Best Clock?

[Jay Honeck]

The old wind-up clock in my Pathfinder has become sporadic at best. When it
was below zero here, it didn't work at all.

Any recommendations on a replacement?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Jim]

If you've got a wind up clock, KEEP IT, unless you absolutely HATE winding
it!! Find a shop that has experience removeing them and cleaning them. I
know several people that have just had to have them cleaned and they work
great.
--
Jim Burns III

Remove "nospam" to reply

[Don Tuite]

On Mon, 23 Feb 2004 22:52:26 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
> wrote:

>> If you've got a wind up clock, KEEP IT, unless you absolutely HATE winding
>> it!!
>
>Well, I had a Davtron LCD digital clock in my old Warrior. It had a stop
>watch for timing procedure turns, etc.
>
>Sure beats winding -- but it's pretty pricey.

We use 2-inch square $10 digital timers velcro'd to the yoke or to
some convenient place on the panel. Big numbers, big buttons. Not
sure where we got 'em -- Pep Boys or K-Mart, most likely. I'll ask.

Don

[Bob Fry]

"Jay Honeck" > writes:

> Well, I had a Davtron LCD digital clock in my old Warrior. It had a stop
> watch for timing procedure turns, etc.

I have that in my Aircoupe. The LCD display is splotchy, the buttons
are unreliable, a real piece of junk. It has less functions than a
$10 Westbend timer and costs 10 times as much.

[Jay Honeck]

> I have that in my Aircoupe. The LCD display is splotchy, the buttons
> are unreliable, a real piece of junk. It has less functions than a
> $10 Westbend timer and costs 10 times as much.

That's odd. The one in my Warrior was beautiful, easy to read, and the
buttons worked really well.

It appeared to be nearly new, but -- of course -- there was no mention of it
being installed in the logs...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Blanche Cohen]

If you don't want to keep your windup, I'll take it!

[Dave Stadt]

"Don Tuite" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 23 Feb 2004 22:52:26 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
> > wrote:
>
> >> If you've got a wind up clock, KEEP IT, unless you absolutely HATE
winding
> >> it!!
> >
> >Well, I had a Davtron LCD digital clock in my old Warrior. It had a stop
> >watch for timing procedure turns, etc.
> >
> >Sure beats winding -- but it's pretty pricey.
>
> We use 2-inch square $10 digital timers velcro'd to the yoke or to
> some convenient place on the panel. Big numbers, big buttons. Not
> sure where we got 'em -- Pep Boys or K-Mart, most likely. I'll ask.
>
> Don

Hardware store or any other store that carries oven timers. Mine is the
deluxe model with TOD and two up or down counters. Probably had to pay $15
for it. But I would never give up my mechanical clock. I have a collection
of 5 or so of them including a 1945 Elgin that runs like a champ.

[Jay Masino]

Jay Honeck > wrote:
>> I have that in my Aircoupe. The LCD display is splotchy, the buttons
>> are unreliable, a real piece of junk. It has less functions than a
>> $10 Westbend timer and costs 10 times as much.

> That's odd. The one in my Warrior was beautiful, easy to read, and the
> buttons worked really well.

Don't tell me, it was the most "bullet proof", "well designed" clock to
have ever been built. Just kidding...

I think the clock that is most complained about on the group (over the
past 10 years, atleast) is the AstroTech LC2. I don't think the Davtron
is as problematic. That said, I've had the Astrotech for atleast 8 or 9
years and it's been OK. I think if I used it in IFR a lot, the buttons
may not hold up, but when I was flying IFR I used a stop watch.

I think I might have 2 or 3 of the Wackman wind-up clocks in my parts
drawers. If I were you, however, I'd probably go with one of the low
priced digitals from either AstroTech or Davtron.

--- Jay


--

__!__
Jay and Teresa Masino ___(_)___
http://www2.ari.net/jmasino ! ! !
http://www.oceancityairport.com
http://www.oc-adolfos.com

[Mike Rapoport]

You can get a mechanical clock overhauled for about $100-125.

Mike
MU-2

"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
news:Kuv_b.383950$xy6.2082933@attbi_s02...
> > If you've got a wind up clock, KEEP IT, unless you absolutely HATE
winding
> > it!!
>
> Well, I had a Davtron LCD digital clock in my old Warrior. It had a stop
> watch for timing procedure turns, etc.
>
> Sure beats winding -- but it's pretty pricey.
> --
> Jay Honeck
> Iowa City, IA
> Pathfinder N56993
> www.AlexisParkInn.com
> "Your Aviation Destination"
>
>

[Dave Butler]

Davtron = good.
Astrotech = junk.
Assorted kitchen timers, etc. => watch out for accuracy changes as batteries wear.

