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Help! My Mechanical Clock Is Dying

Posted by Scott DeSmith on Aug 3, 2020 10:00:00 AM

Sometimes life throws you a curveball and things break. It could be the radiator in your car or your cellphone falling on the floor and cracking the screen. Similarly, all mechanical clocks may eventually break down.

What makes a mechanical clock “mechanical” is the type of movement inside the clock. Mechanical clocks have a mechanical movement which means metal gears powered by a motor work together to advance the hands forward. These clocks are commonly found in schools as part of a legacy wired clock system.

Often, it’s the motor in these clocks that go bad. The most common call we get about broken mechanical clocks is about replacing the Synchron® motor in Simplex® clocks. There are over 400 Synchron motors found in various mechanical clocks. Not sure what type of Synchron motor your clocks have? We have a blog for that.

Other than the motor going kaput, there are many other things that can go wrong with a mechanical clock. Some of these mishaps include the teeth on the sector becoming too dull to engage the cam or the coil burning out. There are many more in addition to this and every brand is put together differently and with different parts, further complicating matters. Refer to our handy chart to identify the parts on this Simplex movement.

Screen Shot 2019-03-27 at 3.04.58 PM

If only there was a universal fix so that you could skip over the complex task of finding the exact broken part for your specific brand of mechanical clock… Oh wait, there is. The AllSync Plus® replacement clock.

AllSync Molded Analog ClockWhat’s that you say? So kind of you to ask. Well, buckle on your seat belt because I’m about to take you on a journey about the wonderful benefits of the AllSync Plus replacement clock. But first things first, let’s go over the basics.

AllSync Plus is a clock with a solid-state circuit board that has gears that advance the hands forward, but instead of a motor, the gears are powered by the board itself. Why is that cool? Besides the myriad of benefits I have listed in bold below, it means it’s smarter than your average clock. AllSync Plus has the ability to replace the majority of legacy wired clocks without you having to rip out the existing master. They’re able to be plugged into a facility’s existing wiring and correct to most 3-wire clock systems.

Here are the brands AllSync Plus works with:

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The main difference between the AllSync Plus clocks and the mechanical ones is the movement. Again, most mechanical clocks have a Synchron motor while AllSync Plus clocks use a solid-state circuit board. This means less moving parts to replace and less headache for you.

They both accomplish the same goal – synchronized time – but AllSync Plus clocks do it more efficiently.

Now I worked really hard on the list below, so let’s take a peek. (I promise it won’t take long.)

Save Money

Make your wallet smile by purchasing AllSync Plus clocks over mechanical clocks. The average price of AllSync Plus clocks is around 28% less than mechanical clocks.

Reduced Power Usage

Give the environment a high-five by using AllSync Plus clocks. They use up to 80% less energy than mechanical clocks. They also don’t require any boosters to install or maintain.

Better Warranty

Less worry? Sign me up. AllSync Plus clocks come with a three-year warranty, while mechanical clocks are warrantied for one or two-years.

No Power, No Problem

When the power goes out, so do all the mechanical clocks. But with AllSync Plus clocks, you have fifteen minutes of backup power. Hey, the lights may be off, but at least the clocks will still be on time.

Worried about installation? You shouldn't be. AllSync clocks are also easy to install, so no sweating over trying to read the tiny print in an install guide. They come wired just like mechanical clocks, but AllSync clocks come with an industry standard Molex plug with both the clock half and the wall half of the connector. The polarized color-coded plug means you can’t plug the clock in wrong.

Consider this, AllSync Plus can save you big by being less expensive than mechanical clocks and by reducing your energy bill. Plus, they come with a better warranty and give you time for your backup generators to kick in if the power goes out.  

Do you think it’s time to upgrade your clocks?

If yes, then check out our AllSync Plus clocks. If not, don't worry. We still sell mechanical clocks and Synchron motor replacements, but change is around the corner.

 

Clock Consult

Topics: School Clock Systems, Synchronized Clock Systems, AllSync

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