Take part in a short activity and share your valuable opinion on new design concepts for AVSForum! >>> Click Here

Accutron Deep Sea Questions

1109 Views 17 Replies 7 Participants Last post by Giotime, Sep 5, 2015

Giotime

Discussion Starter · Sep 2, 2015

A recent estate sale acquisition for me. 1972 Deep Sea. Was not working and had quite a scratched crystal. After polishing crystal a bit and changing out the corroded 218 battery for a 344, it looks pretty good and began running immediately.

But the watch is running kind of fast. I know this often happens with these battery replacements, but any cure for this? Any suggestions for a different battery ,or is there any way to regulate these 218's. Also I had to clean out the gooey gasket and am looking for a replacement. I am having trouble finding the proper gasket part number. Anyone know where I look this up?

thanks.

See less See more

3

Reactions: 1

1 - 18 of 18 Posts

howards4th

· #2 · Sep 2, 2015 (Edited)

I have a 1969 Deep Sea with the 218 mvt . When I first got it, it was running fast as well. I use the 395 battery with a reducer, or some call it a voltage regulator which puts the voltage at 1.35.
It has been spot on ever since.

I'm no expert and I'm sure the Accutron guys on here may have more input on this. I hope this helps.

Nice Deep Sea BTW :-!

Giotime

Discussion Starter · #3 · Sep 2, 2015

Hi Howards. Sounds like the problem to me too. I am not familiar with a reducer. Is it an extra piece? Where do I get one? Or how do I use it?

howards4th

· #4 · Sep 2, 2015

I have seen them on ebay and other places on the internet for $12.

Reactions: 1

odd_and_vintage_fan

· #5 · Sep 2, 2015

The 1.35V cells go by the name "Accucell". I get mine from here:

Accucell 1.35 Batteries for Bulova Acutron

Reactions: 1

dj898

· #6 · Sep 3, 2015

as a interesting tidbit my 214 when used with Accucell actually ran little bit slower so I swapped to 344(?) and it's spot on when worn - seems to run tiny bit faster when resting on its side overnight though

Reactions: 1

Giotime

Discussion Starter · #7 · Sep 3, 2015

Thanks for all info. I have 2 218's. I did order some Accucells. I am going to experiment with both battery types on and off wrist and see what happens. I imagine each watch may have its own quirks, but I'll report anything interesting. Thanks again.

dj898

· #8 · Sep 3, 2015

Giotime said:
I imagine each watch may have its own quirks....

true that.
my Gold 214 Spaceview with Accucell runs spot-on whereas with the other battery runs little bit faster.
go figure... //_//

odd_and_vintage_fan

· #9 · Sep 3, 2015

Slightly off topic, but I found out a neat trick one can do with the Accucell battery in conjunction with the 1.55v cell.

The 218 repair manual says to phase the movement (set pawl and index finger tension), one needs the specialized Accutron Model 600 test set. The test set outputs 1.15v and the pawl bridge cam is adjusted until the movement runs once, stops, then runs again under 1.15v power. When the 1.35v battery is put in, the system is set to run perfectly.

I had really good luck with my 218 that was running excessively fast by using an Accucell as the "low" voltage and the 1.55v battery as the "high" voltage to repeat this process.

Giotime

Discussion Starter · #10 · Sep 3, 2015

That sounds interesting. I will look up this model 600 to get more info. Not quite sure I understand how it works.

Thinkfloyd

· #11 · Sep 3, 2015

Don't discount the need for a service. The moving parts still need cleaning and oiling in a quartz watch, so remember to factor that into your timing efforts. Indeed, I would have it serviced before running it with a battery to avoid any possibility of damage.

Giotime

Discussion Starter · #12 · Sep 3, 2015

What does the service of an Accutron involve? Don't take it apart like a mechanical.....do you? As costly?