Dave
Remove SHIRT to reply directly.

[Don Tuite]

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 10:44:27 -0500, Dave Butler
> wrote:

>Davtron = good.
>Astrotech = junk.
>Assorted kitchen timers, etc. => watch out for accuracy changes as batteries wear.

Aren't they crystal-driven?

Don

[Dan Luke]

"Bob Fry" wrote:
> > Well, I had a Davtron LCD digital clock in my old Warrior.
> It had a stop watch for timing procedure turns, etc.
>
> I have that in my Aircoupe. The LCD display is splotchy,
> the buttons are unreliable, a real piece of junk.

Really? I like mine fine. I've had it for three years and it's been
reliable and accurate, no problems at all.
--
Dan
C172RG at BFM
(remove pants to reply by email)

[Rich]

Biggest difference for me was the push buttons.
Astrotech was uncertain... sometimes it started, sometimes not.
My Davtron works first time every time.

Rich

Don Tuite wrote:
> On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 10:44:27 -0500, Dave Butler
> > wrote:
>
>
>>Davtron = good.
>>Astrotech = junk.
>>Assorted kitchen timers, etc. => watch out for accuracy changes as batteries wear.
>
>
> Aren't they crystal-driven?
>
> Don

[Michael 182]

I "replaced" the clock when I put in a Garmin GTX 327 transponder.
Transponder has timer finctions built in. Just a thought if replacing the
transponder is on your to do list.

Michael


"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
news:Kbv_b.375295$I06.4006427@attbi_s01...
> The old wind-up clock in my Pathfinder has become sporadic at best. When
it
> was below zero here, it didn't work at all.
>
> Any recommendations on a replacement?
> --
> Jay Honeck
> Iowa City, IA
> Pathfinder N56993
> www.AlexisParkInn.com
> "Your Aviation Destination"
>
>

[Dave Butler]

Don Tuite wrote:
> On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 10:44:27 -0500, Dave Butler
> > wrote:
>
>
>>Davtron = good.
>>Astrotech = junk.
>>Assorted kitchen timers, etc. => watch out for accuracy changes as batteries wear.
>
>
> Aren't they crystal-driven?

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=timers+group:rec.aviation.*&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&group=rec.aviation.*&c2coff=1&selm=3662BB7D.1E5C%40amd.com&rnum=1

or if you prefer

http://makeashorterlink.com/?H2C255387

Dave
Remove SHIRT to reply directly.

[Don Tuite]

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 13:46:23 -0500, Dave Butler
> wrote:

>Don Tuite wrote:

>> Aren't they crystal-driven?
>
>http://groups.google.com/groups?q=timers+group:rec.aviation.*&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&group=rec.aviation.*&c2coff=1&selm=3662BB7D.1E5C%40amd.com&rnum=1
>
>or if you prefer
>
> http://makeashorterlink.com/?H2C255387

So they run either at the rate and precision of the XO or at precisely
half the XO rate when the battery is at half capacity? The Asian mind
is is indeed subtler than mine.

But let's see. The batteries are lithium, right? So after two-plus
years of impeccable time-keeping, you find your descents and your
turns are happening at twice the speed for the same control inputs you
used to use and you get two mississippis for the price of one? No,
that can't be right. Don't lithiums have a more or less flat
discharge curve with a big cliff at the end?

That'd be more like an analog wind-up clock that acts funny when the
spring is almost unwound. (I think it speeds up because the
escapement travel is shorter.) But then, the old stem-winder is
easier to get going again with a couple of twists of the knob.

These things always get more interesting the deeper you go into them.
Thanks for the link.

Don

[David R.]

I have a davtron m811. The counter function works fine. The time of day
function falls behind several minutes each month, and I have to hold a
little button in for long periods of time to correct it. It's a pain, and I
wouldn't replace it with another davtron m811.


