I really enjoyed that, thanks, best explanation yet. BTW, you put the caseback on upside down, but I’m sure somebody has already pointed that out 😉 I’m going to try this with a dirt cheap Chinese Seiko Tuna inspired watch; should be fun.
Best description of the Hydro Mod I've ever heard. As a scuba diver I'm always having to try explain why, my mate is only divied to 15 meters on a "holiday dive" his 30 meter watch flooded. Also, I'm going to pick up a couple of these and send to my grandsons in Canada. They can do this as a science project in their "lockdown home schooling" situation they are in. Cheers for the idea. Subscribing was easy decision.
Nice video. Couple comments which you probably know but didn't see them when I scanned the comments In addition to being an incompressible fluid the silicone oil is electrically non conducting so even if "a little" water leaks in and displaces some oil, the watch should still function. Using the lightest oil possible makes it easier to get rid of the air bubbles and also reducing the additional load of the oil of the mechanism for an analog watch (not effect on a digital of course). If you do get a bubble in the display, you just tell people is the "spirit level" mod.😀👍
You need to use a low viscosity oil for best results. If you've ever treaded water your legs work harder under water. Water is more viscous than air. Oil is more viscous than water.
One thing you should perhaps have mentioned is that once the mod is done, it is pretty much irreversible. The whole watch - especially the internals would have to be cleaned thoroughly using a solvent, which would probably have a detrimental effect on the internals, and possibly the watch face and numerals. Surely, when it comes to adjusting the day/date, say for a shorter month, won't the watch leak oil at the point where you pull the crown out to do the adjusting? Also, has anyone tried this mod with the MRW - S300H ? It appears to be the same watch as the 200H, only solar powered. I was wondering if the oil would have a detrimental effect on the watch's ability to use the energy from the sun and convert it to electricity.
With regards to the date change, there is a flange inside the watch to give the watch its original 100m water rating. It will not pass oil back through the watch via the stem. The only time that this watch will leak, is under extremes of temperature. If you are taking a trip in death valley and stopping to get a 3 hour sun tan, it might be a problem. The place it is most likely to leak is out of the back plate. I saw a guy put one in a freezer then into an oven at 60 degrees. There was a tiny leak after that but it was working fine.
Can you adjust the day/date and not have oil leak out? Or will it leak when you pop that crown? Not sure if this model screws down or not, the duro screws down but is 200m wr.
Yeah no issues setting date/day or time. It has a double o ring on the stem so keeps the oil in nicely. This was done 3-4 weeks ago and still oil tight :)
It doesn’t have a screwdown crown, but for the money, this model is legendary. Lume isn’t great and there is no warning as to when the battery runs out.
This is a few years ago now, but I'd be really interested to hear how the watch held up? Did you get any leaks or issues? I'm thinking about doing a similar mod to a casio analog.
Done a couple of these as practice pieces for bigger jobs. The oil fill looks fabulous but i was worried about the battery life. Hooked one up to some electrogadgiytirickery and found the current consumption about 3-4 times higher with the oil in than without. This means the 3 year battery will probably only last about 9 months as the motor is working harder to move the hands though the oil. given the price and simplicity of these, it's not a problem but could be a snag when applying the mod to more expensive watches. not going to stop me though, I have a CWC sapphire lined up for a new dial and I think an oil fill will set it off nicely!
Yeah i did have thi point in mind, had the figure of a third battery life in my head. This is were doing this on a solar watch might be good due to it always getting charge. But would still reduce the capacitor life as well. At the end of the day like you say on a £15 watch, not going to think twice but a 2-300+ watch.... Yeah might not go for this mod :)
@@GrimwoodWatchModding , going to do another one of these with fluorinert first and measure the current etc with that before doing an expensive one. Trick is finding the right version, the lighter versions have lower boiling points so some compromise needed. And time! Another plan with the casio would be to put a bigger battery in, there is plenty enough room...
How drastically does this cut the battery life down, and doesn't it make battery replacement that much more laborious? Granted we're talking about a $20 watch here, but at the same time... can't imagine anyone will be using this to dive with anyway? And the refractive index is pretty good on the acrylic already. I guess it's weighing pros and cons at some point but for me, filling this watch with oil would be an overall con.
