Wrong timing in Digital clock

[jayantadak]

Hi,

I had bought a Sony Digital alarm clock with AM/FM radio from Singapore a couple of years back. After coming home, I set the clock accordingly, it kept good time for 18-20 hours, and after that, it just goes crazy. Either it gains 10-15 minutes in 24-hours or looses the same. I tried it for a couple of days more, but it always gave the wrong time. I checked the same on battery too, still the same story.

I called the Sony guys here in Mumbai, and they told something about the problem of Hz. That digital clocks work on 60Hz in India, and this particular unit had 50Hz. Let me give the exact specs. 230V 50 Hz. Original showroom purchase, with bill warranty everything.

Well if the matter is so that it will work on 60 Hz, then it should at least work properly on the cells. The cells have nothing to do with our electric supply.

The brand new clock is lying somewhere in the dumps in my home, since I can't use it. Do any of our forum members have come across such problem, and have resolved it. Pl let me know.

Thanks and regards

JAYANT ADAK, Mumbai

 

[musicmypassion]

I have an unbranded digital clock with me and it is having the same problem. I tried to correct the timings several times with no use. Now it is running 50 minutes faster than normal time and I now got adjusted to it. :lol:

 

[just4kix]

What the shopkeeper told you is not correct.

The problem is 50 Hz itself. All these electric digital clocks use the AC frequency as the clock sample frequency. In India, we do not get the constant 50 Hz. At some places the frequency is as low as 45 Hz while at some places is 50+ Hz. And this is not constant throughout the day.

Hence these digital clocks always loose or gain time.

A better (table) digital clock would be one with Quartz crystals.

 

[jayantadak]

Hi,

I got a possible reasonable reply from just4kix. But I again fail to understand that how come it does not keep correct time on the battery mode as well. I believe batteries have nothing to do with 50/60 Hz.

Regards

JAYANT ADAK