hi people, I have a Kern 400 day Bought as not running, put new suspension spring, goes ok all week but gains, fully retarded the weight adjust but no difference, could it be the wrong weight spring..?please, or what else would you suggest..
don

It could be the wrong spring. According to my 400 Day Clock reference: Kern Standard size used a .0036" (091MM) suspension spring.

Unless you have a miniature model. A good picture of the backside will help identify which model you have.

The more I look at this clock I tend to think you might have a miniature version. Need to see the back plate.

hi Dave,
I believe it is miniature.. 7ins tall in the case.the spring is a 00.40 (102)

there is nothing on the back bar a circle with initials in..originally I put a 0033 ... but thought this may be why it was fast... too small a size,,, it is gaining around 6mins per hour with the pendulum screw full retard...
;-)

here is complet clock from rear.
initials look like KS on the back.

quote:

400 Day Clock reference

I have done some searching and it appears it may be a 'minuture'. with right side winder and ks initials .. the quoted spring for that is a 0.0023 would that make sense to you?.. ;-)
I have read some where that lifting the fork a fraction may help with the timeing..? (fast/slow)

I think you are correct. According to the 'book' this is plate # 1349 which uses a 12F
.0023" spring. (as you said). 8 beats per minute.
http://stores.thehorolovarcomp...-suspension-springs/

The length of the spring is also critical, but you don't have much room for error. It needs to be long enough to fit into the bottom cup but short enough to be able to lock when moving or not in use. So you probably have the length about right by default. But I think you need to change the spring to the proper thickness.

hi dave yes it looks like I have gone the wrong way by putting the bigger size on.. I have a 23 on order, it currantly does 15 1/2 revolutions per min.. haha.

many thanks.. I shall come back once the new spring arrives and is fitted and running.. I have never done one of these type befor.. ;-)

You can sand some off the spring,(thin the spring wire)and get the clock to run even better

wow Thomas Cusack.... I have a job picking the spring up now... let alone trying to turn it into 'foil' :-) thanks for the thought though,i catch your drift though I think... they are better on smaller rather than larger springs
I usually just play with weight driven wall clocks but this was a give away price.. ;-)

Its pretty easy hold sandpaper between two fingers ,and draw spring through a couple of times.New spring ready to work .I use this method a lot working on 400&1000 day clocks.Never have right spring. I read this tip in old clock magazine .

Well the simplest way is like it says in the book, stop the pendulum in the neutral position, hold the pendulum firmly, used a small piece of fine emery paper folded, don't grip the paper too hard just light pressure and just stroke the suspension wire a few times downwards from the fork to the bottom block.Every 000.1 removed slows clock by 4 minutes. So any 400 &1000 day clock can be fine tuned ,to a perfect time keeping machine .Enjoy

wow... that may be the answer to my clock if with the new spring... just arrived... clock still gains.. thanks for the tip and the method.. :-)

well, new spring fitted, all seems well at the moment, back to 8 beats pm again now and set the pendulum at half way on the timing... see what it says tomorrow.

Good to hear, that the clock runs well.Well timed these clocks run very well,and keep great time

yes... thanks for the help with it, I will be back in a day or so with an update, I may have to shorten the spring perhaps 1/16in, there is very little room under the pendulum and it looks still to be a tad slow..

Sounds like you're real close. From what I understand about this model is, the spring to be short enough to enable the locking mechanism on the pendulum.

yes it is probably as short as it can be and still have a little float when unlocked, after 12 hours the clock was 34 mins slow and still 3/32 left bottom clearance on the pendulum, so backed off 1/2 turn more now and see if that was too much or not. again many thanks for the help with this.. :-)