I want to do this as well and was wondering this: will the oil leak out of the crown when pulled out? I'm really wondering this, because people always say a watch is not water resistant with the crown pulled out.
Looking good! Tempted to try this with my Traser Officer Pro 67, but a little unsure if the dial and the glue that holds the tritium tubes in place will withstand the oil. Also, did you put the caseback on upside-down..? :)
Mine lasted about 4 months, even with a fresh battery the second hand is now too weak to tick through the oil, unless I warm the whole watch up in the dishwasher :D I used Silicon Oil, 500 CPS, which was the thinnest my local R/C model shop had. Did I use the wrong oil, or is this just to be expected? How's yours holding up?
I just used babay oil. Ive done it to 2 G-shocks, neither of them have a seconds hand. The hour hand only has 3 movements per minute so I don't see it affecting battery life.
Lasted fine, battery latest 1.5 years which all honesty will be due to the oil drag. Changed it in oil bath like when I made it and had no issue. As for leaks I have had none so far and it sitcks in the same watch box as my other watches :).
Well in all honesty i wasn't planning on getting no air in it. Did it too well by the look of it. However, the exspension of silicon oil isn't much think about 0.8% at 40'c so less then 1%. However if the case is 100% full you can;t get 101% in it. I'm hoping the case back has that flex in it to take that exspansion up. Like i say worn on the wrist a few times now and not a leak to be seen :) See in hydraulics we have Thermal relief valve for this very fact.
Do you have a way to check the mod up to 50-60C? Maybe inside a ziploc bag submerged in a warm water bath? That sort of temperature sounds reasonable for a watch in direct sunlight. Any oil leak should show-up inside the bag. The real test of confidence - would you fly with it? I've seen a terrible mess caused by a piston fountain pen packed in a suitcase.
Haha done a few so just do it these days, For this watch there is a very small tab which you can see just below the stem on the movement. Just needs to be depressed and pull out. This is in it;s normal position.
@@GrimwoodWatchModding Cheers, in the end I had a poke around and worked it out...did this mod to an orange and black version, can't believe how much it transforms the whole watch from a 15 quid toy to a seriously good looking diver!
@@TkacikYero I just went into my local r/c model shop and asked for silicon oil, told them the plan and they gave me the thinnest one they had, works a treat!
They all work off of a crystal of quartz,these watches, that oscilates 32768 times a second in AIR; once oil gets to it, and if it does, it will be ruined; but maybe the crystal aluminum is water/oil proof? i doubt it.
No i haven't but it is RC car pure silicon shock oil 10wt. Can be picked up very readily off ebay and hobby stores. RC cars is another hobby of mine so had resently bought this for the cars.
Tried this on a MRW-210H. DID'NT WORK!! Same movement, bigger watch. BUMMED!!! It ticks but does not move forward. Guess it didn't have enough torque to move the larger hands in the viscous oil. Reeealy liked the way that looked too and the watch is much heavier. IT DOES WORK fine on the MRW-200H though!
P.S. With this mod, it looks like 👍 ya can go to the bottom of the ocean 🌊 with this watch, or very close. The oil must act as a “gasket”, as to speak 🗣, but I’d be worried 😟 on such pressures crushing 😻 the case of the watch, or breaking the crystal out of it. Your friend, Jeff.
No not really. On metal cases it can be done but it is a lot of work. Doing this mod in my mind is one way to get around having a screw down crown :). But persnal like having a screw crown just so i am 100% sure it is in it's normal position when wearing it.
@@GrimwoodWatchModding Cheers pal. I'd seen replacement "Rolex" screw down crowns with thread housing on Ali express and wondered if they could be adapted with 'tap and die' for some certain new Seiko models. It does seem like a lot of faffing about like you say. Nice one anyway pal. Keep up the great work mate.
Not worth it. From my experience. Not comfortable when wanting to change battery It's too messy process And I personally don't like the optical illusion flat effect
Hi, what is the Cst of the silicon oil you used? On some of the other modding videos the majority state a Cst of 50. I have looked at the RC car shock oil and the lowest Cst I can find with that type of oil is 100. Interesting to see if you've used something more than a Cst of 50!
