Modern Vespa

As promised in prior post...I circled back after an incompleted attempt to replace a dead clock battery in my GT200.

(While you're doing this you may want to consider replacing your head light bulb)

Below are the step-by-step instructions on how to get this done. If you're considering this as one of your "Winter Projects" this might help.

Your battery doesn't have to be "dead" to consider a replacement. If your clock is not keeping accurate time...perhaps it's a time to replace the battery. The effective life of the clock battery is 2 - 3 years.

Battery part number: Renata 386 / Duracell D386 / Energizer 386 / Maxcell SR43W or you can also order via Scooterwest (1.55 V). Check the battery that is being replaced (upon removal) as well as the replacement battery (prior to install).

Note: There is a good step-by-step narrative by quattrovalvole (October 5, 2008).

Clock battery. Anyone replaced it yet??highlight=clock+battery+part+number

However the entire process (narrative and pics) is captured below in three parts:

1. Headset removal:

Follow link below until you get to the last pic.

GT/GTS: Headset Cover Removal

You'll also see the same pic (last pic) below with arrows that indicate the four (4) screws that need to be removed. Be careful removing these screws...place a towel over any open cavity and you may want to use a magnetic screw driver or screwdriver with retaining clip. You're not done yet.

You will also need to: (1) unscrew the speedometer cable nut then (2) unscrew the bolt that holds the headset cover (with instrument panel) to the steering column and (3) cut to cable tie that holds the electric wire bundle to the steering column. Once this is done you can pop the headset cover off and then unplug the two electric connectors to the instrument panel as well as the connectors on the left and right side of headset cover. You should now have the headset cover (with instrument panel) removed and place in on a worktable to replace the battery. I recommend having it on a table...you want a stable platform to complete the battery replacement.

2. Battery replacement:

Place the headset cover on a stable surface (recommend you lay down a towel and brace the headset). You may want to secure some fine tools (forceps, picks and magnifier / loops).

An inverted cup / cap covering the battery compartment...remove. Next, using a slotted screwdriver remove the plastic lock washer (push down lightly and turn counterclockwise). Next, gentle pick up and remove the spring washer. There's the battery...which is friction fit in place by two tabs...carefully remove the battery...don't damage the tabs.

Once to battery is removed...check out the charge of the "bad" battery...if the charge is good the problem could be the clock itself. Replace battery (clean off contact surface before install) and washers and cap.

Turn it over and it should be working!

3. Setting the clock:

Follow the instructions in your Owner's Manual or refer to the link below:

2005 GT200 DASH CLOCK?highlight=clock+battery+life

Make sure you got the two dots ":" in between the hour and second digits blinking or you haven't set the clock and it won't "run".

Reassemble and you're done!

thank you TB..

i have this ahead of me.

amazing sometimes, the italian engineering.

and once the battery is in the real fun starts, i suppose.

programming the silly clock....gotta love it....

Outstanding detailed instructions. I am assuming that it's a similar procedure for the GTS 300 as the dashboard also includes a small digital clock like that one with the rest of the instruments being analog.

great post seems alot of work think once my clock goes i'll rely on my watch

The clocks on the GTS and GTV models run off of the scooter battery and I suspect that the 300 does the same. The 200 was the odd duck that had a separate battery for the clock.

Sure love my PX 150. When it's time to change the clock battery, I just take the back off of this:

Thanks for the confirmation - I guess I am used to idiotic computer parts where part A should but does not connect to part B...

The LXs have the same horrifically clunky battery setup as the 200.

Changed mine about 8 months ago, and -- as an engineeer -- couldn't imagine why anyone would ever design anything that way!

I am not certain, but I have been told by the dealer (service guy) that there is a separate clock battery for the GTS 250. My clock has not worked for quite a while and the dealer said he thought it was the clock battery. Everything else on the instrument console works OK, which would support this theory.

However, the maint. manual does NOT seem to mention this battery and the dealer cannot find a part number for it. I looked on this forum and cannot find that anyone has ever mentioned a part number for the GTS Clock battery. Since it is more of a pain to replace than look at my watch, I have not torn apart the console to find out. Particularly since I can't confirm a part number for it.

I'm positive that there is not a separate battery for the clock on the GTS and GTV. If you disconnect the battery on those models, the clock will not display. Same for the BV500. So, it looks like the LX150 (and maybe other 150cc models) and the GT200 have the separate battery. I've also had the speedometer assembly apart on a GTS to look at installing a daylight sensor for a headlight modulator (decided not to put it in that area) and there is definitely NOT a clock battery.

