Are AC digital clocks accurate?

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Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
40,423
9,941
136
If it has a sweep second hand then I would expect to see a synchronous motor based timer.
If it had a jump second hand then I would expect to see a quartz based timer.
The sweep is smooth. That thing is probably from the 1970's, maybe earlier.
 

bruceb

Diamond Member
Aug 20, 2004
8,874
111
106
AC Induction Synchrous motors used in the old analog clocks almost never fail. Just a drop of oil on the bearing and gear every now and then.
 

ultimatebob

Lifer
Jul 1, 2001
25,134
2,450
126
My iHome digital alarm clock is inaccurate as shit. It seems to lose about a minute a WEEK. This wouldn't have been a problem if it was smart enough to time sync with the iPhone that docks with it, but nope. Piece of junk.
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,550
940
126
All my clocks I own are update by WWV located in Fort Collins, Colorado.
My Casio wrist watch is more accurate than the most expensive Rolex, sadly :( it only has a stainless steel case and band.

How accurate do you need your clocks to be? I have several digital cocks scattered throughout my house, they are all within a minute or so of each other. I also have a key wound wall clock that isn’t terribly accurate but I love that clock. It has character and it stops working if I don’t remember to wind it every 5 days or so. It took weeks of fiddling with the pendulum to get it to a level of accuracy where it was only off by about a minute per week and just moving it from one wall to another meant I had to start that process all over again. Still, I’d keep it over all my digital clocks combined.

My Rolex is far more accurate than that wall clock. It looses about 2-3 seconds per week which is plenty accurate. I love that watch and I wear it 24/7.
 

NAC4EV

Golden Member
Feb 26, 2015
1,882
754
136
How accurate do you need your clocks to be? I have several digital cocks scattered throughout my house, they are all within a minute or so of each other. I also have a key wound wall clock that isn’t terribly accurate but I love that clock. It has character and it stops working if I don’t remember to wind it every 5 days or so. It took weeks of fiddling with the pendulum to get it to a level of accuracy where it was only off by about a minute per week and just moving it from one wall to another meant I had to start that process all over again. Still, I’d keep it over all my digital clocks combined.

My Rolex is far more accurate than that wall clock. It looses about 2-3 seconds per week which is plenty accurate. I love that watch and I wear it 24/7.


Do you need a modern cellphone with a camera, internet, and email???? Of course you do it's 2018....

Mechanical time pieces are dinosaurs.
Do you use a sundial????
If you want to wear jewellery, wear the Rolex.

I never adjust my Atomic clocks, they adjust themselves, for example, Day Light Savings, or time zone changes.
My bedroom alarm clock projects the time and outside temp on the ceiling.
 
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IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
72,330
32,868
136
The mantle clock in my cupboard started working again. I bet if I restore it to its place of honor it will quit again.
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,550
940
126
Do you need a modern cellphone with a camera, internet, and email???? Of course you do it's 2018....

Mechanical time pieces are dinosaurs.
Do you use a sundial????
If you want to wear jewellery, wear the Rolex.

I never adjust my Atomic clocks, they adjust themselves, for example, Day Light Savings, or time zone changes.
My bedroom alarm clock projects the time and outside temp on the ceiling.

Honestly, I don’t disagree with you at all on that but the fact remains that a Rolex does keep pretty good time and it is a very robust and reliable timepiece.

All my clocks are cheap battery powered or digital except my key wound wall clock and my key wound mantle clock (this one belonged to my grandfather so it has sentimental value).

And yes, I do have a smart phone and I’m typing this on a tablet but I rarely use them to tell time. I usually just glance at my wrist.