Modding your watch sounds like 👍 a great 😊 idea 💡, but it could void the manufacturer’s 👨 warranty. Oil sounds like 👍 smart idea 💡, because I don’t think 🤔 that the manufacturer 👨 does it. Today, watches are built “until they go”. It means that these watches are used until they break, and are thrown away. Your friend, Jeff.
Question: Can a guy replace the crystal on this watch with a sapphire crystal or at least a mineral crystal? Mine scratches very easily. I would just love to see a video where someone upgrades an inexpensive watch and makes it a bit nicer.
Херня! Не делайте так с часами имеющими секундную стрелку. Секундная стрелка встречает сопротивление масла, двигается с затруднением, и часы отстают. Я заливал масло различной плотности, сразу отставание часов заметил при заливке масла вязкостью в 100 сСт, далее я заменил масло на вязкость в 5 сСт, и часы всё равно отстают. (на меньшее время, но отстают) Короче - заливка масла подойдёт если вы заливаете его в часы БЕЗ секундной стрелки, или в часы с электронным дисплэем.
I really enjoyed that, thanks, best explanation yet.
BTW, you put the caseback on upside down, but I’m sure somebody has already pointed that out 😉
I’m going to try this with a dirt cheap Chinese Seiko Tuna inspired watch; should be fun.
Best description of the Hydro Mod I've ever heard. As a scuba diver I'm always having to try explain why, my mate is only divied to 15 meters on a "holiday dive" his 30 meter watch flooded. Also, I'm going to pick up a couple of these and send to my grandsons in Canada. They can do this as a science project in their "lockdown home schooling" situation they are in. Cheers for the idea. Subscribing was easy decision.
Nice video. Couple comments which you probably know but didn't see them when I scanned the comments
In addition to being an incompressible fluid the silicone oil is electrically non conducting so even if "a little" water leaks in and displaces some oil, the watch should still function.
Using the lightest oil possible makes it easier to get rid of the air bubbles and also reducing the additional load of the oil of the mechanism for an analog watch (not effect on a digital of course).
If you do get a bubble in the display, you just tell people is the "spirit level" mod.😀👍
I've just unboxed one of these and I was planning to do the hydromod on it, good to know the science behind it! Thanks for the demonstration!
No problem!
Superb, looks great, works brilliantly, dive as deep as you want and no total internal reflection when you look at it under water! Win, win, win!
That was really cool!! Does the oil create resistance for the hand movement and slow the watch down ? Also, how did you remove the stem ?
ouhhhhh, there's no effect on that, but the battery will run out fast
@@MFZRKN The battery runs out fast... because there's resistance on the hand movement.
You need to use a low viscosity oil for best results. If you've ever treaded water your legs work harder under water. Water is more viscous than air. Oil is more viscous than water.
Fantastic explanation of the physics! I love these little Casios and will try this mod soon. How does the oil affect the accuracy of the movement?
One thing you should perhaps have mentioned is that once the mod is done, it is pretty much irreversible. The whole watch - especially the internals would have to be cleaned thoroughly using a solvent, which would probably have a detrimental effect on the internals, and possibly the watch face and numerals.
Surely, when it comes to adjusting the day/date, say for a shorter month, won't the watch leak oil at the point where you pull the crown out to do the adjusting?
Also, has anyone tried this mod with the MRW - S300H ? It appears to be the same watch as the 200H, only solar powered. I was wondering if the oil would have a detrimental effect on the watch's ability to use the energy from the sun and convert it to electricity.
With regards to the date change, there is a flange inside the watch to give the watch its original 100m water rating. It will not pass oil back through the watch via the stem. The only time that this watch will leak, is under extremes of temperature. If you are taking a trip in death valley and stopping to get a 3 hour sun tan, it might be a problem. The place it is most likely to leak is out of the back plate. I saw a guy put one in a freezer then into an oven at 60 degrees. There was a tiny leak after that but it was working fine.
