Smiths Clock

[Alpine 1789]

Jaguar clock guy doesn't respond to emails anymore boohoo

That would be depressing! I keep meaning to send him a couple of my clocks. Maybe he is just on vacation?

 

[Warren]

I have a reply from Hartmandm who says he's got a new email address for Mike..

 

[Rick Young]

Does anyone have a guy who can fix the clocks.
Jaguar clock guy doesn't respond to emails anymore boohoo

Nisonger in Mamaroneck,N.Y. repaired my clock.
Rick

 

[puff4]

They also repaired the one for my Triumph Renown. Sadly, it only worked for a few months.

 

[Tim R]

This company in the UK are excellent. they can't rebuild and repair most Smiths/Jaegar clocks. What they also offer is to replace the internals with a digital mechanism powered by an AA battery that lives in a separate unit a few inches away from the clock. We have two of them in our cars. It its ideal, the clock keeps perfect time and there is no longer a slow drain on the car battery. The AA clock battery lasts for around 3 years before it needs replacing. http://www.jdo1.com/contact_details.html

 

[tylerite3124]

They also repaired the one for my Triumph Renown. Sadly, it only worked for a few months.

I think NISONGER will redo your clock for free if it only lasted a few months. If word gets around that their rebuilds are a waste of money, they won't be in business very long. It's worth a try. I know if it were me I'd sure give it a shot.
Rick

 

[puff4]

Thanks, Rick. Yeah, it was at least 10 years ago, and it was such a headache to get it in and out I just figured I'd live without it working. The rest of the instruments turned out OK, so I was good.

 

[Tom H]

I fixed my Smith's clock about 20 yrs ago. It only worked for a bout 6 months. I suspect that even when new they only lasted a couple years at most. It's a poor design. The critical part of the clock is a thin electrical contact blade that swipes briefly across a metal post to apply a pulse of current to the coil that ticks the mechanism forward each second. The plating on the blade and post that makes for a good contact wears away and the contact fails. I cleaned and polished the contact surfaces, and the clock worked - for a while! I assume one could apply some proper plating to the two contact surfaces, but I'm not a metallurgist. Here's a case where even I think it needs to be replaced with a modern technology solution I think I've seen one solution that used an LED and and a photodiode to replace the mechanical contacts. But I think there are better solutions. I think a search here on Clocks would find discussions.

 

[65beam]

Three of our cars have clocks. The cars do set parked for extended periods of time so the batteries are disconnected while not being driven. If we want them to show the correct time they have to be reset each time they're driven. Can't remember the last time I ever reset them. Does anyone know how not being used affects the internals of the clock?

 

[Tom H]

My experience is that running the clock wears out the contacts I described earlier. I would expect no harm while not running.

Tom

 

[65beam]

I was wondering if corrosion or rust could set in.

 

[Tom H]

If the lamp is still inserted it's somewhat sealed from moisture. The insides pf most tachs I've disassembled are pretty rust free, except when the car has been outside for decades.

 

[65beam]

If the lamp is still inserted it's somewhat sealed from moisture. The insides pf most tachs I've disassembled are pretty rust free, except when the car has been outside for decades.

Are the internals of a clock set up in the same manner as a tach?

 

[Rick Young]

FYI
I just came across the instructions for setting and starting the clock.
When my Smiths clock was returned after repair the instructions were:

To Set clock- Push button FULLY in to set correct time.
To Start clock- Push button HALF WAY in.
(Fully in may cause gears to mesh & damage clock)

Mine is just a period correct clock.

 

[Tom H]

Are the internals of a clock set up in the same manner as a tach?

Not at all ! BUT same / similar material, similar cast frame, similar sealing type, similar gap where lamp goes, similar bearings, etc. Of course a clock has many more moving parts, bearings, gears, etc, My clock was not running for 6 years or so, before I cleaned the electrical contacts , which had gotten bad from RUNNING. It required no other cleaning, lubricating or other attention so I have confidence that NOT running it is much less a problem than keeping it running.

 

[65beam]

I would think that in an enclosed housing that a lubricant with a thickener would be used in order to retain the oil. As the oil separates you're left with the thickener only which could very well gum up the mechanism.

 

[Tom H]

You are certainly more knowledgeable about lubricants than me. I can only describe what I have experienced. Tachs, with similar assembly show no signs of rust or moisture issues. And the 6 yr old clock I fixed had no lubrication issues, but did have failure due to contacts wearing out from continuous running. If I had a working original clock in my car, I would wire it with a switch and turn it off anytime the car was going to be unused for any length of time.

 

[Knightowl61]

When I recently took a clock apart I noticed pushing the adjust knob moves the pendulum. Jabbing the rod once or twice will start the clock. Pushing the rod in to adjust the time stops the pendulum and usually won't start up again until the rod is jabbed again. Sometimes hard to start but when it runs it won't stop.