Dear Clayton, I can only get about 12
hours on a wind, but the (Genesis) clock is accurate to within about 15 sec during this
time. I am temporarily mounted about 3 inches low, not enough for 12 hours difference. Any
suggestions? Love the clock by the way.
Thanks
Bob
Aloha Bob, congratulations, and I'm happy you love your Genesis.
It really is a little wonder. So simple, yet such a great runner,
and one of my quietest designs.
Things
that cause short run time are generally related to how far the drive weight
gets to drop before it hits the floor.
The
height that the clock is mounted on the wall is of course the first
consideration. The higher it is mounted, the longer distance the drive
weight will have to fall.
The
length of drive weight itself is important because an extra long drive weight
will hit the floor before a short, squat drive weight.
Also
if a larger diameter drive pulley than specified has been installed, that will
mean the clock will run on less drive weight, but since the circumference of
the pulley is much larger, the cord it reels out with each turn will be much
greater and thus give us a shorter run time.
BTW, in my book the Practical
Guide, I tell a story about how Thomas Jefferson mounted his clock at the
peak of the ceiling in his dining room so that he could get an extra long run
time. He ran the drive weight along to one corner of the wall and marked
the days of the week on the wall so that his drive weight could also do double
duty as a calendar showing the days of the week. The only problem is that
he didn't calculate his drive pulley barrel radians correctly and had to drill
a hole in the floor so that weight shows Saturday in the basement. The
clock is still there in Monticello. This story always makes me feel
better when I do my calculations incorrectly. Ha.
This
story tells us that there is another possibility for a short run time - thick
drive cord. The thinner the drive cord, the more turns your drive pulley
barrel can handle. A thick drive cord will take up much more space as it
builds up quickly on the drive pulley. Thus Jefferson could possibly have
solved his short run time problem with some thinner drive cord. Maybe
this will work for you, too.
However,
considering that your clock is only running twelve hours, when it should be
running thirty hours, tells me that something may be slipping inside the
clockworks. Possibly some wheel or connector or pinion did not get glued
tightly, or a glue joint has broken. A slipping joint would allow the
weight to turn the gears, but also as it slips the weight will reach the floor
sooner than anticipated.
Enjoy! Clayton