If your clock is not working on a GTS, then it's some other problem. You might take it apart and see if the multi-pin electrical connector has come loose. It may be as simple as that.

It's an enigma within and enigma you just keep drilling down the worst it gets! If the GTS 250 and 300's run on a separate battery and you want to replace it...take your time and refer to the above and you can get it done...it's not that bad and will give you time to explore the internal workings of your headset.

I had better things to do with my time than change the clock battery...$2.00 battery + time not really worth it...however, I wanted to really understand how to remedy the "dead" battery.

After it was done...it was satisfying to know I got it done. A working clock + satisfaction knowing I know how and got it done = very rewarding.

Excellent work once again Wayne, thumbs up and another suggestion that you add it to the wiki.

Thanks for the insight. I'll check it out if I get a little time. Excellent "how to" by the way.

My LT-150 clock battery just died. I think I'll just let it stay dead.

It's going to gnaw at you until you get your tools out and decide to get it done...why?...cuz knowing you and it's there begging to be "fixed"!

Whilst you were in there - did you manage to reset the spring so it runs to time?

Does the GTS have a similar set-up so I can get my friggin' clock something resembling accurate?

Oh...the spring...that's another Winter Project...I'll be doing another post on that...

Seriously the new battery will provide the "charge" necessary to keep accurate time. After replacing my dead battery...I set it to my battery operated, very expensive Timex analog (so I can see the time) / digital (can set an alarm / stop watch) watch and it's been keeping time spot on. I presume that as "time" goes by the battery will lose its' charge and have to be changed ~ 2 - 3 years...just like the good old Timex.

By the way, the other reason I have a combo analog / digital is in a pinch, I can use the hour hand to quickly determine North / South direction...I used this to demonstrate to the Scouts in finding their way if they had no compass. If no GPS...no compass...no watch...there's a method using the movement of the sun. Stars...I never got the hang of orienteering by stars...but there are a few who are good at it. It's good stuff to learn.

http://www.onebag.com/popups/wcompass.html

Regarding the GTS clock...I have no idea...I presume from the prior posts that the clock may run on an independent clock battery and not wired to the scoot's battery.

It's really not that bad to change the battery...just looks that way...its' rather therapeutic / satisfying to complete the replacement.

I will post this just one more time in this thread: The GTS, GTV and BV500 clocks run off of the scooter battery. I know this for a fact (not a guess) because I own all three models and have verified this by performing a simple test that tells me this is so. (battery disconnect test) I have also been inside the speedometer/clock area of all three of these models. I can't speak for any other models but others have verified that the LX150 and the GT200 have an independent, clock battery that requires you to perform the procedure that the OP posted with excellent instructions.

If you want to know about your particular scooter,(other than a GTS, GTV or BV500) all you have to do is disconnect the negative terminal of the scooter battery for a minute or so and see if your clock has to be reset to the correct time due to the battery being disconnected.

IN CASE ANY OF YOU GTS300 OWNERS WERE WONDERING THE 300 HAS THE SEPARATE BATTERY THAT WILL EVENTUALLY NEED TO BE REPLACED.

I took the battery out of my 300 last month and the clock is still on.

Same thing goes for the S150, I have 2 clocks working now and their batteries have been out just as long.

VEZPA: That's good information. I will never understand why Vespa sometimes goes two steps forward and one step backwards..........But, I love their scooters.

Appreciate the great post.

The wrist watch alternative....

ever since I started carrying a cell phone I stoped wearing a watch.

Not so... the accuracy of a digital clock is regulated by a quartz oscillator, which may or may not be temperature compensated. If it is not, the vibrating frequency of the oscillator increases as the temperature does, and the clock runs fast; it runs slow in the cold. Temperature compensation helps prevent this, and its effectiveness depends on how sophisticated the circuit is. The one on a Vespa clock is not very good, if it is there at all. The strength of the battery has very little to do with it.

One of the main reasons the watch on your wrist keeps very good time is because your body temperature helps regulate the temperature of the watch. The clock on a scooter, on the other hand, is subject to great extremes of temperature... unless you live in Hawaii, that is!

Thanks...this is good to know!

I rebuilt my entire P200 engine and it didn't seem as hard as that looked.