Absolutely fantastic work - truly a transformation. I have to try this ! 👍👍
Can you adjust the day/date and not have oil leak out? Or will it leak when you pop that crown? Not sure if this model screws down or not, the duro screws down but is 200m wr.
Yeah no issues setting date/day or time. It has a double o ring on the stem so keeps the oil in nicely. This was done 3-4 weeks ago and still oil tight :)
It doesn’t have a screwdown crown, but for the money, this model is legendary. Lume isn’t great and there is no warning as to when the battery runs out.
Thinking of doing this mod, how’s the watch holding up? Any leaks yet?
This is a few years ago now, but I'd be really interested to hear how the watch held up? Did you get any leaks or issues?
I'm thinking about doing a similar mod to a casio analog.
Done a couple of these as practice pieces for bigger jobs. The oil fill looks fabulous but i was worried about the battery life. Hooked one up to some electrogadgiytirickery and found the current consumption about 3-4 times higher with the oil in than without. This means the 3 year battery will probably only last about 9 months as the motor is working harder to move the hands though the oil. given the price and simplicity of these, it's not a problem but could be a snag when applying the mod to more expensive watches. not going to stop me though, I have a CWC sapphire lined up for a new dial and I think an oil fill will set it off nicely!
Yeah i did have thi point in mind, had the figure of a third battery life in my head. This is were doing this on a solar watch might be good due to it always getting charge. But would still reduce the capacitor life as well. At the end of the day like you say on a £15 watch, not going to think twice but a 2-300+ watch.... Yeah might not go for this mod :)
@@GrimwoodWatchModding , going to do another one of these with fluorinert first and measure the current etc with that before doing an expensive one. Trick is finding the right version, the lighter versions have lower boiling points so some compromise needed. And time! Another plan with the casio would be to put a bigger battery in, there is plenty enough room...
@@sootys4024 I'm considering removing seconds hand to avoid battery drain problem. What do you think?
@@Woyto That might help but the gears and motor will still be working in fluid so still it won't be quite as free running as when empty.
That’s some nice looking cheap watch you got there. Definitely will get one.
Unique video. Learned something. Thanks.
How drastically does this cut the battery life down, and doesn't it make battery replacement that much more laborious? Granted we're talking about a $20 watch here, but at the same time... can't imagine anyone will be using this to dive with anyway? And the refractive index is pretty good on the acrylic already. I guess it's weighing pros and cons at some point but for me, filling this watch with oil would be an overall con.
Is it possible oil will leak out when pulling the crown out?
I want to do this as well and was wondering this: will the oil leak out of the crown when pulled out? I'm really wondering this, because people always say a watch is not water resistant with the crown pulled out.
Oh nooo, the backplate on upside down would annoy me so much
Looking good! Tempted to try this with my Traser Officer Pro 67, but a little unsure if the dial and the glue that holds the tritium tubes in place will withstand the oil. Also, did you put the caseback on upside-down..? :)
Mine lasted about 4 months, even with a fresh battery the second hand is now too weak to tick through the oil, unless I warm the whole watch up in the dishwasher :D
I used Silicon Oil, 500 CPS, which was the thinnest my local R/C model shop had. Did I use the wrong oil, or is this just to be expected? How's yours holding up?
i think thats a 50 weight (50wt = 500cst) where in the vid he used a 10wt, maybe try emptying it out and putting in some thinner stuff
I just used babay oil. Ive done it to 2 G-shocks, neither of them have a seconds hand. The hour hand only has 3 movements per minute so I don't see it affecting battery life.
@@spinnanz I did wonder about the baby oil option...I've dug this watch out and emptied it, so I'll try that later and see what happens
What happens when you pull the crown out to change the date? Does it leak?
nope, the crown has a double O-ring seal
How did it do over the years re leaks? Battery change would be messy I expect...
Lasted fine, battery latest 1.5 years which all honesty will be due to the oil drag. Changed it in oil bath like when I made it and had no issue. As for leaks I have had none so far and it sitcks in the same watch box as my other watches :).
Great video, very helpful but wanted to point out that the back plate is upside down
How to remove the winding pin and crown was not mentioned
I thought you needed and air bubble to stop the oil from poping the crown or glass out when it gets hot in the sun?
