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Even though rechargeable watch batteries have a very long life span, at some point they
do wear down and need to be replaced. With this Esslinger.com guide you can change a
CTL1616 rechargeable watch battery in a Casio G-Shock.
Please be aware that you cannot apply these steps to every watch with a rechargeable battery,
it is solely written for Casio watches with model numbers 2608, 2638, and 2688.
The tools you will need are: A watchmaker's flat head screwdriver
A screwdriver block to remove double ended screws
Finger cots A parts tray
A pair of non-magnetic tweezers A pair of plastic tweezers
And a replacement CTL 1616 battery
Before you decide to open the watch case, check to make sure it doesn't just need
to be charged in the sun. If the crystal is heavily scratched, chipped, or dirty, like
this one, the rechargeable battery might still be good and just unable to get enough light
to charge.
To get to the watch battery, you will first need to remove the watch band before you can
open the back. Start by removing the band on the side with the red "G" button, hold
the watch so that the Time Mode button is on the right side of the case.
Using your screwdriver block, line up the largest screw blade with the screw head on
the right side of the watch band and turn it so the watch case is standing up on its
side with the other end free.
Take your free screwdriver and insert the blade into the other screw head and begin
to turn the screw counterclockwise to loosen it. You may need someone to hold the screwdriver
block steady so it doesn't spin while you work, or use a small amount of soap to loosen
the screw.
When the screw comes loose, remove it and place it in your parts tray to keep it safe.
You can remove the screwdriver block at this point
With your non-magnetic tweezers, push the remaining screw bar out of the watch band
end piece. When you can grab it with your fingers, pull it free and put it in your parts
tray.
Now, turn the watch so you can see the back. Gently pry the watch band end piece away from
the back of the case until it pops off.
Next, you will repeat this process to remove the other side of the watch band. Again turning
your watch case so the "time mode" button is on the right side, insert the largest screwdriver
blade in your screw driver block into the screw head on that side of the watch band.
Turn the watch band so that the free end with the screw head is facing up and the watch
case is balanced on the screwdriver block. Take your free screwdriver and insert it into
the upward facing screw and turn it counterclockwise.
Once the screw is loose, remove it from the watch end piece and place it in your parts
tray. At this point, remove the watch case from the screwdriver block.
Using your non-magnetic tweezers, push the remaining screw bar out of the band end piece
until you can pull it free and place it in your parts tray.
Now, all you have left to do is remove the watch band. Turn the watch case so you can
see the back and pull the end cap away from the back of the watch case until it pops off.
Set the watch band aside now, laying it out so your remember which side belongs to each
side of the watch case.
With the back of the watch case completely exposed, you can now remove it to change the
battery. First you should put plastic finger cots on your fingers that may touch the watch
movement. Dirt, oils and grease on your fingers can damage the inner workings of the watch
and the cot will keep that oil from transferring to the watch.
When you have the finger cots in place, you can remove the watch back. For help opening
the watch case back, check out this video on removing watch backs held on with screws.
Carefully lift the watch back off the case and you will see that there are three springs
of different sizes sticking out of the watch movement. Before you disturb them, take a
picture or draw a diagram of the movement so you can put them back where they belong.
Without these springs in their positions, your watch will not function. Remember that
you can make additional notes on your diagram as you take the springs out to help you keep
track of things.
When you have a diagram that reminds you where the springs go, carefully begin to remove
them with your non-magnetic tweezers. The two springs close to each other on one side
of the movement should easily lift out. Remove them and place them in your parts tray so
they don't get lost.
The third spring will be held in place by the movement, when you try to lift it, it
will resist your tweezers. Leave that spring in place. It will not fall out during the
repair and removing it will only make life harder for you.
Next, you see the black rubber cover designed for shock absorption. Remove it and set it
aside so you remember where it goes in the watch case. Do not worry if when you go to
remove it, the white plastic cover under it comes out at the same time.
Remove the white plastic cover now if it stayed on the watch movement when you removed the
black cover.
