QJ Timer problem

[NickH1337]

My QJ timer that I received yesterday is having a problem.

If I place my hands on it any harder then EXTREMELY LIGHTLY, the display will show 0:00.00 for about 1 - 3 seconds and then turn off. This makes solving with it near impossible, unless you touch it very lightly.

I opened it up to see if maybe some wires needed resoldering, but everything was fine. I began to tap different areas of it to see where the problem was. I found that if I was just using the top half of the timer (Contains the display, buttons, lights, contact pad things), I could slam it as hard as I wanted and it would work just fine! But if I just tapped the bottom half of the timer (Contains the 4 batteries) it would display the 0's and then shut off.

So I am guessing that the batteries would rattle a bit when I tap them and make the timer lose power for like .0001 of a second, making it shut off. I've tried a bunch of things to the batteries like bending the contact things a slightly different way, or trying to maybe secure them better. Nothing I try is making it any better.

So I am wondering, has anyone else had this problem, or know how to fix it? I searched this forum and couldn't find anything.

 

[Ashmnafa]

Try some new batteries. It usually works with Stackmat timers, so it is worth a shot.

 

[NickH1337]

did you have the same problem with a Stackmat timer? and did replacing the batteries fix it?

 

[Tim Major]

Also, we found a problem at a Melbourne meetup. Drop it from say... 15cm or higher it turns off. This happened on three of the four that people have iirc.

 

[NickH1337]

Yeah but this is pretty much impossible to use unless i touch it very lightly when I finish solving. if I drop it from any height, even 1 cm it will turn off.

 

[PatrickJameson]

Changing the battery should most definitely fix it. This happens all the time with stackmats and the fix for them is always to change the batteries.

 

[NickH1337]

Fair enough, do you have any theory on why changing the batteries will fix this? I know they have enough charge because it won't just turn off randomly unless I tap it.

 

[daniel0731ex]

hey i used to live in surrey too!!

 

[TimMc]

Also, we found a problem at a Melbourne meetup. Drop it from say... 15cm or higher it turns off. This happened on three of the four that people have iirc.

I hope that's sarcasm. Dropping it could result in the quartz crystal breaking off inside it (or some other component). I still have a timer laying around waiting to be soldered....

Tim.

 

[PatrickJameson]

Fair enough, do you have any theory on why changing the batteries will fix this? I know they have enough charge because it won't just turn off randomly unless I tap it.

I don't know the specifics. All I know is every timer I've seen with this problem was fixed by changing the battery. You can buy them at stores for like $2, so it's not like you're risking much by changing out the battery.

 

[NickH1337]

I just don't see how it will fix it, but I'll see if I can get some new ones.

 

[cincyaviation]

what kind of batteries do these use anyway? i could probably find out by breaking mine open but i'm wondering if someone here knows.

 

[FatBoyXPC]

Stackmat Timers use a CR2032 (it says so on the back of the timer).

QJ timers use 4 AG10 button cell batteries.

 

[Rorix]

I just got mine today and it had the same problem. I thought the batteries weren't touching the contact properly so I taped a bit of paper to the battery case cover to push it down. It didn't work at first, but then I tightened the screw and so far it seems to be fine. Now my only problem is that the power button doesn't function sometimes...

 

[irontwig]

I had the same problem, and I didn't even have to change the batteries, I simply took them out and put them back in.

 

[1namster]

Help! When i first got my QJ timer i could place my fingers on it to start it but now i have to place my whole palm to start it.Please Help!

 

[Yuxuibbs]

Help! When i first got my QJ timer i could place my fingers on it to start it but now i have to place my whole palm to start it.Please Help!

Don't bump threads that are over a year old (or even over 2 months old). It's easier to use the one answer question thread. The sensors on the timer may be a little used but starting shouldn't really matter. My QJ timer keeps showing 88:88.88 when I try to stop it sometimes. It takes my whole hand to start but at least it stops with my fingers.

 

[Michael Womack]

My QJ timer that I received yesterday is having a problem.

If I place my hands on it any harder then EXTREMELY LIGHTLY, the display will show 0:00.00 for about 1 - 3 seconds and then turn off. This makes solving with it near impossible, unless you touch it very lightly.

I opened it up to see if maybe some wires needed resoldering, but everything was fine. I began to tap different areas of it to see where the problem was. I found that if I was just using the top half of the timer (Contains the display, buttons, lights, contact pad things), I could slam it as hard as I wanted and it would work just fine! But if I just tapped the bottom half of the timer (Contains the 4 batteries) it would display the 0's and then shut off.

So I am guessing that the batteries would rattle a bit when I tap them and make the timer lose power for like .0001 of a second, making it shut off. I've tried a bunch of things to the batteries like bending the contact things a slightly different way, or trying to maybe secure them better. Nothing I try is making it any better.

So I am wondering, has anyone else had this problem, or know how to fix it? I searched this forum and couldn't find anything.

I have the same problem with one of my speedstacks timers but when the green light comes one it will shut off i suspect its a battery problem

 

[kane090]

Hello NichH1337,

I have the exact same problem with my QJ Timer. I just used my soldering iron to resolder the display wire as it needed to go in more and I also resoldered one of the battery wires and it works perfectly fine.

But I did burn my finger and I kind of melted some of the plastic, but it still goes on and you cant notice a thing.

I hope this helps,
Regards
kane090

 

[AFatTick]

Mine just kind of deteriorated over time. It sometimes doesn't start when the light is green, or doesn't stop when you stop it. I just got a Stackmat timer. The quality is much better and is worth the $30 xD