Big trouble with GW-9300GB MUDMAN, please help (photos of the watch dissasembled)

4321 Views 16 Replies 7 Participants Last post by Georgewg, Apr 23, 2021

godizded

Discussion Starter · Jul 25, 2015 (Edited)

3

Hi all,

I've got a second hand GW-9300GB and it seemed to work OK for a whole day. Battery meter was at Medium (M). Suddently I check it out and the screen has gone completely black, buttons don't respond (!)

I've just took a shower with the watch and my first thought is: water got inside. So I dissasemble the watch as quickly as I can to dry the module, etc.

The module looks completely dry. I cannot see any signal of water inside.

So I reset the watch connecting AC with battery. The watch seems to reset OK. The word "CHG" blinks for a while. Then the watch starts to work. Battery meter is at Medium (M).

But BUTTONS DON'T RESPOND. None of them.

I repeat the reset procedure. The word "CHG" blinks for a while. The watch starts to work again. Battery meter is at Medium (M) again.

Still BUTTONS DON'T RESPOND. Digits seem to blink a bit when I press them, which is weird. (?)

I have opened many G-shocks and I am pretty sure the module is properly placed. To ensure that buttons work, I usually press the contacts directly from the module. I do that with GW-9300GB module and nothing happens. Then again, maybe it's because buttons aren't supposed to work if the back plate is not properly closed?

I mean, when I remove the back plate, the display shows the word "OPEN".

Any ideas of what's wrong with my watch?

Another question: After disassembling the watch, I've noticed there's TWO rubber gaskets (!!!).

One of them (see it in the right) fits perfectly in place where gasket is supposed to to be. But what about the other one (see it in the left)? I dissasembled the watch very quickly to dry it and I cannot remember where it was placed.

I've checked out these 2 threads, but their authors say nothing about two gaskets.

https://www.watchuseek.com/f17/reversing-negative-g-9300gb-dawn-black-scorpion-mod-617233.html
https://www.watchuseek.com/f43/gw9300-mudman-disassembled-re-assembly-picture-heavy-641195.html

Any help, please? It's the first G-Shock I've purchased in years. I'm desperate here.

Here's two more photos of the watch:

Analog watch Watch accessory Auto part Automotive lighting Watch

Thanks a million in advance,

G.

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1 - 17 of 17 Posts

LankyOrangutan

· #2 · Jul 25, 2015

So the biggest problem is that the buttons don't respond, yeah? It might be missing a spring from inside the module if someone opened it up completely.

godizded

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jul 25, 2015

LankyOrangutan said:
So the biggest problem is that the buttons don't respond, yeah? It might be missing a spring from inside the module if someone opened it up completely.

Yes, the biggest problem is that the buttons don't respond.

Where is this spring located, please?

There's 3 springs in the back of the module, but all 3 are in place.

Thansks a lot,

G.

kung-fusion

· #4 · Jul 25, 2015

All evidence points to a bad battery. This exact type of behavior happens when the rechargeable battery is going bad--the display shutting off, going to "medium", lack of response to buttons.

My guess is the previous owner left it in the dark for a year or so. Charged it up for a day to get it working, then sold it. But the battery may not hold a charge anymore. It is weak and since you have already opened the watch you should replace it. Find another identical rechargeable battery (Amazon or pacparts) and replace it, and give it a good charge in the sun after replacement

Reactions: 1

LankyOrangutan

· #5 · Jul 25, 2015 (Edited)

I don't know about this specific module, so I can't tell you exactly where it is (or should be), sadly. The only thing that I do know that the spring I lost in a different module was crazy thin and super easy to lose.

Edit: Kung might also be onto something with the battery. Would still seem strange for the buttons to not work if it's showing M though...

kung-fusion

· #6 · Jul 25, 2015

Although... I just saw your photo of the two gaskets. This watch does NOT have two gaskets, so either someone went into it at some point and added a gasket, or it is a weird manufacturing error. Never seen anything like that before

Buttons not working on Medium is normal for a bad battery. It is not really on medium. It just thinks it is

G-fob

· #7 · Jul 25, 2015

i think like Kungfusion too, buttons don't function if battery gets low, even though it says M, but it just reaches M from L

I would let it hanging out under the sun for days before open it - but since you already open it then go ahead and change battery

godizded

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jul 25, 2015

Thank you, thank you, thank you, guys.

I discarded the possibility of a battery problem since the display showed "Medium". At this point I was pretty sure that the module was bad. But if Kung-fusion and G-fob say that "Buttons not working on Medium is normal for a bad battery", I have hope again.

