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General Vintage Technology Discussions For general discussions about vintage radio and other vintage electronics etc. |
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7th Mar 2018, 11:20 am | #1 |
Nonode
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Stockport, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 2,102
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Electric clocks running slow warning
Brief news item on R4 just now says the recent high demand for power has resulted in electric clocks running slow. I had wondered why my 'digital alarm clock' radio was over a minute slow last week. So, will I have to reset it again when things catch up?
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7th Mar 2018, 11:23 am | #2 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 17,843
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Re: Electric clocks running slow warning
How interesting.
I thought that the number of cycles per day was maintained for this very reason - we discussed this here in the last few months. I tend to set mine when the clocks change, i.e. twice a year, and have to say that they all seem to be "slow" recently. Nick. |
7th Mar 2018, 11:24 am | #3 |
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Oxford, UK
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Re: Electric clocks running slow warning
I noticed that my synchronous clocks have lost a minute or so over the last few weeks. I get the impression that the frequency standards aren't being adhered to as strictly as they once were, though the grid frequency has always fallen when generating capacity is getting tight.
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7th Mar 2018, 11:47 am | #4 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: 1966-1976 Coverack in Cornwall and Helston Cornwall. 1976-present Bristol/Bath area.
Posts: 2,965
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Re: Electric clocks running slow warning
This morning I noticed my radio alarm was running 3 minutes slow. Its a 25 year old Panasonic which has always been very accurate and I always thought it used a quartz oscillator but it after seeing this topic it must be synced to the mains.
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7th Mar 2018, 12:19 pm | #5 |
Octode
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,885
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Re: Electric clocks running slow warning
Is this a nationwide thing? Has the voltage also been cut?
We had a (non weather related) power cut a week and a half ago and since then my voltage has been lower than usual. Here, it's usually around 245V during the day. My computer UPS kicks in around 217V and has been doing so for about 50% of the time (mostly in the evening). Some days it has been as low as 197V! I keep meaning to ring Northern Power (or whoever is responsible) and complain but I really don't have the patience or time to spend arguing with somebody. Voltage is around 230-233V now, the highest I've noticed since the cut My Decca Bradford has refused to sync since the low voltage, I'm glad I heard the UPS or I would have started tweaking. I need to get my multi meter out and test here and other houses locally to see if this is a problem isolated to my house or the whole town or the whole UK? D |
7th Mar 2018, 12:25 pm | #6 |
Heptode
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Duffort, Gers, France
Posts: 714
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Re: Electric clocks running slow warning
A report I read said the mains had been averaging 49.996Hz since the beginning of the year which I calculate means around 7 minutes slow since Jan 1st. I wondered why the cooker and microwave were running slow and that explains it. Supposedly they will be trying to increase the frequency to compensate, so everyone who has reset their clocks in the meantime will find them seven minutes fast fairly soon.
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Stuart The golden age is always yesterday - Asa Briggs Last edited by bluepilot; 7th Mar 2018 at 12:35 pm. Reason: Added sentence about increasing freq. |
7th Mar 2018, 12:28 pm | #7 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK.
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Re: Electric clocks running slow warning
I would have thought if the Frequency was reduced it would be over the grid, I understand they are all in sync. When starting up a generator they can only bring it online with the grid when the frequency is matched or it can cause problems. That may be an understatement.
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7th Mar 2018, 12:34 pm | #8 | ||
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Near Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
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Re: Electric clocks running slow warning
Quote:
Quote:
If it's not radio controlled then you will have to change it.
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Mike. |
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7th Mar 2018, 12:49 pm | #9 |
Nonode
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worcestershire, UK.
Posts: 2,052
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Re: Electric clocks running slow warning
I have my workshop DAB radio set (terrybull - take a bow ) to display time; every so often I make a point of (visually copying to/pasting from) my Casio wristwatch across to our other domestic, non-mains/off-air referenced clocks.
Best wishes Guy Last edited by Nymrod121; 7th Mar 2018 at 12:54 pm. Reason: nod to terrybull |
7th Mar 2018, 12:58 pm | #10 | |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Surrey, UK.
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Re: Electric clocks running slow warning
Quote:
I'd noticed that the super-annuated bedside VFD clock was losing somewhat recently, too- I'm used to +- 30 seconds or thereabouts deviation but it's lost far more than that currently. |
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7th Mar 2018, 1:02 pm | #11 |
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Oxford, UK
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Re: Electric clocks running slow warning
The international links are indeed DC, and the UK grid isn't synchronized with Europe. The UK grid is normally fully synchronized but can split under rare fault conditions.
