Thunderclock failure question

6 posts / 0 new
Last post
Offline
Last seen: 3 years 1 week ago
Joined: Feb 17 2013 - 16:18
Posts: 149
Thunderclock failure question

My newly-acquired Thunderclock seems to be crazy. There was moderate corrosion on the board which I cleaned off, but now the clock seems to be in some weird mode where it's counting down backwards: a program that does nothing but read and display the time shows months and days streaming by, approximately 1 month every 2-3 seconds, always counting backwards.

Anyone ever seen this? Possible fixes?

Offline
Last seen: 3 weeks 2 days ago
Joined: Oct 9 2011 - 12:54
Posts: 1352
Re: Thunderclock failure question

Yes. If the type N batteries are dead or weak it will do that.

Cheers,
Corey

Offline
Last seen: 3 years 1 week ago
Joined: Feb 17 2013 - 16:18
Posts: 149
Re: Thunderclock failure question

Ah, so the batteries are required for proper operation! I have batteries in it but one of the contacts is corroded rather badly. I'll work on that.

gsmcten's picture
Offline
Last seen: 5 years 8 months ago
Joined: Oct 4 2005 - 18:52
Posts: 2629
Re: Thunderclock failure question

D,

Corey is right.

(Corey) Am I correct that the "N" Type batteries are the same size Length) as a "AA" battery?

If so, you could probably get a plastic "AA" battery holder from an electronics store (like Jameco) and solder the leads to the existing board terminals (after clean-up) and use it for your "N" battery. Smile

Offline
Last seen: 3 years 1 week ago
Joined: Feb 17 2013 - 16:18
Posts: 149
Re: Thunderclock failure question

No, "AA" batteries are much longer.

As an HP calculator collector, I have course have some N cells. But one of the contacts just disintegrated, so I guess I'll rig something up with a "AA" cell holder or something.

Offline
Last seen: 3 weeks 2 days ago
Joined: Oct 9 2011 - 12:54
Posts: 1352
Re: Thunderclock failure question

One more thing to add.

After you replace the batteries you will also need to use the utilities to set the time.
If you don't time runs backwards or at strange rates until you set the date and time. I think it may have to do with "garbage" in the memory and it not having a default time like epoch or something.

Cheers,
Corey

Log in or register to post comments