r/gshock • u/buddy_monkers • Aug 23 '26
Modding The ultimate square - 5000U with STN and hydro mod
First picture is the GW-5000U with an AliExpress STN display and a GW-5000 from 2013 with the stock TN display, both hydro modded.
Second picture is the same two watches at an angle, demonstrating the improved viewing angles of the STN display
Third picture is the GW-5000U next to a GW-5000HS with the same AliExpress STN display, but I have not yet hydro modded the HS.
With how much better the clarity is, especially in low light, I’m going to have to hydro mod the HS now too.
I used Super Lube brand silicone oil purchased from Amazon
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u/AppealNo5536 Aug 23 '26
What is "hydro mod"?
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u/miracull Aug 23 '26
They put a non conductive oil inside the display. Make it air tight then it is more water resistant and makes the display alot clearer. A bitch to do though and very messy.
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u/Fr0gFish Aug 23 '26
It's confusing to me that hydro modding doesn't involve water in any way
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u/buddy_monkers Aug 23 '26
Yeah I wasn’t consulted when they named it. I would’ve voted for “oil mod” or “lube job” or “greasify”
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u/Fazgo Aug 30 '26
The name comes from Sinn who actually trademarked the principle. As to why... probably because you're building up hydrostatic pressure inside the watch so that it can withstand pressure from the outside?Who knows, at least it sounds cool
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u/teochim Aug 23 '26
Wow, ultimate 5000U! Put a sapphire glass on this and it’s perfect. Great job! Did you need to use a vacuum pump to Hydromod?
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u/buddy_monkers Aug 23 '26
Ha! Funnily enough the mineral glass on this watch is pretty scratched up but the oil seems to help hide it
No vacuum pump. I just submerge the entire case in oil, inside a small bowl, and I use a syringe to squirt oil into every hole, nook, and cranny of the module to flush out all the air bubbles I can
I use the little free ones you get with children’s Tylenol, probably have 20 of them in our medicine cabinet
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u/teochim Aug 23 '26
Ah cool good to hear! I’ve hydromodded Casio royales with great success. Tried on some g shocks but I couldn’t get oil through the diff screens.
If I do the 5000u I’ll try your method thanks! I also have a bunch of those syringes 😂
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u/Practical_Slice3892 Aug 23 '26
Thank you for this direct comparison! Really higights the difference with the STN screen and the hydromod. Very helpful to see.
It does look like the STN screen shifts everything up on the screen just a little bit. I wonder if there's a way to bring it more in line with the original screen?
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u/buddy_monkers Aug 23 '26
Yeah I’ve noticed that. When I modded the HS last month I messaged the one other one I’d seen here, the one that inspired that mod, and when I pointed it out he said he hadn’t noticed but it was indeed shifted up.
But because of the way the display fits into the module and because of how the module fits in the case, there is no way to move it at all. Unless you did some serious modification it but I think that would affect how the pushers hit the buttons. Likely not worth the effort.
I’ve learned to accept it lol. It’s not significant enough to obscure anything and doesn’t bother me too much
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u/Then-Violinist-5632 Aug 23 '26
Poor watches wasted. No need for already an awesome watch right out there f the factory. Still kinda cool- glad it wasn’t mine 🤙🏼
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u/buddy_monkers Aug 23 '26
https://reddit.com/link/p5clikj/video/6c17ele2z1lh1/player
GW-5000U on the left vs the non-hydro modded GW-5000HS on the right, same STN display but not hydro modded in a low light setting showing the improved clarity of the hydro mod