Now you should be able to see the battery compartment in your watch. It will be held
in place with a strap that covers most of the battery.
Find where the strap latch locks into place. There will be a small opening in the piece
that holds the latch down, take your non-magnetic tweezers and grip the metal latch piece in
the opening. Note: you may need an eye loupe magnifier to see this latch.
Then, carefully push the latch down with your tweezers before pulling the latch out toward
you to release the watch strap.
When the latch strap is open, take your plastic tweezers and grip the battery to remove it.
You may need your non magnetic tweezers to pop the battery out of its slot before you
can remove it completely.
Set the old battery aside until the replacement is complete in case you need it for something.
Take the new battery in your plastic tweezers, making sure that the positive side faces up
-- this is generally the side with the engraved number on it.
Lift the strap up so you can easily slide the new battery under it and into the slot.
Make sure the positive side is facing up.
Once the battery is under the strap, you may need to push it into place in the compartment
with your fingers.
Now that the battery is in place, you can close the strap. Take your non-magnetic tweezers
again and grip the tab of the latch that locks into place in the movement.
Hold the movement steady with your free hand while you push down on the strap across the
battery. Push the latch down with your tweezers and away from you toward the battery until
it catches and stays closed. It might take more than one try to get it closed.
When the latch is securely in place, you will need to restart the watch again with your
metal, non-magnetic tweezers. Place one tip of you tweezers in the negative (minus) port
and the other tip in the AC port simultaneously. The watch display's digital elements should
flash for you now.
At this point, you can replace the white and black cover plates over the movement. If they
came out together, you can put them back in together as long as you make sure that the
white cover is on the bottom and holes for the contact springs are lined up with the
holes for the contact springs in the movement.
If the cover plates were separated, insert the white plastic cover first and then the
black rubber cover, making sure that the holes for the springs line up with the holes in
the white cover plate.
After both cover plates have been replaced, take the two contact springs that you removed
and return them to their designated spots. You may need to refer to the diagram or picture
you made earlier to accomplish this.
Then, when all the watch parts have been put back where they belong in the watch case,
it is time to close the watch case. For help with this task, check out these links.
Now you can replace the watch band on the watch case. Pick up the band and watch case
so you have the two sides that go together aligned with each other. Insert the darker
grey end link into the ivory end cap and push the end cap toward the watch case rocking
it slightly back and forth until is snaps into place.
When the end piece is connected together again, take one screw bar end and insert it into
the end piece from the side of the watch case with the Time Mode button.
With the screw bar in place, take one of the screws and insert it into the open end of
the end piece. Turn it in clockwise once or twice with your screwdriver.
Take the screwdriver block and align it with the screw bar head end of the end piece. Turn
the watch case so the loose screw is accessible to your screwdriver.
Using the screwdriver block to hold the bottom screwhead in place, turn the top screw clockwise
until it tightens into place.
Remove the watch case from the screwdriver block and turn it so you can reattach the
second half of the band into place. Take the free end of the band and insert the grey end
link into the ivory end cap rocking it slightly as you push them together until they snap
into place.
Take the last case screw bar with the screw head end. Insert it into the end piece from
the right side of the case -- the side with the Time Mode button.
When the screw bar is in place, take your last screw and insert it into the open end
of the end piece. Turn it clockwise once or twice to ensure that it stays in place.
Use the screwdriver block and align the largest blade with the screw bar head end of the link
screw. Turn the watch case so it is standing on its side on the screwdriver block and the
free end is accessible to your screwdriver.
Now, with the screwdriver, turn the loose screw end of the link clockwise into place.
When you can't tighten it anymore, you know the band is securely back in place.
Once the back and band have been replaced, you should set the time and then place the
watch face up under natural light for an hour to fully charge.
At this point, you should look up your local battery recycling center so you can safely
recycle the old battery. Rechargeable batteries can be very toxic, so they must be properly
disposed of.
To learn more about watch repair, visit Esslinger.com's impressive learning center today.