Well in all honesty i wasn't planning on getting no air in it. Did it too well by the look of it. However, the exspension of silicon oil isn't much think about 0.8% at 40'c so less then 1%. However if the case is 100% full you can;t get 101% in it. I'm hoping the case back has that flex in it to take that exspansion up. Like i say worn on the wrist a few times now and not a leak to be seen :) See in hydraulics we have Thermal relief valve for this very fact.
Do you have a way to check the mod up to 50-60C? Maybe inside a ziploc bag submerged in a warm water bath? That sort of temperature sounds reasonable for a watch in direct sunlight. Any oil leak should show-up inside the bag.
The real test of confidence - would you fly with it? I've seen a terrible mess caused by a piston fountain pen packed in a suitcase.
"I removed the stem and the crown" - mate, that's the most difficult bit of the whole thing, how the hell did you do that??? :D
Haha done a few so just do it these days, For this watch there is a very small tab which you can see just below the stem on the movement. Just needs to be depressed and pull out. This is in it;s normal position.
@@GrimwoodWatchModding Cheers, in the end I had a poke around and worked it out...did this mod to an orange and black version, can't believe how much it transforms the whole watch from a 15 quid toy to a seriously good looking diver!
What oil are you using? Link to it?
@@TkacikYero I just went into my local r/c model shop and asked for silicon oil, told them the plan and they gave me the thinnest one they had, works a treat!
Has the accuracy been affected by the oil ?
Very nice indeed
Does the oil came out when adjusting the time?
Sorry if this seem like a silly question. But can i do this with analog and digital modules? Or is it strictly analog?
Well explained and demonstrated - thank you Kyle. atb snack.
They all work off of a crystal of quartz,these watches, that oscilates 32768 times a second in AIR; once oil gets to it, and if it does, it will be ruined; but maybe the crystal aluminum is water/oil proof? i doubt it.
Well done. Crack on, dude.
Nice! I just need to get the oil and I’m on it.
Crazy man........enjoy it.
Hi mate, seen this mod a few times and I fancy a try.
Do you have a link for the oil?
Cheers👍
No i haven't but it is RC car pure silicon shock oil 10wt. Can be picked up very readily off ebay and hobby stores. RC cars is another hobby of mine so had resently bought this for the cars.
Thank you! I tried this with 50 WT, and the watch failed.
@@TkacikYero Find some Fluorinert. I got some on EBAY. It's the consistency of water and I have done a few watches. All work fine.
Tried this on a MRW-210H. DID'NT WORK!! Same movement, bigger watch. BUMMED!!! It ticks but does not move forward. Guess it didn't have enough torque to move the larger hands in the viscous oil. Reeealy liked the way that looked too and the watch is much heavier.
IT DOES WORK fine on the MRW-200H though!
Great video,can i ask what oil did you use? also the back is upside down ;)
10WT RC car shock oil, pure silicon so all good to use and cheap :)
what oil did you use? could you please provide a link. thanks
The burning question is: does the crown leak? Please keep us updated
So far have had no leaks but will keep people up todate :)
4years later did ot leak?
I can't even get past buying the right oil to do the job. Where the hell do you get it from with the right viscosity?
P.S. With this mod, it looks like 👍 ya can go to the bottom of the ocean 🌊 with this watch, or very close. The oil must act as a “gasket”, as to speak 🗣, but I’d be worried 😟 on such pressures crushing 😻 the case of the watch, or breaking the crystal out of it. Your friend, Jeff.
What oil do use
Is that a scratch in the upper right side? By the number 2?
Kyle is sciencing level 20
Thats just the way i role😎
What about accuracy of watch now? After procedure.
Dumb question: If I do the same with a digital watch (let's say F91W or Royale) does the speaker still work? I wouldn't want to go without the chime.
Chances are no, oil will deaden the sound but also the buzzer no doubt won't work in oil. Watch will function but no speaker i would guess.
I have done it the alarm is half the volume.
But i can live without it
Is it possible to make Hydromod to an ECO DRIVE watch?
baby oil????
