
Ed Hahn

...Renata batteries are somewhat notorious for leaking. And, sorry to say, your experience with the communications is not unheard of (an area where service centers definitely need to improve in general) - so I wouldn't read anything nefarious into it.

$200/$205 is, relatively speaking, cheap for a factory service center, doing a repair (movement swap in all likelihood).

Quote
bobechs

What Ed said.. I think he is exactly right on both his points.

I am no pro, so I have only seen at most a hundred or so batteries in quartz watches, with a fair number of leakers. Renata leads the way in leaking. Energizer has the reputation of lasting longer and leaking less than any of the European brands and seems to be a favorite with pros.

As far as repair, if you really have lost confidence in the factory service organiztion it is not out of the question that you might have the repair done by an independent watchmaker using the equivalent ETA movement complete, if you can find it.

For example, O. Frei sells a movement which resembles the one for your watch (and might be the same) for $42:

[www.ofrei.com]

You would still have to pay for re-fitting, so the savings might be modest, but you are never without options, unless you want to be.

Quote
BatteryGuy

You may want to call Renata US in Dallas. They used to have a policy where they'd fix any watch that was damaged due to one of their batteries leaking. I think they've since changed their policy so that they're not paying for repairs on watches left in a dresser drawer for 20 years (EVERY battery will leak given a long enough period of time regardless of brand). Sounds to me like you have a pretty good case.

Their number is 800-527-0719.

The real irony to all of this is that both Tissot and Renata are part of the Swatch Group.

Still might be a fluke, right? No, apparently not. Use the appropriate keywords and without half trying you will turn up dozens of bad experiences with Renata cells! Perhaps hundreds!

So. Here's me best advice to ye, me Brothers:

And a personal message to Renata Corporate:







-Ricky

Messages In This Thread

That's it! I am DONE with Renata watch cells!	Ricky Lee	137	February 22, 2012 06:29PM
That's decidedly sub-optimal. Whenever I've needed to replace a battery, I always just run up to the hardware store and pick up an energizer battery. I always feel like I'm paying too much for batteries, given how the watch parts / suppliers seem to sell batteries for dirt cheap. Now I know why!	Dre	13	February 23, 2012 10:08AM
For my Swatches I use Camelion and did not have any problems with them. I'd better check my Swatch Spymaker...	James T. Kirk©	11	February 23, 2012 04:18AM
Well. I hope that continues to be the case. However.. ..I got to say, as an unknown quantity for me personally, I wouldn't touch a "Camelion" with a ten-foot-pole. I reckon I'm gonna go with pretty much exclusively...	Ricky Lee	18	February 23, 2012 06:52AM
Me 2! Let's see if I can find Energizer locally... (n/t)	James T. Kirk©	15	February 23, 2012 07:08AM
That was bad! I am sorry, Ricky! (n/t)	IF	15	February 23, 2012 01:59AM
So what brands are the best? (n/t)	BILLANAGNOS(GREEK)	21	February 23, 2012 12:30AM
Not sure Bill what the best cell brand is. However maintaining a list >>> of all Quartz watches and the battery replacement date is probably a way to prevent leakage. After battery acid destroyed two of my watches, I am constantly checking all Quartz watches and as soon as there is a sign of battery end of life, I open the watch and dispose the battery. Also, I have only about 10% of my Quartz watches running. The rest is emptied.	Reto	18	February 23, 2012 10:38AM
Thanks Ricky & Reto for the info & input, mucho appreciated  (n/t)	BILLANAGNOS(GREEK)	12	February 23, 2012 06:04PM
Well.. I'll stick with my earlier recommendation.. Quote Ricky Lee I try to stick with Energizer if possible, but Duracell, Maxell, Sony, Ray-O-Vac, and Varta are fine in my book, too. Also... Quote Ricky Lee Generic watch cells are never a bargain. IMHO. And that despite the fact that you can get them for well under 20¢ per online, if you buy them in quantity. But they won't last as long as an and, worse, you run a very real risk of leakage and damage to your watch! And, yeah, I've tried them. In fact, I still have a small store of generics in some select sizes. (OK, OK! I'm a nitwit! ) I'm offering them to folks at half-price, in an attempt to use them up. Thing is, once I explain the dangers, and they hear the small difference in cost, most everyone eschews them. I may have to start giving the damned things away... Original thread is HERE. Though you'll note that, based on Reto's input in this thread, I struck Varta from the List Of Ricky Lee Recommended Watch Cells.	Ricky Lee	23	February 23, 2012 06:33AM
Re: I'll stick with my earlier recommendation.. I had a high esteem for Seiko cells too, but to my utter disbelief I found out....That the battery which destroyed my beloved Seiko digital, IS A GIANT SEIKO CELL! I just managed to get the old thing open on the workbench and I smelled the sour stench coming out, here is my proof!	James T. Kirk©	27	February 23, 2012 08:08AM
Re: ..the battery which destroyed my beloved Seiko digital, IS A GIANT SEIKO CELL! Ack! Man. That's a Lithium cell, too. Right? I don't believe that I've ever before seen a Lithium cell leak. Sorry to hear, mate.	Ricky Lee	24	February 23, 2012 09:27AM
it happened overnight many years ago, so it's old pain! But that it leaked is certain, you could smell it opening the watch, sour! Like battery acid.	James T. Kirk©	18	February 23, 2012 01:29PM
Well. Old pain is frequently also the deepest pain. Though reading between the lines, probably not in this case.	Ricky Lee	9	February 24, 2012 06:19PM
Its covered by some many beautiful new "aquicitions' Still an Feringhi word!	James T. Kirk©	12	February 24, 2012 06:43PM
Sorry to hear that Ricky. I had similarly bad luck >>> with Varta cells. From close to a hundred dead watches, the only two cells that had leaked were from Varta.	Reto	17	February 23, 2012 12:22AM
Re: ..with Varta cells. From close to a hundred dead watches, the only two cells that had leaked were from Varta. That's unfortunate. And inconvenient, since the re-branded cells which Wal-Mart carries.. ..are Varta. I don't buy them often (they're expen$ive as single units! ), but in a pinch it's handy to be able to pick one up there. However, based on your experience I am going to steer clear of them in future!	Ricky Lee	19	February 23, 2012 06:42AM
That blows Bro! Very sorry to hear it, but thanks for the heads-up. (n/t)	DJM	9	February 22, 2012 09:54PM
Re: That's it! I am DONE with Renata watch cells! That is unfortunate, Ricky. Sorry to hear that your watch is ruined. Too bad the battery company cannot be held liable.	Magnum	19	February 22, 2012 09:31PM
Re: Too bad the battery company cannot be held liable. You know, I thought about calling the 800-number listed in the TZ thread, even though BatteryGuy says "I think they've since changed their policy so that they're not paying for repairs". However, in my current frame of mind, I reckon it would almost certainly turn Real Ugly. I don't need the heartburn, frankly. Quote Magnum That is unfortunate, Ricky. Sorry to hear that your watch is ruined. Thanks mate. And the watch is a write-off. Yeah, I could replace the module for ~ US $25. And I nearly ordered one up as a pure knee-jerk reaction. But I've already got 3 other watches that "fill the niche" - heck, they use the very same module! So, upon reflection, it's hard to justify. Anyway, again...	Ricky Lee	14	February 23, 2012 06:25AM
Reminds of my beloved Seiko digital! I tried to get it open it to see it had a Renata cell in it, but had not luck yet!	James T. Kirk©	23	February 23, 2012 04:15AM

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