Hartmut Richter

· #13 · Sep 4, 2015

Well, as far as I know, you do take it apart. It still has a substantial mechanical component and that has to be cleaned and lubricated. And the main problem is that the transition between electronic and mechanical component consists of an extremely thin wire with tiny jewel on the tuning fork that interacts with the driving gear. So you have to be exceedingly careful when servicing these movements.

Hartmut Richter

Reactions: 1

odd_and_vintage_fan

· #14 · Sep 5, 2015

The short answer is service involves sending it to a professional. My local shop won't even touch them. The long answer is search Accutron 218 Service Manual and see for yourself. There should still be a free pdf somewhere online.

As Hartmut said, there are electronic parts and mechanical parts that need their own special touch.

Giotime

Discussion Starter · #15 · Sep 5, 2015

Thanks for the service information. My watch guy says he has experience with Accutrons. I will check on a price but I doubt I will spend for a service. I wear my vintage watches maybe once or twice a month for fun. My Deep Sea is running unpredictably on the 344. Will run perfect time for half a day and then 1-2 minutes fast the rest of the day. I will try the Accucell on this one and see what happens. My other dress Accutron runs pretty well on the 344. On or off the wrist it runs 20 sec per day SLOW. I would think Accutrons were designed to do better but this is at least usable and acceptable to me. I wouldn't think the Accucel would help a slow running watch? This one might be better suited to a service? My Accucells haven't arrived yet. I will update what happens with the new battery but I certainly understand and agree that lack of service will muddle the results.

See less See more

Border-Reiver

· #16 · Sep 5, 2015

Accutron cal. 218 service manual here:

https://ia802700.us.archive.org/8/items/Accutron218ServiceManual/Accutron218ServiceManual.pdf

Reactions: 1

odd_and_vintage_fan

· #17 · Sep 5, 2015

Giotime said:
Thanks for the service information. My watch guy says he has experience with Accutrons. I will check on a price but I doubt I will spend for a service. I wear my vintage watches maybe once or twice a month for fun. My Deep Sea is running unpredictably on the 344. Will run perfect time for half a day and then 1-2 minutes fast the rest of the day. I will try the Accucell on this one and see what happens. My other dress Accutron runs pretty well on the 344. On or off the wrist it runs 20 sec per day SLOW. I would think Accutrons were designed to do better but this is at least usable and acceptable to me. I wouldn't think the Accucel would help a slow running watch? This one might be better suited to a service? My Accucells haven't arrived yet. I will update what happens with the new battery but I certainly understand and agree that lack of service will muddle the results.

If the index mechanism was set for the Accucell (or original battery) and the 344 is put in it, it'll run erratically fast depending on position. Sounds like it could be the case with yours.

I've read that unlike a mechanical movement, that will refuse to run when the oil is completely shot, the Accutron movement will soldier on wrecking itself. If it starts hanging up with the Accucell and doesn't keep time consistently, a service would help it greatly. I wore mine for a few months when I bought it until it stopped running, and in that time I realized it was a keeper and saved up to get it serviced. Hopefully this one endears itself to you.

As for accuracy, my 1976 Accutron with the 218 movement keeps within -1 sec/day on the wrist or in the box. It took me a fair bit of trial and error with the index mechanism to get it to run on the modern battery, but they can do it. It's in the dial up, 12 o'clock angled down position right now to gain back a few seconds after holding steady at -5 sec total for the past week.

I can't remember which one of these recent Accutron threads I mentioned it on, but you can use the Accucell and the 344 battery to phase the index mechanism for the 344 if you really want to.

Good luck with it. Really is a beautiful watch.

See less See more

Reactions: 1

Giotime

Discussion Starter · #18 · Sep 5, 2015

Thank you Odd. That is very useful and helpful information! I am going to have fun experimenting with all those options to see if I can get these running optimally. I made one adjustment this am to my dress 218 which was running 20 sec per day slow. Later today I'll see how that did. My Deep Sea will definitely need the Accucell. Very erratic.

1 - 18 of 18 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.