Goblin Teasmade D26B Clock Won't Start - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

EmilyPeasgood · 13th Aug 2016, 4:31 pm

Dear all,

I hope someone might be able to help me. I recently purchased a Goblin D26B Teasmade that was unused. It arrived in the original box with all the original packaging, envelope with instruction manual and warranty, and no plug attached. Having attached a plug with a 5 amp fuse (as instructed in the manual) the light works, and the alarm will sound if I adjust the clock hands to the alarm time, but the clock itself, listed as "self-starting" in the manual, doesn't start.

I'm wondering if, as it has never been used, the clock motor might have seized up.

On closely looking at it, suspicious it might not be "new", it appears to be in mint condition. However, the second hand and the larger of the two clock hands appear slightly bent, which might be intentional to fit within the rounded clear plastic clock face. And there are a couple of small, barely noticeable, scuff marks on the outside of plastic clock face.

Does anyone have any tips? I'm in Kent, UK.

Bit gutted, as I wanted to start using it as soon as possible.

Hope to hear from someone soon!

Thank you,

Emily

1100 man · 13th Aug 2016, 10:08 pm

Hi Emily,
Don't be too downhearted. I think you may be a bit optimistic to expect something nearly 55 years old to work straight out of the box.

It may have been new once but it is now 55 years old- even if it has never been used.
I think it highly likely that the clock motor will have seized- any lubricant will have gone hard. It will need stripping, cleaning and reassembling. I recently repaired a much later 860 model and the oil had turned to glue.
I would also recommend that you get a competent person to check the whole unit for electrical safety.
Best of luck,
Cheers
Nick

Mike Phelan · 14th Aug 2016, 9:12 am

As Nick says, the lubricant in the clock will have turned to goo, preventing the clock from running.

Have a look on here to get someone to look at it: https://teasmade.com/
The clock will need completely dismantling to lubricate it properly; beware of the ultrasonic WD40 cowboys!

Hartley118 · 14th Aug 2016, 1:12 pm

It's probably the clock motor itself that needs a little persuasion to start rotating after its long sleep. If you put your ear up against the clock when it's plugged in, can you hear a quiet 'hum'? If you can, that's promising because it means that the electricity is getting to the motor.

I'm no Teasmade expert, but, I do collect the occasional electric clock, and in my experience, once you persuade the motor to run, perhaps with a drop of light oil on each of the two rotor bearings, it'll carry on for years. Electric clocks are a lot less 'fussy' than clockwork clocks.

If you can get your Teasmade dismantled far enough to be able to see the clock rotor that drives the gear train that turns the hands, you may find that a judicious poke with a cocktail stick at the rotor will start it rotating. As already said, keep well clear of live mains electrical connections.

The problem with getting a clock completely dismantled and lubricated professionally is that it'll likely cost more than your Teasmade is worth.

Martin

EmilyPeasgood · 14th Aug 2016, 9:16 pm

Thanks guys.
If I plug it in there is a low hum, so I think it has seized because of its age. I don't suppose you can recommend the lubricant I should use? I'm aware it has to be a specific kind (not WD40, anything old etc).
I might open it up, and dab a little here and there and see if I can gently stimulate the motor to start working... If that fails, I will find someone to service it.
Speak soon I hope,
Emily

Hartley118 · 15th Aug 2016, 12:39 pm

That's the idea! Stimulate the motor by giving the rotor a poke.

Whilst I wouldn't spray WD40 because you'd have little control over where it's going, a few drops on the end of a cocktail stick can be good for freeing up the rotor bearings if the old oil has turned sticky.

For re-oiling, light sewing machine oil or even 3-in-1 cycle oil generally works OK. It's too thick for clockwork clocks, but an electric clock motor has more power and can cope. If an old electric clock motor has worn dry bearings, giving that characteristic grinding noise, a couple of drops of 3-in-1 on the rotor bearings can silence it magically.

Martin

Mike Phelan · 15th Aug 2016, 4:08 pm

You'll only be able to see the outer bearing when you undo the spring clip and swing it round. The inner bearing isn't visible without removing the stator (three screws).

3-in-1 is just about useable, but for this application, clock oil won't do as it's made not to 'creep' whereas your clock rotor has porous sintered bearings that need to soak in.

We hope nobody has plastered oil, WD40 or grease all over the movement!

EmilyPeasgood · 25th Aug 2016, 11:57 am

Thanks so much, guys. I'm going to play around with it today and see if I can get anything moving... Will post an update later!

Emily

EmilyPeasgood · 25th Aug 2016, 6:54 pm

Guys, you aren't going to believe this but I turned the 55 year old Teasmade on, left it for an hour, and the clock started working!

Now to test the tea making function

Thanks for your help!

dseymo1 · 27th Aug 2016, 8:20 am

That's good news!
The warmth generated by leaving it on probably thinned the remains of the lubricant.
It wouldn't do any harm to re-oil it anyway; the old stuff probably isn't doing much for the bearings.

13th Aug 2016, 4:31 pm	#1
EmilyPeasgood Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Ramsgate, Kent, UK. Posts: 4	Goblin Teasmade D26B Clock Won't Start Dear all, I hope someone might be able to help me. I recently purchased a Goblin D26B Teasmade that was unused. It arrived in the original box with all the original packaging, envelope with instruction manual and warranty, and no plug attached. Having attached a plug with a 5 amp fuse (as instructed in the manual) the light works, and the alarm will sound if I adjust the clock hands to the alarm time, but the clock itself, listed as "self-starting" in the manual, doesn't start. I'm wondering if, as it has never been used, the clock motor might have seized up. On closely looking at it, suspicious it might not be "new", it appears to be in mint condition. However, the second hand and the larger of the two clock hands appear slightly bent, which might be intentional to fit within the rounded clear plastic clock face. And there are a couple of small, barely noticeable, scuff marks on the outside of plastic clock face. Does anyone have any tips? I'm in Kent, UK. Bit gutted, as I wanted to start using it as soon as possible. Hope to hear from someone soon! Thank you, Emily Last edited by EmilyPeasgood; 13th Aug 2016 at 4:39 pm. Reason: Forum rule compliance.

