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Old 22nd Mar 2011, 9:18 pm   #1
Mark GØOIW
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Default How to lubricate an electric clock?

How do I lubricate a synchronous electric clock? More precisely, what parts do I NOT lubricate?

I've just bought a Telco clock. It seems in good nick, but the ("Type V") movement has an awful lot of oil on it, certainly far more than I would expect in a spring-driven clock. Things like the worm drives, cogs etc are covered in oil. In a mechanical clock that would be considered very bad practice ('cos it attracts dirt that causes wear, of course).

The oil is dirty but seems quite fresh, making me suspect that someone has recently had a go without necessarily knowing what they were doing.

Happily, the compartment containing the rotor seems free from all this oil.

I intend to disassemble it and clean everything. What should I do when I reassemble? My instinct would be to treat it like a normal clock, i.e. just a trace of clock oil on pivots etc. Or are electric clocks different, and I need to put oil or grease over the moving parts?
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Old 22nd Mar 2011, 9:26 pm   #2
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Default Re: How to lubricate an electric clock?

These mechanisms are pretty robust. It sounds as if you just need to clean everything out and relube with small amounts of clock oil or light machine oil. Somebody has probably applied lots of 3-in-1 without cleaning out the old crud properly.

If you have experience of lubricating clocks properly you just need to use common sense.
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Old 23rd Mar 2011, 10:39 am   #3
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Default Re: How to lubricate an electric clock?

Certainly the usual 1920s mechanisms (Ferranti etc) I've seen are very loose meshing, and so it's only really the synchronous motor bearings that need any lubrication at all. These often have grease caps so it's just a matter of removing the cap, cleaning out and putting a blob of grease in. I had to remove a coating of coal soot from one of mine, but it's been running totally dry apart from the motor for about 4 years now - and it's silent.

I'd clean all the oil off with your usual degreaser, and treat it like a mechanical one - light clock oil on the spindles, but probably none needed on the gear teeth.

My experience of electric clocks is limited to just this type, later ones may be quite different.
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Old 23rd Mar 2011, 11:09 am   #4
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Default Re: How to lubricate an electric clock?

Mark

Pivots need heavy clock oil - turret clock oil.
No oil on wheels unless the first wheel is fibre.

Clocks have wheels, cogs are things on old mangles!

Domestic oils are made to 'run' so no good for clocks.

If the rotor bearings are sintered (compressed bronze dust) then clock oil is no good; thinner oil, like watch or sewing machine oil, heated so it soaks in like a sponge.
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Old 23rd Mar 2011, 12:31 pm   #5
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Default Re: How to lubricate an electric clock?

While it's always good to use best practice when servicing any clock, those built around synchronous motors rely on the motor for accuracy and the movement can be and often is pretty basic, as it has no effect on timekeeping. They will tolerate a wide range of inappropriate lubrication without suffering damage.
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Old 23rd Mar 2011, 1:58 pm   #6
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Default Re: How to lubricate an electric clock?

These movements always warm up to a degree so, providing they'll start in the first place, any oil or grease which is present and potentially gummy will stay soft whilst the clock's running. Problems with inappropriate lubrication therefore usually only materialise if a clock's been standing idle for any length of time.

With my own synchronous clocks, I just keep the movements clean-ish, make sure the motor bearings are in order but don't bother about much else. Among mine is a Smiths electric Westminster clock, it's been running constantly for years with no attention whatsoever.

Incidentally, I presume this thread concerns a Temco clock rather than "Telco"?
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Old 23rd Mar 2011, 6:09 pm   #7
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Default Re: How to lubricate an electric clock?

I probably tend to be too fastidious about lubrication with having had years of restoring and making all sorts of other clocks, so all the oils and greases are to hand.

Also, the various noises from an unlubricated synch clock annoy me, and if the said clock is one of our Teasmades, my better half cannot sleep.

