Kensington Clock Shop Guide To:

How To

Adjust and Regulate Your Clock

To Keep

Perfect Time

To regulate your clock for proper time keeping, adjustments are made to the pendulum.  The small nut under the pendulum bob, or disc, is turned to raise or lower the bob.  The higher the pendulum bob, the faster the clock will run.  To adjust your clock, hold the pendulum stationary with one hand to avoid damaging the suspension spring and turn the regulating nut.  One complete turn of the regulating nut will speed up or slow down your clock by about one half-minute in 24 hours.  Seasonal temperature changes may also require you to make minor changes to the pendulum bob.

Troubleshooting clock operations

(Paragraphs referenced in troubleshooting are in the Helpful Hints section below.)

Problem

Possible Solution

Clock Stops

·         Your clock is electric and power to your clock has been disconnected.  Reconnect your clock to a power source.

·         Your clock is an antique electric clock that must be re-started by hand whenever power is lost.  Verify that power has been restored and restart the clock by spinning the knob on the back of the clock.

·         Your clock is a 30-hour design that must be rewound once each day.  Wind-up your clock.

·         Your clock is a 7-day design that must be rewound once each week.  Wind-up your clock (see paragraphs A & B).

·         Your clock in not level (see paragraph C).

·         If your clock is a balance wheel type, sometimes you will need to move the minute hand (the long one) to re-activate the balance wheel.

Clock won't run, but is fully wound

·         Remember to set the pendulum in motion (see paragraph C).

Clock runs for 2 or 3 days and then stops

·         Your clock is probably out of beat (see paragraph C).

Clock is running too slow or too fast

·         Most antique clocks will keep time very accurately plus or minus a minute of 2 a day, but will require final adjustment by the owner (see paragraph D).  The correct time can be set each time the clock is wound (see paragraph A &B)

Clock dial reads 3 o'clock and the gong rings 6 o'clock

·         The strike and the time are not synchronized (see paragraph E).

Helpful Hints on Clock Operations

A.       Winding and Setting the Hands

Winding the Clock - Wind fully all spring arbors protruding through the dial (three arbors for chime and two arbors for gong clocks).  Some arbors wind clockwise and some wind counter clockwise; test yours to determine which direction to wind or look for arrow indications on the dial.  On weight driven clocks, wind the weight up to the bottom of the dial.

B.       Setting the Correct Time - Set the correct time by running the minute band (longest one) clockwise to the correct time.  It's usually a good idea to stop at each quarter (for a chime clock) or at the hour and 1/2 hour for gong clocks to allow the clock to count out the hours or quarters.  While this is not necessary for most modern clocks some antique clocks can be damaged or the chime sequence can become unsynchronized.  Check with the clockmaker for your clock.

C.       Putting the Clock in Beat - The clock should have an even tick-tick or tick-tock sound when operating.  It should sound steady and even like a metronome. If the beat is not even, you should adjust the level of the clock until the sound is rhythmic and even.

Balance Wheel Clock  - A balance wheel clock has a factory or clock shop set beat that is not adjustable by the owner and is not sensitive to level.

Pendulum Controlled Clock (Shelf Clock) - The pendulum-controlled clock is sensitive to the level of the clock.  To set the clock to run, first be sure the mantle, bookcase, table or wherever you set the clock is solid, stable and level.  Check the level with a simple bubble level from the hardware store.  If the mantle is not level, compensate by placing shims under one end or foot of the clock to bring the clock into beat.  Check the sound by lifting one end or the other of the clock slightly (while it is running) to listen for an even beat.  If raising the right (or left) side by 1/4 of inch makes the beat sound even, then can place a 1/4 inch shim under that side and listen for the beat to see if it is now even.

Pendulum Controlled Clock (Wall Clock) – You should only hang the clock on the wall using a nail, screw or molly bolt that is strong enough to support the weight of the clock.  Then level the clock and set the pendulum gently into motion.  Wait 30 seconds for the motion to stabilize and then listen for the beat.  If the beat sounds uneven you can adjust it very easily.  To set the beat on a wall clock you can simply move the bottom of the clock case a little to the left or right to bring the sound of the beat to the most even sound.  This movement of the bottom of the clock is usually very slight, may be less that a 1/16 of an inch from center (this slight movement assumes you are starting from level).

D.       Adjusting the Rate of the Clock  - When the clock is repaired, our technicians adjust the clock within 5 minutes accuracy a day.  The timekeeping ability of a clock is tied closely to the clock’s environment e.g. temperature and humidity variations cause time fluctuations.  Also time errors can be induced by vibrations such as slammed doors or, for example, dresser drawers being opened and closed, if the clock is located on a dresser.  Considering these variables, the owner may need to make the final adjustments to the clock in their home.

