Weems and Plath Clock Alteration

[llldks]

FYI-
The lower station on my 53MY has a Weems and Plath Ships Bell Clock mounted above it. This clock is powered by a double A battery, which when it leaks, destroys the circuit board of the clock. When this happens, you send the clock back and 4 weeks and a $110 later, you get it back with a new board. They recommend you remove the battery if gone for a long period of time to prevent this from happening- another thing on my ' to do' list.

I thought it would be a better design to isolate the battery from the mechanism, so I bought a 75 cent double A battery holder, cut a wood dowel with two screws in each end the length of an AA battery, connected the two with wires, and isolated the battery by putting the wood dowel into the clock battery compartment. Pictures attached.

Larry
Seadation

[Plan B2]

Nicely done.

[janice142]

Excellent idea, and beautifully executed. Kudos.

[llldks]

Thanks x 2 . Hopefully someone will do it prophylactically- I would have had I known.

Larry
Seadation

[eze2bme]

Did something similar on my alarm system that used 2 AA batteries. Used a wooden dowel as you did and wired it directly into my 12 volt system using a voltage reducer [diode (?)] that reduced the voltage to 6 volts. Just got tired of changing the batteries.

[SKYCHENEY]

You just have to go old school. I looked online forever to find a nice old Seth Thomas wind up. No batteries, no worries.

But your solution should work too.

[Boatnut]

Sky, Did you ever find one?

[bostonhatteras]

Did something similar on my alarm system that used 2 AA batteries. Used a wooden dowel as you did and wired it directly into my 12 volt system using a voltage reducer [diode (?)] that reduced the voltage to 6 volts. Just got tired of changing the batteries.

I like the op's solution and this one. Thinking outside the box! There are many ideas similar to these in a couple books authored by Edgar j Beyn. They are '12 volt doctors practical handbook' and 12v doctors alternator book. Both, incidentally, published by the maker of your clock Weems and Plath!

[SKYCHENEY]

Sky, Did you ever find one?

Yes. Found one a couple of years ago on ebay. Came out of Vancouver.

[Avenger]

Good idea, and I like that it's 100% reversible should you need to restore it to it's original configuration for any reason. Nice job.