I've placed another CTL1616 battery which I think it's drained too, I got it from a defective G-shock. But the fact that it's drained it doesn't mean it's bad, right?

Or does it?

Now the watch is in "CHG" state, exposed to sun. Let's see what happens. I'll keep ya posted.

Best,

G.

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godizded

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jul 25, 2015

kung-fusion said:
Although... I just saw your photo of the two gaskets. This watch does NOT have two gaskets, so either someone went into it at some point and added a gasket, or it is a weird manufacturing error. Never seen anything like that before

Me neither. It's crazy. Who would add a second gasket? For what reason?

I mean, the one what was fitted between the case and the back plate was in very good condition and fitted perfectly. The other one, which I cannot remember where it was placed, was deformed, but looks like a legit replacement gasket for GW-9300.

Probably a weird manufacturing error... a very weird one for a Made in Japan premium G-Shock that costs several hundred dollars.

I must say I'm pretty dissapointed. But well, If I can manage to make it work I'll still be the happiest man on earth. : )

G.

G-fob

· #10 · Jul 25, 2015

yes, please keep us posted, I am just surprised since this happened to a 9300, a much newer Gshock - it happened A LOT to the old 2300-2310 line and old 5600/5610 - but who knows, maybe the G's battery is not even original when you open it

godizded

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jul 25, 2015

Of course I will keep you posted G-fob, It's the least I can do after your kind help. Thank you all. : )

Battery was a Panasonic and looks exactly like the ones that are provided with solar G's.

It's weird, because as I have said, I used the watch for a whole day and had no problem at all using compass, alarms, etc. I doubt I drained the battery because I exposed the watch to the sun as soon as I got it expecting it to reach H in some days.

G.

LankyOrangutan

· #12 · Jul 25, 2015

godizded said:
Of course I will keep you posted G-fob, It's the least I can do after your kind help. Thank you all. : )

Battery was a Panasonic and looks exactly like the ones that are provided with solar G's.

It's weird, because as I have said, I used the watch for a whole day and had no problem at all using compass, alarms, etc. I doubt I drained the battery because I exposed the watch to the sun as soon as I got it expecting it to reach H in some days.

G.

If it was just barely on M (not that you can tell if it was or not), then using those functions would push it over the edge. Especially if it was a battery that wont hold a proper charge any more.

As for the second gasket, I think someone opened it before and put it in there for whatever reason. Highly doubt that it'd be a factory defect, it's not even the same shape...

sodamonkey

· #13 · Jul 25, 2015

You're lucky it hasn't had water in it if it's had one gasket sitting on top of another, the seal would have been compromised surely? I'm not 100% sure on replacement batteries, but I think I've seen advice on here that the "proper" ones have "Japan" stamped under the manufacturer's name?

HTH

TRSCP

· #14 · Jul 25, 2015

Could the buttons not working after fiddling with the battery have the same issue some of the GW7900's have?

Try holding the adjust button, see if that does anything. I've gotten 3-4 7900's rebooted doing this. Just a thought! At any rate, best of luck getting it up and running again!

godizded

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jul 26, 2015

Well, I inserted the rechargable battery I found around home into the Mudman. It was an used one, probably almost drained. Screen showed a blinking "CHG" message.

I put the Mudman near a window. Evey time I checked the watch, it had the "CHG" message on screen.

A few hours later the watch started to work, its battery indicator showed an M. I pushed its buttons. Nothing happened.

After several hours more, I took the watch and checked again. Battery indicator still showed an M. I pushed its buttons again.

I heard a beep.

OMG. It's working.

I'll keep my fingers crossed but this looks *good*.

Thank you again, guys.

The world would be a better place if Casio would include this info in their solar watches manuals. The info you just gave me, that is:

"If battery indicator shows an M but all of a sudden all buttons of your G-Shock stop working, don't freak out. Most probably the battery is faulty. Yes, faulty batteries might make G-Shocks show wrong information. Yes, sometimes battery indicator will lie to you. So don't give it too much credibility, right?"

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godizded

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jul 26, 2015

LankyOrangutan said:
As for the second gasket, I think someone opened it before and put it in there for whatever reason. Highly doubt that it'd be a factory defect, it's not even the same shape...

I think its shape looks a bit different because it was deformed. Watch didn't look like it was opened before (black screws are now a little peeled, but they were perfectly black when I got the watch). So I still think it was a factory defect. Nobody would place a second gasket when the original one is in perfect shape. It probably was hidden between the backplate and the plastic part that covers the backplate.

However, I'm only guessing, it is a mistery to me and I'll die without knowing.

Best,

G.

Georgewg

· #17 · Apr 23, 2021

Interesting

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