Balance Wheel Clock  - Adjustments to this type of clock require a bit of mechanical skill and there are enough variables in design such that adjustment should be discussed in depth for the specific clock with the clockmaker before adjustment by the owner.

Pendulum Controlled Clock – The length of the pendulum governs the speed of the clock e.g. the shorter the pendulum the faster the clock will run and conversely the longer the pendulum the slower the clock will run.  Mantle clocks have the adjustment mechanism on the face of the clock as a wheel or arbor (usually at the top or near the center) with F (fast) or S (slow) clearly marked.  If the clock is running a few minutes slow each day, then turn the arbor or wheel toward the F to speed it up.  This usually takes less than a half of a turn of the wheel or arbor.  Reset the clock to the correct time and be sure the clock is fully wound, then monitor how much time your clock is loosing or gaining after your adjustment and then readjust the arbor/wheel left or right to further fine tune the clock.

Wall Clocks – The speed adjustment for wall clocks is located at the bottom of the pendulum beneath the circular pendulum bob.  This adjustment mechanism is usually a nut or wheel on a threaded rod that allows the length of the pendulum to be changed by turning the nut. First, determine if your clock is fast or slow, then stop the pendulum, hold the rod or stick the round bob and then turn the threaded nut left for slower or right for faster as appropriate.  Wind the clock fully and gently set the pendulum in motion again and monitor the change in time that your adjustment made and readjust as required.

E.        Synchronizing the Chime/Gong with the Hour Hand – Sometimes when a clock winds completely down the chime or gong sound will become unsynchronized with the hour hand e.g. the time on the hands may read 1 o’clock while the gong rings 10 o’clock or some other combination.  Most modern clocks have a self-synchronizing feature that automatically corrects the chime within two hours after the clock is re-wound.  Many antique clocks must be synchronized by the owner.

Gong Clock – Completely wind the clock (both strike and time side) and set the clock in motion.  Move the minute hand (the long one) in a clockwise direction to the 12 and listen to the number of strikes and observe the time.  The hour hand (the short one) is a slip fit and can now be moved to the correct hour e.g. lets say your clock reads one o’clock but it strikes 5 times.  Carefully move the hour hand (the short one) either clockwise or counter clockwise to point at the five.  Now to check your work move the long hand clockwise to the 6 and listen for the strike signaling 5:30 (Note some antique clocks don’t strike on the haft hour).  Now continue to move the minute hand (the long one) to the 12 and verify that the clock now strikes 6 o’clock.  If the clock strikes correctly, you have synchronized your clock, if not, you may need to repeat the previous steps.

Westminster Chime – These clocks are slightly more complicated because of the quarter hour strike feature, but the steps are basically the same except that you must stop the minute hand (the long one) at each quarter hour to let the chimes ring before moving to the 12 to check the hour strike.  If your clock has the automatic synchronizing feature you will not need to worry about synchronizing the quarter hour strike.  If your clock doesn’t have this feature then there is usually a lever or string pull that can be activated to synchronizing the quarter hour strike.  Your clockmaker will instruct you on the specific of your clock when you pick it up.

Setup and Care Instructions for Wall Clocks

Always move the clock with pendulum off (unless otherwise instructed).

All pendulum wall clocks require an even beat in order to run and operate well.  Pursuant to that end, all pendulum wall clocks have a final beat setting on the wall.  Your method to determine if your clock is operating properly is to listen to the quality of the “tic” as the pendulum swings back and forth.  A good even “tic” will sound like a metronome – intervals between “tic” equal – amount of swing of pendulum past point of the “tic” even in either direct tic-tic-tic-tic or tic-toc-tic-toc.

If the clock is not ticking evenly, then it is out of beat to some degree and will have a loping – uneven sound.  Also, the amount of swing of the pendulum after the “tic” will be disproportionate from one side to the other.

You can further tell if the clock is out of beat because on one side of the pendulum arc, the “tic” occurs sooner and the pendulum continues its arc further after the “tic” that it does in the other direction.  The correction for this is to shift one side of the clock case left or right to see if a change in case position will help even out the beat.  If it sounds worse, then shift in the other direction until evenness is found.  If the clock appears to be unpleasantly positioned on the wall, then further adjustment is needed in the shop.

Regulation

All wall clock pendulums have a nut below the bob (disc).  Turn the nut right, “up” to go faster.  Turn the nut left, “down” to go slower.

Most American spring clocks 30-hour and 8-day will not adjust to time much closer than 2-3 minutes per week.  That’s probably as close as you should try to get it.

