Smiths Electric Clock
 

Hi,
My wife and I have inherited a brass tapestry electric Smiths clock which I think dates from the 1950’s. I’m hoping some one on the forum can help with more information before I try any form of repair. This has been in a cupboard for over 30 years. Thanks Mike

Re: Smiths Electric Clock
 

This is likely to be based on a synchronous motor which means its time reference is the mains frequency. In the UK the frequency is on average 50Hz although at any specific time it may be slightly higher or lower. The condition of the mains cable should be checked and also the termination of the cable inside the clock. If the synchronous motor's winding is OK it might be run, if it is open circuit it would be easier to replace the mechanism with on of the cheap quartz movements. To be honest I think the easiest and safest thing is to go for the quartz option.

Re: Smiths Electric Clock
 

How have you determined that it's actually faulty? Is there any sign of life at all when connected to the mains, such as a quiet hum, which can become more pronounced when you press the starter button on the back? Fortunately, these robust Smiths 'Bijou' movements are very widespread, hence parts are not a problem, plus servicing is very straightforward.

Re: Smiths Electric Clock
 

Hello and welcome.

Yes, it's almost certainly from the 1950s, and uses the robust and very popular Smiths "Bijou" movement.

With a bit of TLC, these will run for decades, silently telling the time accurately with no fuss. I have about a dozen of them on the go in our house, and would be lost without them.

Safety wise, they'll never be up to modern standards, but I have no qualms about running them at home. I endeavour to stop my children from messing around with them though. As a bare minimum, replace the mains cable, fit a 3A fuse (preferably 1A), and make sure you power it from a socket which is supplied via the RCD in your consumer unit (fuse box). It would be wise to fit a 3-core cable and earth the movement too, but to do this, you need to get some thin mains cable; search for 2183Y, 0.5mm2 on eBay or wherever.

Fitting a quartz movement could be done, but the originality and charm of the clock would be instantly gone IMHO.

Nick.

Re: Smiths Electric Clock
 

Absolutely! You'll end up with a new clock in an antique case, and worthless.
The Bijou will last for decades.

Re: Smiths Electric Clock
 

If it was working when it was put away then there's a very good chance that it'll work now. Just check the cable and plugs are in good condition and apply power.

I would advise against using it like that though, as the motor and wheel bearings will have lost their lubrication. Ideally you should strip it down completely but that is a big job, especially for a beginner working alone. You can apply a drop of household oil or sewing machine oil to each bearing without dismantling which is much better than nothing. Don't be tempted to spray WD40 everywhere as it is a poor long term lubricant and it makes an oily mess.

These 1950s Smiths electric clocks are very tough and will survive the sort of inept maintenance that would destroy a mechanical clock, so don't be too afraid of breaking something.

Re: Smiths Electric Clock
 

Remove the rear cover by unscrewing the black screw in the centre with your thumb.

You will then see the movement with the motor attached to it by 4 screws. Removing these will allow the motor to come away. You may well then find that the rotor can be lifted out, and if so, put a single drop of light oil on the spindle it spins on, and another on the tip near the "cog" which drives the movement, then reassemble. Keep the rotor safe; don't drop it or let it come into contact with anything metallic or get near any wire wool etc.

Lubricating the rest of the movement isn't really possible without complete dismantling, which means taking off the hands etc. Not rocket science but requires some dexterity and understanding of how these things work and are assembled.

You will also see that the existing mains cable is attached to two screw terminals; you can simply attach the new cable to these using a screwdriver (blue and brown, either way round), but if you want to fit a 3-core cable with an earth wire, trap the stripped end of the yellow/green wire under one of the tiny screws that secure the motor to the movement. (It's better to use a solder tag, but I'm not sure of your skill level).

Nick.

Re: Smiths Electric Clock
 

From memory, the DC resistance of a healthy Smith Bijou motor coil should be around 11,000 ohms when measured with an ordinary multimeter. If you have a Megger or similar insulation tester, measure the resistance between the mains terminals and the metal frame, when you should see something over 20 Megohms.

If those tests are passed, the motor should be perfectly safe when connected to the mains, subject to the wise precautions that have been outlined earlier. Personally I don’t advocate fitting a 3-core flex; fit a permanently-wired RCD plug if you like, but like Nick I have several synchronous clocks in use, some dating from the 1930s, and they are extremely reliable.