"CHEK" message on Citizen dive watch

[rickjames8]

Hello,

I own a citizen dive watch. It had analog hands with 2 small digital displays. The lower display has been saying CHEK for the past 2 weeks. I know what causes it - the sensor thinks its in contact with water, so the watch goes in dive mode. After being in dive mode for one hour without sensing pressure, it will go in to CHEK mode to save the battery.

I have searched google and forums to see how to get rid of it, and the answer is usually something like "its caused by sweat, dry off the watch and the error message will go away". Well, I've dried it, taken it off for a few days, washed it - everything you can think of. Nothing works.

I've talked to other owners of this watch and apparently its a VERY common problem. But no one has ever found a solution to it. People usually just sell the watch and get something else. But I really like this watch when it works.

Anyone have any ideas?

-Rick

 

[Tortuga68]

My first idea would be to soak it overnight in fresh water, then let it dry out thoroughly, but it sounds like you've tried that. There's also a 'reset all' function by holding down a combination of the buttons - you should be able to find the manual on the Citizen Japan website, you'll need to know the Caliber (movement) number

IIRC there are two sensors - the pressure sensor and the water contact sensor, which is actually two contacts that get bridged by the water. As you say, if the water contacts are bridged but no pressure is detected on the other sensor over a period of time, you'll get an error. Sounds like one of the sensors might be faulty and in need of replacement. Alternatively the module or connections could be the issue

I've found Citizen themselves to be very good, when I had a problem with my Aqualand they repaired it for a reasonable price and still had new parts for it even though it's a superceded model

 

[rickjames8]

Unfortunately, there are no Citizen service centers anywhere near where I live. I have tried soaking it in water. My wife recommended soaking it in vinegar because that seems to get salt out of everything. I'm just worried that it might damage the membrane or oring.

You're right, theres 2 sensors - a water one between the crown and button, and a pressure one on the other side. Both seem very clean as far as I can tell.

The master reset is done by pulling the crown and pushing all buttons at once. This does get it out of CHEK, but it goes in to dive mode for one hour, then back to CHEK.

I've talked to at least half a dozen people who've had the exact same problem, yet no one who's found a way to fix it themselves. Its an older watch, so I dont want to send it off for a new sensor. Maybe I'll make my watch a guinea pig and try all sorts of stuff and see if anything works. That way someone else searching can see what works or not.

 

[miketsp]

Unfortunately, there are no Citizen service centers anywhere near where I live.
..snip..

That shouldn't be an issue. I have 2 Citizen Aqualands, one of them now for 15 years, and although I live in the same city as a major service center when it's time for a battery change and a pressure test I just put them in the post to the center. It's a lot less hassle than wasting my time going up into the center of the city. A few years ago, the older one needed a new electronics module and a replacement still worked out much cheaper than a new watch.

The amusing thing is that the watches generally come back with a note from the service technician telling me that my dive profiles are dangerous and I shouldn't be diving below 30m (as per recommendation in the watch manual).