Nice one mate. Just wondering, is it possible to add a screw down crown to an ordinary pre existing case?
No not really. On metal cases it can be done but it is a lot of work. Doing this mod in my mind is one way to get around having a screw down crown :). But persnal like having a screw crown just so i am 100% sure it is in it's normal position when wearing it.
@@GrimwoodWatchModding Cheers pal. I'd seen replacement "Rolex" screw down crowns with thread housing on Ali express and wondered if they could be adapted with 'tap and die' for some certain new Seiko models. It does seem like a lot of faffing about like you say. Nice one anyway pal. Keep up the great work mate.
Does this get rid of the ticking sound
Would this work with some of the solar models? What happens when you pull the crown?
not sure about solar watches, but the crown has a double O-ring seal
Yup, worked great on my Eco-Drive. No leaks due to the gasket on the stem. Many are double sealed.
what is the best oil to use ....and from where>> thanks
I used a light wieght Silcon, basically doesn't react with anything so good to use. I used RC car shock oil, cheap and can get light weights :)
Thanks for the update
what happens when you try to adjust the time, does the watch pee oil all over you
If you go on a plane will it leak?
Have any of your watches leaked? And how do you get the crown out?
No not yet :)
Battery life ?
How many minutes per day you loose ?
Thanks
It didn't however have an update coming soon on this watch 👍
Not worth it.
From my experience.
Not comfortable when wanting to change battery
It's too messy process
And I personally don't like the optical illusion flat effect
How do you remove the stem?
Their will be a tab to push or pull that will release the stem from the module.
It's Petri dish not pentri dish
You will find a trip over my words from time to time ;)
I actually like to leave a tiny bubble inside. It looks more fun.
u put caseback on upside down :P
Hi, what is the Cst of the silicon oil you used? On some of the other modding videos the majority state a Cst of 50. I have looked at the RC car shock oil and the lowest Cst I can find with that type of oil is 100. Interesting to see if you've used something more than a Cst of 50!
The oil i used was 10wt so will be 100 cst. Watch still keeps good time, might run the battery down quicker but thats the down sides of this mod. :)
@@GrimwoodWatchModding Hey buddy! How much quicker does the battery drain? How much it lasts? Thank you so much!
Modding your watch sounds like 👍 a great 😊 idea 💡, but it could void the manufacturer’s 👨 warranty. Oil sounds like 👍 smart idea 💡, because I don’t think 🤔 that the manufacturer 👨 does it. Today, watches are built “until they go”. It means that these watches are used until they break, and are thrown away. Your friend, Jeff.
Scratched glass? Noooo!
I dont even see the difference, hope it is cool
You from newcastle mate?
Close, more class as Durham than Newcastle but am placed dead in the middle of the two :)
Grimwood Watch Modding i live near chester le street. More or less dead middle also
another how to vid ..where people skip steps...nothing worse......you must show how to remove the stem and put it back in
oh no ....the back cover is upside down
It's staying like that until the battery runs out haha
Question: Can a guy replace the crystal on this watch with a sapphire crystal or at least a mineral crystal? Mine scratches very easily.
I would just love to see a video where someone upgrades an inexpensive watch and makes it a bit nicer.
You should be able to, just need side and thickness :)
You spent much more time saying what you didn't pay for the watch!
Miyota 2015?
Miyota 2305
Херня! Не делайте так с часами имеющими секундную стрелку. Секундная стрелка встречает сопротивление масла, двигается с затруднением, и часы отстают. Я заливал масло различной плотности, сразу отставание часов заметил при заливке масла вязкостью в 100 сСт, далее я заменил масло на вязкость в 5 сСт, и часы всё равно отстают. (на меньшее время, но отстают) Короче - заливка масла подойдёт если вы заливаете его в часы БЕЗ секундной стрелки, или в часы с электронным дисплэем.
уверены, что проблема не в часах? Может часы подошли к пределу и начали задержку, кстати сколько секунд задержки в день?
Wtf is that blood at 1:10?? Lol
Haha, no was a red pen mark put there by my son haha
queee?
Hello,! What type of oil you used?