I wonder if the reduced frequency stability is something to do with the increased reliance on wind power. |
7th Mar 2018, 1:05 pm | #12 |
Octode
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,885
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Re: Electric clocks running slow warning
I'm back down to 219V now! I suspect this may be a local phenomenon
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7th Mar 2018, 1:12 pm | #13 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 17,843
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Re: Electric clocks running slow warning
This is frustrating. Another old technology that's becoming less usable.
I used to rely on my synchronous clocks for telling me exactly the right time; in practice, they seem more reliable than my MSF clocks which tend to do odd things if their batteries are weak, the signal is weaked or swamped by SMPS hash etc. |
7th Mar 2018, 1:26 pm | #14 | |
Octode
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK.
Posts: 1,457
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Re: Electric clocks running slow warning
Quote:
One quick call to Scottish Power eventually sorted things out, albeit around 3 hours later. If your power stays as low as it is, contact your electric provider before it causes any damage to anything electrical. I can't say I've noticed the garage clock running slowly but will check it after to see what it's doing. |
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7th Mar 2018, 1:26 pm | #15 | |
Nonode
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worcestershire, UK.
Posts: 2,052
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Re: Electric clocks running slow warning
Quote:
Guy
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7th Mar 2018, 1:52 pm | #16 |
Rest in Peace
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Solihull, West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 4,872
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Re: Electric clocks running slow warning
Modern generation of all types is less able to modulate (vary its output as required) than a coal/oil-fired steam turbine. This may be partly for technical reasons, and partly for efficiency/economic/business reasons. Hence more variation in voltage and frequency is to be expected. Peak demand now gets much closer to peak supply, taking into account that some generation comes and goes when it pleases (e.g. wind, solar). There is also the fact that nobody is now responsible for keeping the lights on; market suppliers can game the rules to maximise profits rather than minimise disruption. A sustained period of bad weather pushes the system to the edge, where demand has to be reduced instead of generation increased.
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7th Mar 2018, 1:53 pm | #17 |
Nonode
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Cambridge, Cambs. UK.
Posts: 2,198
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Re: Electric clocks running slow warning
Ah, so that's the reason why my synchronous clocks are slow. I've been away for a few weeks and have been surprised by a puzzling discrepancy of some 2 minutes on my return.
It reminds me of the power problems back in the 1940s. All of our clocks at home at that time were synchronous and I recall asking my father why they were sometimes 5 minute slow. He explained that it was a power supply problem (ISTR to do with coal shortages). I also seem to recall that since the 1950s synchronous clocks have been very reliable timekeepers to within around 30 seconds and are corrected by National Grid over each 24 hour period, so this long-term low frequency problem is something new. The press release blaming it on Continental Europe just won't wash. As Paul has indicated, our Grid isn't synchronized with the European system. There's been some other problem which we're not hearing about. Do we have a Forum member who knows the facts? Martin
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7th Mar 2018, 2:04 pm | #18 |
Heptode
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Duffort, Gers, France
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Re: Electric clocks running slow warning
This is the latest explanation I saw for the problems on the continent:
http://www.sueddeutsche.de/news/wirt...0307-99-376293 Which Google will translate for you here: https://translate.google.fr/translat...-text=&act=url Looks like those pesky Serbs are causing the problem. I don't know whose fault it is in the UK but it's interesting that two grids have the same problem.
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Stuart The golden age is always yesterday - Asa Briggs |
7th Mar 2018, 2:28 pm | #19 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: North Somerset, UK.
Posts: 2,129
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Re: Electric clocks running slow warning
My UPS gave the "mains out of tolerance" alarm an hour or so ago. Presumably due to low line volts.
The frequency looks OK now, about 50.1 cycles probably deliberately a little high to compensate for low frequency earlier. |
7th Mar 2018, 2:50 pm | #20 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Colchester, Essex, UK.
Posts: 4,106
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Re: Electric clocks running slow warning
When voltage is far too low fridge/freezer compressors are certainly a concern. They are after all a little engine and i would be concerned about there not being enough grunt for the initial start-up. I am back up to 250v now, almost as high as xmas 12th night.
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