Electric Clock questions
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 553
Likes: 1
From: Valparaiso IN
Electric Clock questions
I took apart my 71 electric clock as it had never worked since I've owned the car.. cleaned it up and made a test jig to see if it worked. and Voila it works!!EXCEPT...every 70-80 sec I can see the contact points close and then snap open. Is this normal? Is that how the springs are wound? Can someone explain this to me...
Thanks :crazy: :crazy:
Thanks :crazy: :crazy:
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 10,866
Likes: 717
From: Beverly Hills/Pine Ridge Florida
Re: Electric Clock questions (OldSchool)
Yes, it's not really an electrical clock, it's an electro-mechanical clock. It winds down mechanically, the points then close and the clock is re-wound electrically, then it mechanically winds down again. Sounds like yours is working as designed. Chuck
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 19,659
Likes: 34
From: Lenoir City Tennessee
Ci 6, 8 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Re: Electric Clock questions (OldSchool)
Good job. Sounds like you have saved yourself somemoney. I wish I had done this a long time ago. I do have a new clock now though.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,269
Likes: 3
From: St. Charles IL
Cruise-In 5-6-7-8-9-11-12 Veteran
A CI-6 Car Show Winner
Re: Electric Clock questions (OldSchool)
Glad to hear yours works. My 75's works but keeps terrible time, I'm considering re-fitting the original clock with quartz parts this winter while I have the dash apart for other things.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,660
Likes: 3
From: South Central Louisiana
St. Jude Contributor
Re: Electric Clock questions (Big Fish)
Yep, thats how those clocks work. Very neat design, but terribly unreliable.
The filament wire on the electromagnet coil burnt on mine.
The filament wire on the electromagnet coil burnt on mine.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 868
Likes: 5
Re: Electric Clock questions (Bearcat)
Yep ,You did it right ...Thats how they work ...They are unreliable but cleaned right they'll last awhile.The quartz is a great update for those clocks extremly accurate and pull milliamps..They'll last forever.
Jason
VetteInstruments@aol.com
Jason
VetteInstruments@aol.com
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2,064
Likes: 1,382
From: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Re: Electric Clock questions (OldSchool)
Make sure the points are clean. That is the failure point.
My electromagnet failed as well. The points became dirty and didn't pass enough current to activate the magnetic field, however the power was still applied to the coil and it "got fried".
I installed the quartz kit. (You retain your own hands and face)
As for the mechanical clock not keeping good time, there is a built in regulator that gets adjusted when you reset the time.
Example... If it is running fast, then by you setting it back to the proper time a few times, then it should regulate itself to run a bit slower.
This self regulation can be a pain. If it is keeping good time and you adjust it for daylight savings, then you will throw off the regulator.
Or, if you have the battery disconnected, then re adjust the clock, you will disturb the regulator.
If you have the battery disconnected, when reconnected, don't set the clock.
Pull the fuse until you reach the same time as the clock and then install the fuse.
Sounds like a pain in the back side, however if you want your mechanical clock to keep good time, then this is required.
Barry
My electromagnet failed as well. The points became dirty and didn't pass enough current to activate the magnetic field, however the power was still applied to the coil and it "got fried".
I installed the quartz kit. (You retain your own hands and face)
As for the mechanical clock not keeping good time, there is a built in regulator that gets adjusted when you reset the time.
Example... If it is running fast, then by you setting it back to the proper time a few times, then it should regulate itself to run a bit slower.
This self regulation can be a pain. If it is keeping good time and you adjust it for daylight savings, then you will throw off the regulator.
Or, if you have the battery disconnected, then re adjust the clock, you will disturb the regulator.
If you have the battery disconnected, when reconnected, don't set the clock.
Pull the fuse until you reach the same time as the clock and then install the fuse.
Sounds like a pain in the back side, however if you want your mechanical clock to keep good time, then this is required.
Barry