Strike – Two basic types – count wheel-sequential and self-correct-rack and snail.

A)    Count wheel striking is sequential-it will strike 1-then 2-,3-,4 and so on in order but sequencing with the hands may be lost if clock runs down-on hands back clocks-hands may be turned back (using the minute hand only) until time and strike agree.

On clocks without hands back feature, then hands must be set quickly forward until time and strike agree.

B)     Rack and snail strike-this means that the hour hand is tied mechanically to the strike mechanism inside and will always be right unless adjustments are accidentally altered.

Most self-correct strike mechanisms allow for turning hands backwards-this is not for strike sequencing with time, but for easier correction insetting time- (i.e., fall back for fall @ time change –etc.)

Type “A” Pendulum with dial Regulator- If your clock has a type “A” pendulum, adjustment has been provided on the front of the clock with a small square that peeks thru a hole in the dial at 12 o’clock or less occasionally, above 1 o’clock.  The square is fit with a small key on the end of the spring winding key adjustment to go faster usually clockwise, slower counterclockwise.  This can be usually confirmed on most clocks by finding as “f” on one side of the square, and an “s” on the other.  The more you turn the key in either direction, the greater the amount of timing change that occurs.  It’s generally better to make small increment corrections a number of times that to make on large correction.

Type “B” Pendulum without thru dial Regulator – This design, like Type “A”, has only one method of adjustment, but unlike type “A”, the adjustment is made on the pendulum bob (disk).  This is done with a thumb nut below the bob turning up or the right causes the clock to go faster turning the nut down or to the left causes the clock to run slower, smaller increment adjustment are better than one larger adjustment.

Type “B” Pendulums – Have the adjustment features of both “A” and “B” –Thru dial and bob adjustments-In these clocks-coarse adjustments to within 5 minutes per week, are made on the pendulum bob.

Finer adjustment, 5 minutes per week error or less, is generally done on the thru-dial regulator.

Type “C” Pendulums – are found on upright “Rooster or kitchen” style clocks and adjust the same as Type “B” pendulums for mantle clocks.  Turn the nut right, “up” to go faster. Turn the nut left, “down” to go slower.

Most American spring clocks 30-hour and 8-day will not adjust to time much closer than 2-3 minutes per week.  That’s probably as close as you should try to get it.

Strike – Two basic types – count wheel-sequential and self-correct-rack and snail.

A)    Count wheel striking is sequential-it will strike 1-then 2-,3-,4 and so on in order but sequencing with the hands may be lost if clock runs down-on hands back clocks-hands may be turned back (using the minute hand only) until time and strike agree.

On clocks without hands back feature, then hands must be set quickly forward until time and strike agree.

B)     Rack and snail strike-this means that the hour hand is tied mechanically to the strike mechanism inside and will always be right unless adjustments are accidentally altered.

Most self-correct strike mechanisms allow for turning hands backwards-this is not for strike sequencing with time, but for easier correction insetting time- (i.e., fall back for fall @ time change –etc.)

Setup and care Instructions for American 8-day Time and Strike Movements

Always move the clock with pendulum off (unless otherwise instructed).

All pendulum clocks require a level surface on which to run and operate well.  Pursuant to that end, all pendulum mantle clocks have had a final beat setting on our counter, which is essentially pivot leveled.  Your method to determine if your clock is operating properly is to listen to the quality of the “tic” as the pendulum swing back and forth.  A good even “tic” will sound like a metronome-intervals between “tic” equal-amount of swing of pendulum past point of the “tic” even in either direct tic-tic-tic-tic or tic-toc-tic-toc.

Also check to ensure that clock in its positioning on furniture or mantle piece doesn’t lean appreciably “tipped” forward or back – but is upright when viewed from the side.

If the clock is not ticking evenly, then it is out of beat to some degree and will have a loping –uneven sound.  Also, the amount of swing of the pendulum after the “tic” will be disproportionate from one side to the other.

On one side of the pendulum arc, the “tic” occurs sooner and the pendulum continues its arc further after the “tic” that it does in the other direction.  The correction for this is to lift one side of the clock case up from its resting surface to see if a change in case position will help even out the beat.  If it sounds worse, then lift the other side of the case until evenness is found and shim the case on that side to the distance from surface to case bottom necessary to maintain the new even beat.  If the shimmings required are more than 2 quarters think, it might be better to find a more level surface to run the clock from.

These instructions and information are designed to help you setup and operate properly your freshly repaired clock-if they do not answer your questions adequately, please call us at 301-942-3794 to get clarification and further assistance.