Some of the pre-war clocks with a fairly fast rotor speed, like Smiths, sometimes have considerable wear on the rotor bearings.
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Last edited by Mike Phelan; 23rd Mar 2011 at 6:10 pm. Reason: Typo.
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Old 26th Mar 2011, 8:45 am   #8
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Default Re: How to lubricate an electric clock?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Darren-UK View Post
Incidentally, I presume this thread concerns a Temco clock rather than "Telco"?
Yes, my brain was only half in gear: made by TElephone Manufacturing CO, not TELephone Manufacturing CO!

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No oil on wheels unless the first wheel is fibre.
Ah! One of the wheels (correct term, this time ) is what I take to be fibre. What do I do? Spot of oil on the teeth?
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Old 27th Mar 2011, 10:12 pm   #9
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Default Re: How to lubricate an electric clock?

Thanks for your help. Temco now thoroughly cleaned and relubricated with a spot of clock oil, Systoflex sleeving replaced, reassembled and seems to be working well. Not gone up in smoke or electrocuted anyone yet.
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Old 28th Mar 2011, 9:23 am   #10
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Default Re: How to lubricate an electric clock?

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Ah! One of the wheels (correct term, this time ) is what I take to be fibre. What do I do? Spot of oil on the teeth?
Smear it all round the teeth, Mark. Something heavier than clock oil needed there. I use turret clock oil.
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Old 5th Apr 2011, 12:39 pm   #11
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Smile Re: How to lubricate an electric clock?

Here's how it ended up. The purists would probably have kittens, but it was such an ugly thing anyway, and the veneer had been damaged by a previous owner, that I felt that transforming it into an item of Bargeware could only be an improvement.

Keeps good time, is quiet and looks, well, original
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Old 5th Apr 2011, 2:15 pm   #12
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Default Re: How to lubricate an electric clock?

Oh well, if you're happy with it then that's what matters! These clocks are of little or no monetary value, which is an advantage when damage needs repairing/hiding - as in this instance.

All synchronous clocks keep good time nowadays, plus they'll run for years without giving trouble and only use a miniscule amount of power. It's therefore a mystery why Joe Public doesn't want such clocks in a domestic environment anymore, but there we are.

Out of curiosity, do you have the original mains connector with it? They were TMC (usually) or TEMCO (sometimes) embossed.
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Old 5th Apr 2011, 3:26 pm   #13
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Default Re: How to lubricate an electric clock?

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Originally Posted by Darren-UK View Post
All synchronous clocks keep good time nowadays, plus they'll run for years without giving trouble and only use a miniscule amount of power. It's therefore a mystery why Joe Public doesn't want such clocks in a domestic environment anymore, but there we are.
I fully agree with the timekeeping aspect - mine keep superb time. Apart from the fact that they both stop when we get power cuts and don't restart when it comes back on (they're 1920's Ferranti ones without self starter mechanisms).
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Old 5th Apr 2011, 3:36 pm   #14
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Default Re: How to lubricate an electric clock?

They have fallen from popularity because of the need for mains power and cabling. A decent battery quartz movement will have similar accuracy and won't stop during a power cut.

They do seem to go on forever. I have a 1946 Temco, bought as a wedding present for my uncle and aunt. It's never had any work done to it and is completely reliable apart from the need for a manual start if power is interrupted. I really should relube it, but it shows no sign of distress.
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Old 6th Apr 2011, 9:01 am   #15
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Default Re: How to lubricate an electric clock?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Darren-UK View Post
Out of curiosity, do you have the original mains connector with it? They were TMC (usually) or TEMCO (sometimes) embossed.
Yes - embossed TMC and electrically dubious: little to keep the wire in except friction and the brass screws.

I e-mailed the seller and got a bit more history. He was selling a load of stuff on behalf of his father who was 91 and had gone into a home. He (the father) was fond of doing up old clocks - mine had apparently spent the last 35 years in a loft, waiting for a round tuit.
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