"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
news:Kbv_b.375295$I06.4006427@attbi_s01...
> The old wind-up clock in my Pathfinder has become sporadic at best. When
it
> was below zero here, it didn't work at all.
>
> Any recommendations on a replacement?
> --
> Jay Honeck
> Iowa City, IA
> Pathfinder N56993
> www.AlexisParkInn.com
> "Your Aviation Destination"
>
>

[Jay Honeck]

> I "replaced" the clock when I put in a Garmin GTX 327 transponder.
> Transponder has timer finctions built in. Just a thought if replacing the
> transponder is on your to do list.

Yeah, I just got the Garmin GTX 327, and we use the timer functions all the
time. It's a great unit.

Too bad they didn't include a regular clock as part of the display. How
hard would it have been?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Mike Rapoport]

Your GPS should have a clock on it and it is synchronized to the satellites.

Mike
MU-2


"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
news:eRR_b.385073$I06.4171108@attbi_s01...
> > I "replaced" the clock when I put in a Garmin GTX 327 transponder.
> > Transponder has timer finctions built in. Just a thought if replacing
the
> > transponder is on your to do list.
>
> Yeah, I just got the Garmin GTX 327, and we use the timer functions all
the
> time. It's a great unit.
>
> Too bad they didn't include a regular clock as part of the display. How
> hard would it have been?
> --
> Jay Honeck
> Iowa City, IA
> Pathfinder N56993
> www.AlexisParkInn.com
> "Your Aviation Destination"
>
>

[Ray Andraka]

I have a mechanical clock that runs off the battery. Not sure if it is original
piper or not, but the darned thing is accurate and reliable (it is about the
only instrument I haven't had worked on in the 9 years I've owned). I noticed
the other day that it was off by exactly an hour down to the second. I haven't
touched it since before daylight savings ended.

"David R." wrote:

> I have a davtron m811. The counter function works fine. The time of day
> function falls behind several minutes each month, and I have to hold a
> little button in for long periods of time to correct it. It's a pain, and I
> wouldn't replace it with another davtron m811.
>
> "Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
> news:Kbv_b.375295$I06.4006427@attbi_s01...
> > The old wind-up clock in my Pathfinder has become sporadic at best. When
> it
> > was below zero here, it didn't work at all.
> >
> > Any recommendations on a replacement?
> > --
> > Jay Honeck
> > Iowa City, IA
> > Pathfinder N56993
> > www.AlexisParkInn.com
> > "Your Aviation Destination"
> >
> >

--
--Ray Andraka, P.E.
President, the Andraka Consulting Group, Inc.
401/884-7930 Fax 401/884-7950
email
http://www.andraka.com

"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-Benjamin Franklin, 1759

[Bob Fry]

"Jay Honeck" > writes:

> > I have that in my Aircoupe. The LCD display is splotchy, the buttons
> > are unreliable, a real piece of junk. It has less functions than a
> > $10 Westbend timer and costs 10 times as much.
>
> That's odd. The one in my Warrior was beautiful, easy to read, and the
> buttons worked really well.

I stand corrected. I have an Astrotech, truly a mediocre product
grossly overpriced at $112 from Chief.

[REMOVE TO REPLY.pdb]

Jay Honeck wrote:
> The old wind-up clock in my Pathfinder has become
sporadic at best. When it
> was below zero here, it didn't work at all.
>
> Any recommendations on a replacement?


Get it cleaned. My Swiss Wittnauer just stopped working last
week. Its a classic, top quality windup that has been in my
C-170 for 50? years. I thought about replacing it with one
of the more accurate, cheaper, more reliable, less
susceptible to heat and cold but otherwise tasteless
electronic varieties...I just couldn't do it.

I removed it and took it to my local (somewhat crusty) local
Czech watchmaker who immediately berated me since it hadn't
been cleaned since 1983. I got the lecture about how even
top quality watch oils will evaporate over time and gum
things up.

When I went to pick it up, he hesitated giving it to me
after I had paid for it. More lecture...did I know how bad
heat and cold were on such a precision instrument, etc, etc.
He wanted me to promise to remove it if I wasn't going to
be flying for more than a week. I said I'd see what I could do.

In any case, it sure looks better than some cheesy
electronic thing even if it has its drawbacks. If it works
for another 20 years before needing another cleaning, I will
be happy.

Pete
Anchorage








--

Peter D. Brown
http://home.gci.net/~pdb/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/akmtnsoaring/

[Mark Mallory]

Jay Masino wrote:
> I think the clock that is most complained about on the group (over the
> past 10 years, atleast) is the AstroTech LC2. I don't think the Davtron
> is as problematic. That said, I've had the Astrotech for atleast 8 or 9
> years and it's been OK.

