failed garden clock

[ashdale]

I have a battery-operated wireless-controlled clock on my garden shed, a present from five years ago. Two weeks ago, it suddenly stopped.

I've changed the battery twice but still hands don't move. The battery terminals in the case are quite clean. The hands, glass and electronics are all in a sealed unit so it's unlikely to be corrosion of the mechanism, but...I can't get inside, even if I knew what to look for. I can't imagine what's gone wrong.

I've checked with the NPL and the time signal is still going. The clock is Chinese-made but the instructions say that Precision Clocks Ltd in England made the mechanism so I sent them an email but got no reply, other than an acknowledgement that they received the email.

I think that five years is rather a short lifetime for this clock. I've no idea what it cost but I'd guess £80 or so. Do I get another one and hope for the best or do I pursue Precision Clocks?

 

[flyingsparks]

Give up. I'm afraid things these days don't last as long as years gone by. My ipad died after 2 yrs and it cost me £500. 😬

 

[ericmark]

It would seem sun dials can last 1000's of years but they have a problem with daylight saving.

However my computer and my weather station will not correct them selves if out by a large amount. You may need to manually correct to somewhere near correct time for the auto system to work.

 

[jj4091]

I can't see it would do any harm to ring them, at least then you will know if is repairable or not & how much it is likely to cost but you might also be able to get a new one cheaper on e-bay or similar.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

It would seem sun dials can last 1000's of years but they have a problem with daylight saving.

Easily resolved.

 

[winston1]

I have a similar clock in my garden though I don't recall who made it. It was about £35 not £80. Anyway I have had problems getting it going after battery changes. On the back of the mechanism there are a couple of buttons, time set, reset etc. Pressing these randomly got the hands into search mode. I then put it on a table back down with the internal aerial at right angles to the direction of Anthorn assuming the ferrite is horizontal inside. This worked, after that it can be uing up again.

 

[333rocky333]

I've checked with the NPL and the time signal is still going.

Help

 

[winston1]

OTOH, unless you are launching space missions from your garden, a mechanical clock powered by a spring will be perfectly good enough, and a lot less prone to going wrong.

But talking of going wrong, WOE has gone wrong in the brains of people who think they need radio regulated clocks in their gardens?

FFS.

It is the 21st century. Who wants to go outside in all weathers and regularly wind up a clock?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

It should be a rational world - who wants a clock in the garden anyway?

 

[RF Lighting]

Just because you don't want something doesn't mean other people shouldn't be allowed it.

Sorry to disappoint but you've not got your dictatorship just yet.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Ah - disappointment all round, then, because we can add the disappointment of you failing to show where I have said that they should not be allowed.

 

[plugwash]

It should be a rational world - who wants a clock in the garden anyway?

People who want to know what the time is but don't like wearing a watch.

 

[jj4091]

It should be a rational world - who wants a clock in the garden anyway?

People who want to know what the time is but don't like wearing a watch.

Not a problem for me, I look at the one in neighbours garden 2 doors away, it's like Big Ben!!

 

[mikeyd]

I've checked with the NPL and the time signal is still going.

Help

National Physical Laboratory. They look after the radio clock signal transmitted from Anthorn (Used to be from Rugby) www.npl.co.uk/time/msf/

 

[ashdale]

In response to winston1's experience--yes, I should have mentioned the two buttons. I've pressed them and neither will kick the hands into life. At the top in a recess at the back are two little pins and I read somewhere that shorting them out with a screwdriver blade, say, will also get the hands moving, perhaps to the 12 o'clock start position, I can't remember. Anyway, I've tried that without luck. With a 1.5volt battery installed, there's about 0.8 volt across the pins. but not knowing the circuitry inside, I've no idea if this voltage is symptomatic of anything!!!!

If all else fails, and I get no joy from Precision Clocks Ltd, I can remove the seal between the glass and the hands and try moving them manually, or, try putting 3 volts across the battery terminals rather than 1.5 volts, but I expect the latter step will destroy the thing so that really would be the final act of desperation.