K & O Electro magnetic pendulum clock

[Les Sanders]

I just started on this one. Runs and stops, I put a new battery from Timesavers 1.5 volt. My question is with the movement removed should the pendulum swing or do I need to have the movement in the frame? I am cleaning the movement right now!

 

[MartinM]

You could lock it down, if you want to. I don't think letting the pendulum swing free till you get the movement back in will cause any problems as the one contact point (the escape wheel) isn't even in the clock at that point.

 

[Les Sanders]

My thought was to see if the pendulum swings freely then the magnetic field is OK! It was swinging freely. I put the movement back in after cleaning (only oiled pivots with watch oil) the hands are off at this point! When I removed the hands the minute hand was not tight but the brass nut that goes on before you install the minute hand was wrench tight! I put it back as it was and it seems to be running OK! Time will tell, good old Time. I believe the movement was just gummed up!

 

[MartinM]

Heh. The magnetic fields on these things are legendarily inconsistent. At least as far as regulating the timing is concerned.
But, yeah... That's a fine way to test the circuit and coil.

 

[Tinker Dwight]

Because of the large swing, they are more sensitive to
battery voltage.
Alkaline battery cells have stable voltage after about 10%
life until near the end of life.
What this means is that you'll be chasing your tail,
initially for about a month or so with fresh batteries
until it settles down.
That has been my experience.
Also time it on in the location where it will run.
Slight differences in metals near them seen to have
effects.
I don't oil mine.
Tinker Dwight

 

[Les Sanders]

So Far its right on!

 

[Jenelle]

I now have 2 clocks with magnet swinging pendulum, one uses a single AA battery for clock and for pendulum, the other seems to have a separate AA battery just for the pendulum.

Both have weak (or maybe dead?) statoinary magnet with smaller magnet at top of pendulum which repels the pendulum from coming to rest in a vertical position.

The suggestion to get a neodymium magnet seems a plausible fix, but there are 2 magnets for each piece, and not much room to replace the stationary one--in fact it seems fused/melted into the plastic casing.
Does north-south directionality of the exisiting (and replacement) magnets make a difference? What if I cannot get the original magnet out?

It seems so simple, yet so complex, because 4 magnets would work great (they come in packs of 24), but I need 1) advice on how to position them relative to one another (the base/fixed magnet appears to be fused into the plastic).
Can I leave the old magnets there?

Do you reccommend the 1/2 inch disks (pack of 24) or the 1/4 inch disks (pack of 200). Is "approximate" placement OK and let gravity do its thing?

 

[Burkhard Rasch]

please show pics of the clock! From the technical point of view there are two versions , one with a mechanic contact switch and one transistorized version ; the later comes in two types : one with an electronic switchboard underneath in the base and one with the electronics completely built in the (right) solenoid.Let´s see what You have!
Burkhard