My airplane had one of these when I bought it. The buttons worked
intermittently, and the display was weak and would fade away if the humidity was
high. Occasionally the oscillator would stop and the date/time would fall
behind by several days. Replacing the battery didn't help. I thought I'd junk
it, but decided to try and fix it first.

Originally, it ran off a single AAA battery (1.5v) I tried adding a second AAA
in series... Wow! The increased voltage (3v) totally transformed the thing.
The display was now crisp and sharp, it now kept good time, and the buttons now
worked reliably.

> I think if I used it in IFR a lot, the buttons
> may not hold up, but when I was flying IFR I used a stop watch.

I used mine a lot in IFR. The buttons themselves never had a problem, but I
ended up pushing the "start" button firmly so many times that the plastic
frontpiece finally cracked around a panel mount nut, so that the clock was only
held in the panel by one screw (the panel cutout was only drilled with two
mounting holes.) I replaced the nut and added a washer to distribute the
"button-pushing" stresses better; no problems since.

I probably wouldn't buy another, but if anyone has an Astro-tech clock with
problems (and doesn't mind some soldering and a bit of mechanical engineering),
adding a second battery helps.

Mark/C182L

[Ben Jackson]

In article >,
Mark Mallory > wrote:
>
>Originally, it ran off a single AAA battery (1.5v) I tried adding a second AAA
>in series... Wow! The increased voltage (3v) totally transformed the thing.
>The display was now crisp and sharp, it now kept good time, and the buttons now
>worked reliably.

Maybe it was designed to run off of a ~3.2V lithium cell?

--
Ben Jackson
>
http://www.ben.com/

[Viperdoc]

The clock in my Baron yoke is old, scratched, and otherwise doesn't match
the new interior. The only one available that might fit is a Davtron, which
is not approved by STC.

Therefore, it sounds like I need a 337 and a field approval to install this
clock. Has anyone had a similar experience? It seems like a lot of hassle
for just a clock, although it is a permanent installation, etc.

Any suggestions?

[G.R. Patterson III]

Viperdoc wrote:
>
> The clock in my Baron yoke is old, scratched, and otherwise doesn't match
> the new interior. The only one available that might fit is a Davtron, which
> is not approved by STC.
>
> Therefore, it sounds like I need a 337 and a field approval to install this
> clock. Has anyone had a similar experience? It seems like a lot of hassle
> for just a clock, although it is a permanent installation, etc.

I bought my aircraft without a clock and wound up installing one that was not
listed on the OEL. Since it ties into the aircraft power system, the local FSDO
wanted a statement of the voltage required and proof that it was manufactured
for use in an aircraft. I had to call the manufacturer to get the voltage and
write up a statement myself describing the conversation. The box in which the
clock came, the receipt, and a page from the Chief Aircraft catalog was accepted
as proof that it was, in fact, aviation equipment. I installed the clock under
supervision and my IA took care of the 337 and arranged for a field inspection
to be performed. The installation, paperwork, and inspection was all done at
annual inspection time.

Teterboro FSDO.

George Patterson
A diplomat is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that
you look forward to the trip.

[Javier Henderson]

"G.R. Patterson III" > writes:

> Viperdoc wrote:
> >
> > The clock in my Baron yoke is old, scratched, and otherwise doesn't match
> > the new interior. The only one available that might fit is a Davtron, which
> > is not approved by STC.
> >
> > Therefore, it sounds like I need a 337 and a field approval to install this
> > clock. Has anyone had a similar experience? It seems like a lot of hassle
> > for just a clock, although it is a permanent installation, etc.
>
> I bought my aircraft without a clock and wound up installing one that was not
> listed on the OEL. Since it ties into the aircraft power system, the local FSDO
> wanted a statement of the voltage required and proof that it was manufactured
> for use in an aircraft. I had to call the manufacturer to get the voltage and
> write up a statement myself describing the conversation. The box in which the
> clock came, the receipt, and a page from the Chief Aircraft catalog was accepted
> as proof that it was, in fact, aviation equipment. I installed the clock under
> supervision and my IA took care of the 337 and arranged for a field inspection
> to be performed. The installation, paperwork, and inspection was all done at
> annual inspection time.

A 337? For a friggin' clock?

Oh never mind, these people love paperwork. Carry on, private, carry on.

-jav