13th Aug 2016, 10:08 pm	#2
1100 man Octode Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Ventnor, Isle of Wight, & Great Dunmow, Essex, UK. Posts: 1,377	Re: Goblin Teasmade D26B Clock Won't Start Hi Emily, Don't be too downhearted. I think you may be a bit optimistic to expect something nearly 55 years old to work straight out of the box. It may have been new once but it is now 55 years old- even if it has never been used. I think it highly likely that the clock motor will have seized- any lubricant will have gone hard. It will need stripping, cleaning and reassembling. I recently repaired a much later 860 model and the oil had turned to glue. I would also recommend that you get a competent person to check the whole unit for electrical safety. Best of luck, Cheers Nick

14th Aug 2016, 9:12 am	#3
Mike Phelan Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Near Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK Posts: 4,609	Re: Goblin Teasmade D26B Clock Won't Start As Nick says, the lubricant in the clock will have turned to goo, preventing the clock from running. Have a look on here to get someone to look at it: https://teasmade.com/ The clock will need completely dismantling to lubricate it properly; beware of the ultrasonic WD40 cowboys! __________________ Mike.

14th Aug 2016, 1:12 pm	#4
Hartley118 Nonode Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Cambridge, Cambs. UK. Posts: 2,198	Re: Goblin Teasmade D26B Clock Won't Start It's probably the clock motor itself that needs a little persuasion to start rotating after its long sleep. If you put your ear up against the clock when it's plugged in, can you hear a quiet 'hum'? If you can, that's promising because it means that the electricity is getting to the motor. I'm no Teasmade expert, but, I do collect the occasional electric clock, and in my experience, once you persuade the motor to run, perhaps with a drop of light oil on each of the two rotor bearings, it'll carry on for years. Electric clocks are a lot less 'fussy' than clockwork clocks. If you can get your Teasmade dismantled far enough to be able to see the clock rotor that drives the gear train that turns the hands, you may find that a judicious poke with a cocktail stick at the rotor will start it rotating. As already said, keep well clear of live mains electrical connections. The problem with getting a clock completely dismantled and lubricated professionally is that it'll likely cost more than your Teasmade is worth. Martin __________________ BVWS Member

14th Aug 2016, 9:16 pm	#5
EmilyPeasgood Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Ramsgate, Kent, UK. Posts: 4	Re: Goblin Teasmade D26B Clock Won't Start Thanks guys. If I plug it in there is a low hum, so I think it has seized because of its age. I don't suppose you can recommend the lubricant I should use? I'm aware it has to be a specific kind (not WD40, anything old etc). I might open it up, and dab a little here and there and see if I can gently stimulate the motor to start working... If that fails, I will find someone to service it. Speak soon I hope, Emily

15th Aug 2016, 12:39 pm	#6
Hartley118 Nonode Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Cambridge, Cambs. UK. Posts: 2,198	Re: Goblin Teasmade D26B Clock Won't Start That's the idea! Stimulate the motor by giving the rotor a poke. Whilst I wouldn't spray WD40 because you'd have little control over where it's going, a few drops on the end of a cocktail stick can be good for freeing up the rotor bearings if the old oil has turned sticky. For re-oiling, light sewing machine oil or even 3-in-1 cycle oil generally works OK. It's too thick for clockwork clocks, but an electric clock motor has more power and can cope. If an old electric clock motor has worn dry bearings, giving that characteristic grinding noise, a couple of drops of 3-in-1 on the rotor bearings can silence it magically. Martin __________________ BVWS Member

15th Aug 2016, 4:08 pm	#7
Mike Phelan Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Near Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK Posts: 4,609	Re: Goblin Teasmade D26B Clock Won't Start You'll only be able to see the outer bearing when you undo the spring clip and swing it round. The inner bearing isn't visible without removing the stator (three screws). 3-in-1 is just about useable, but for this application, clock oil won't do as it's made not to 'creep' whereas your clock rotor has porous sintered bearings that need to soak in. We hope nobody has plastered oil, WD40 or grease all over the movement! __________________ Mike.

25th Aug 2016, 11:57 am	#8
EmilyPeasgood Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Ramsgate, Kent, UK. Posts: 4	Re: Goblin Teasmade D26B Clock Won't Start Thanks so much, guys. I'm going to play around with it today and see if I can get anything moving... Will post an update later! Emily

25th Aug 2016, 6:54 pm	#9
EmilyPeasgood Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Ramsgate, Kent, UK. Posts: 4	Re: Goblin Teasmade D26B Clock Won't Start Guys, you aren't going to believe this but I turned the 55 year old Teasmade on, left it for an hour, and the clock started working! Now to test the tea making function Thanks for your help!

27th Aug 2016, 8:20 am	#10
dseymo1 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Shropshire, UK. Posts: 3,051	Re: Goblin Teasmade D26B Clock Won't Start That's good news! The warmth generated by leaving it on probably thinned the remains of the lubricant. It wouldn't do any harm to re-oil it anyway; the old stuff probably isn't doing much for the bearings.