Eco drive watches is another step towards living a life, which is on a balance with nature. These watches were first developed and manufactured by the Citizen Watch Company, and they proved to be a major hit because of their unique and eco friendly design. Eco drive watches are powered, not by batteries, but by any light source. The best advantage is that it does not matter if the light source is natural or artificial. As a result, the power of these watches is replenished continuously. Eco drive watches are also available in a variety of styles and designs, with the same type of quartz movement in other watches that are powered by other methods. The main components that drive the power in eco drive watches are the energy cell and the solar conversion panel. These are made of amorphous silicon, which captures the energy, from the light source that enters through the watch crystal and dial, and converts it to electrical power. The power is then stored in the energy cell, to run the watch. To know more on how the eco drive watches work read the article given below.
How Do Citizen Eco Drive Watches Work
- In eco drive watches, the light is absorbed, stored, and then released to power the watch. After the light enters the watch, through the watch's crystal and dial, it hits a solar cell underneath the dial. The light knocks loose electrons in the solar cell, creating electrical current. The current is then stored in the battery or capacitor.
- The electricity sets the quartz crystal vibrating and the vibrations are divided into one-second impulses, which are transmitted to the stepping motor, gear train, and finally the watch display.
- Eco drive watch dials are made from ceramic or a special plastic. This allows the light sensitive panel that is hidden in the watch to absorb enough light to power the watch.
- There is a light sensitive photoelectric cell hidden right underneath the dial. This panel converts light into electrical energy even in low light.
- The energy that is produced is stored in a lithium battery and then released as necessary to run the eco drive watch. This battery will allow the eco drive watch to run for up to 6 months in complete darkness before it will stop working.
How To Take Care Of Eco Friendly Watches
- Expose the watch-face to strong light for several minutes. If the hands begin to move again then it means that your watch's main battery is dead and that the secondary battery needs to be charged.
- Check the exterior of the watch for physical damage. A strong impact can damage the interior components of your Eco-Drive watch. If you find such damage, you'll need to send your watch in for professional repair.
- Look to see if any water is visible behind the glass on the watch-face. While most Eco-Drive models are at least strongly water resistant, water can sometimes seep in and damage the interior components of the watch. Water damage sometimes can be remedied by professional repair. In some cases, however, the watch will be ruined and cannot be fixed.
- Replace the primary battery. If, after exposing your watch-face to sunlight, it still doesn't work, then try replacing the main battery. If the watch functions properly at that point then something is wrong with your secondary solar-powered battery. The solar battery will have to be replaced by a professional.