Ah, but you can eat them afterwards...Maybe cheaper, but probably generally more bulky - and, of course, they rot & go mouldy, too (much more rapidly than batteries)
Kind Regards, John
can't you?
Electric clock
- Thread starter kbultray
- Start date
can't you?
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I guess that depends on how you like your potatoesAh, but you can eat them afterwards... can't you?...and, of course, they rot & go mouldy, too ...
Quite apart from the rot and mould, I'm not sure what will have gone on chemically inside them during the electricity generating phase of their life!Kind Regards, John
ignore - another casualty of the way the site refreshes (or not).
I don't suppose a bit of copper and zink would d... .... ..... .I guess that depends on how you like your potatoes
Kind Regards, John
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I don't know about zinc ones, but ISTR that a good few copper salts are pretty toxic!I don't suppose a bit of copper and zink would d... .... ..... .I guess that depends on how you like your potatoes
Kind Regards, John
I got a coca cola powered clock one christmas. It lasted a good 6 months+ on about 100ml of coke. I suspect it would have lasted a bit longer if the seal on the containers was 100% sound. Definitely wouldn't drink that after it had eaten all those yummy metal salts - but doesn't go off like potatoes
I wonder if a cheap solar panel would run the clock and trickle charge the battery. I have a "nodding Bhudda" with a postage stamp sized "solar" panel that keeps the head nodding in artificial light.
It was in a boxful of assorted redundant computer stuff from a house clearance. I am trying to find a home for it.
It was in a boxful of assorted redundant computer stuff from a house clearance. I am trying to find a home for it.
I see no reason why not, provided only that the clock would work with the voltage of a rechargeable cell (which may not be a foregone conclusion). If the voltage were adequate and one started with a fully charged battery, at worst it would last for quite a long time, and the charging from the 'solar panel' would surely increase that time to some extent, potentially 'indefinitely'.
Kind Regards, John
In a similar vein, I have a water-powered clock that has been running without having the water changed for over two years now. Don't ask me how tough.
I would imagine that it's just a 'wet cell' battery. The link you provided says that it will run for 6 weeks on one 'fill' of water+lemon juice - have you really got over 2 years out of just one 'fill'?
Kind Regards, John
Indeed - it was filled when we moved home and has bene left on a shelf since. No lemon juice either, just tap water.
Here's your answer.
Just needs adapting for a clock.
Can't be bothered with mains clocks since there are battery ones. Trouble to get the supply to them, and they stop if the mains is off. We had an electric clock in our kitchen when I was a kid. A Smiths Sectric IIRC. Used to keep good time.
Can't be bothered with mains clocks since there are battery ones. Trouble to get the supply to them, and they stop if the mains is off. We had an electric clock in our kitchen when I was a kid. A Smiths Sectric IIRC. Used to keep good time.
Handy for knowing how long a power cut lasted while you were out.
Actually only useful for knowing when the power went off, as the Smiths we had wasn't self starting. you had to push and release the button underneath that doubled as a setting knob.
My dad used to have a Smiths Sectric. It kept very good time, not surprisingly I suppose as the mains frequency remains very close to 50Hz.
If it was stopped for any reason, you had to pull up a small lever at the back and release it sharply in order to get it going again.
My dad always kept it 15 minutes fast on the grounds that it would prevent us ever being late for anything. Completely ineffective, of course, as we were fully used to mentally subtracting 15 minutes!
By the time I was born, the glass front was long gone and (probably as a consequence) one of the hands was kinked.
I keep looking out for a mains-powered clock. I'd love to have one (that works).
If it was stopped for any reason, you had to pull up a small lever at the back and release it sharply in order to get it going again.
My dad always kept it 15 minutes fast on the grounds that it would prevent us ever being late for anything. Completely ineffective, of course, as we were fully used to mentally subtracting 15 minutes!
By the time I was born, the glass front was long gone and (probably as a consequence) one of the hands was kinked.
I keep looking out for a mains-powered clock. I'd love to have one (that works).
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