I prefer this kind of work to tearing into a motor. I've already had my headset that far apart.

..replaced mine yesterday. I did it with the instrument panel still in place, and worked 'upside down'. Being older and wiser now I think I'd take the thing out and do it as in the article - I dropped tiny parts oo many times!

I was going down the path you took the first time and gave up. Once I was shown how to detach the headset cover completely (the GT200 Service Manual is not that clear on complete removal) I circled back since it made it a lot easier access and handle the clock battery replacement.

Good Luck on your next battery change out...it's really not that bad after you've done the first tme.

BTW...if you really want to have some fun...we did this today...install a Stebel Natilus in a Honda Metro (wife's scoot)...very, very limited space. Ended up running wires under the floor board that required removing a number of panels to remove the floor board. Then we "split" the horn and compressor with the horn and the compressor sitting on opposite sides of the chasis...works great but still need to complete finishing touches tomorrow before buttoning it up.

I did this job today. While working I was really annoyed. Mostly about the separate battery solution. Was it so unbelieveably hard to make the clock run off the 12 V battery? You'd think that Vespa would have the technology to do that. You'd think that at least there would be ONE guy at Vespa who could figure this out. Oh no!

I don't know for sure but it could be that the clock battery on the GTS is a backup for when you disconnect the main battery.

I agree with prior post that the Piaggio Engineers could have done a little better job on the design (hard wiring) of the instrument panel clock...in addition a couple of other things...

1. The copper plated nuts that secure the exhaust to the header...from what I read the copper plating prevents the nut and bolt from seizing up...so you're suppose to replace upon removal...or I guess you could use anti-seize.

2. A better design (less delicate) on those little tabs that hold the little clip that you screw in the hex bolt to hold the brake resevoir cover in place.

3. A better design (less delicate) screw to screw in tap underneath the handle bar covers...these crack and break off after several removals (see clock battery replacement; brake lever switch replacement; Stebel horn install; audible turn signal install...or just curious about what's underneath the handle bar covers).

4. An Euro kit developed for their various models so we could opt to have dual color LED's to have white running lights when turn signals not in use. To include proper resistors (if needed) to minimize or eliminate the rapid blinking issue.

5. A wiring harness kit developed so we can retrofit the top case of various Vespa models and use the spot occupied by the reflectors and install supplemental LED running / brake lights.

6. Collaborate with an after market suppler and develop a Projection Headlamp kit so we can retrofit the incandescent bulb with a HID Projection Headlight. To include a generic reflector bowl (which could be painted to match color of scoot or leave as mirrored finish), a wiring harness, ballast, projectot to fit (size) our needs and bulb.

Please don't misunderstand the intentions of this post...other than what's mentioned above (just my thoughts)...as my close friend (whose worked with me on the scoot)..."it's still one quality scoot!" Amen!

On the GTS250, the scooter battery runs the clock and there is no other battery that is associated with the clock. The 200 and 300 series have separate clock batteries.

Thanks for the great detailed instructions. It worked as stated. The whole job (including going to the store for the battery) was about 90 minutes.

Per request to reattach pics.

Thanks very much (and a big thumbs up) for uploading those. I've placed these back into the GT200 clock battery wiki article.

In that same article, there are some pictures of disconnecting the back half of the headset shell that have also gone missing. I'm not sure where those originally came from. Any idea?

I believe these (see attached) are the pics. It is specific to the removal of the instrument panel from the headset housing to access the battery cup.

Note:

1. I would recommend that everyone take caution in removing the screw that holds the front of the headset (under the headlamp). Place a towel underneath and use a retaining type of screw driver. Having the screw fall into the open crevice would require removing the glove box panel.

2. The general removal of the headset is covered under Wiki article that was put together by MBergsma (?).

Awesome. And another thumbs up!

Truly appreciated. 8)

Thanks for the detailed instructions on how to get to that dash clock battery. Oh my god why did they make it like that!! Well I took the time to get to it , replaced it , but still the clock doesn't work!! So frustrating. Does anyone know why this may be?. Thanks, Adrian

I have a 2014 GTS250, and I have just replaced the clock battery, something I have done twice previously on my GT200.
However the GT200 and GTS250 still have intermittent clock working moments, I used a LR43, (all I could get and internet said was the same?) but it is now weak and flashing slightly, anyone else had issues with LR43 batteries or am I missing something?

Seems weird it's happening on both?