Internet Horology Club 185
Lazy Atmos
February 20, 2009, 09:48
Mario PaganiLazy Atmos
I have an Atmos since a couple of years. It went very, very well for one year and a half, then all of the sudden started losing half an hour or so per day. I have tried the trick on the regulator, but no results: I am afraid to hear the diagnosis, also taking into account that in Italy I really do not know where to have it serviced, but please, if you can, tell me the problem ...
Thanks a lot
February 20, 2009, 12:41
Eddie G. HinesGREETINGS MARIO, WHAT IS THE AGE OF THE CLOCK? CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BELLOWS ISN,T LEAKING, CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WINDING CHAIN IS ATTACHED PROPERLY, DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE CLOCK WAS SERVICED LAST? SOME TIMES IN OLDER CLOCKS THE BELLOWS HAS TO BE REPLACED OR REFILLED. CLEANING AND OILING COULD BE A PROBELEM.I HOPE YOU FIND THE PROBELEM. EDDIE HINES
February 20, 2009, 13:08
Mario PaganiHi, Eddie. I have checked the position of the end of the chain attached to the bellows, and it is a 6 pm postion at room temperature now, that is 69 °F. According to //www.atmos-man.com/bellows.html this should be ok. The serial no. is 108389, so it should be a 1959 vintage. I have no idea of when it has been serviced, I bought off ebay a couple of years ago. I'm afraid the problem is either in cleaning or in spring: any suggestion ?
Thanks a lot for your answer
February 21, 2009, 13:05
Eddie G. HinesGREETINGS MARIO, CHECK THE PENDULUM TO SEE IF WEIGHT WAS ADDED IF SO REMOVE THEM AND START OVER, ALSO YOU CAN INCREASE THE THICKNESS OF THE PEND. SUSPENSION. YOU DO HAVE IT IN A ROOM WHERE THERE IS A +- 4 DEGREE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE CHANGE? ALSO CHECK THE ROLLER AND THE FORK. DID YOU GIVE THE BELLOWS A THOUGHT? TAKE CARE. EDDIE
February 21, 2009, 14:33
Mario PaganiHi Eddie. The room temperature is very stable after the new insulation, I guess that the total excursion is not bigger than 2 °C along 24 hours ... this could be a problem, isn't it ? What should I do to check roller & fork ? as far as pendulum no, I don't see anything added, unfortunately, let's say that pendulum looks like ... an oversize balance wheel without the periferal screws, clearly.
Thanks for your help ... I'nm very fond of my Atmos, "THE" clock, in my eyes. Thanks again
March 10, 2009, 13:03
Jerry KingMario, I have, or rather my brother has one that my mother bought for my dad in 1964....the clock never kept good time at all from the gitgo and since my brother has the clock he took it to a guy that was supposed to be 'The Man' for atmos's and he had the clock under 'adjustment' for over a year....My brother recently picked up the clock because it was fully adjusted and the repairman said it was now perfect....

Well, my brother told me that is is gaining about 10 min. a day and that by adjusting the regulator doesn't seem to matter, one way or the other....
I noticed in Eddie's post that he said the temp should be maintained to within a 4 degree range and I don't know how that can be done in the average living room without placing the clock in a controlled atmosphere some way....
Does anyone have any other suggestions as to what the problem could be....
Thanks for any advice....
Regards,
Jerry
March 10, 2009, 15:33
Mario PaganiJerry, temperature is stable enough in my place (it cost me a fortune in insulation ...) and my Atmos was really sharp for a good time, then, all of the sudden, it became lazy. And this drives me crazy. Why did it happen ? no shocks, nothing but pampering. I'm puzzled.
March 10, 2009, 15:53
Eddie G. HinesGREETINGS MARIO, THE CLOCK WORKS ON A +- 2 DEGREE TEMP. CHANGE THAT IS WHAT MAKES THE BELLOWS WORK THE TEMP. CHANGE CAUSES THE EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION WHICH WINDS THE MOVEMENT. DO YOU THINK THE CLOCK SHOULD BE CLEANED THERE ARE SHOPS IN SWITZERLAND THAT DO EXCELLENT WORK. THE REGULATOR IS FOR MINUTE ADJUSTMENTS.DOES THE PENDULUM ROLL? IF YOUR CLOCK IS FROM THE LATE 50'S YOU DEFINITELY NEED TO HAVE THE BELLOWS CHECKED. EDDIE
March 10, 2009, 15:57
Eddie G. HinesMARIO, I HAVE TO CORRECT SOMETHING THE CLOCK WORKS WITH A +- 2 ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE CHANGE. THE ROOM TEMP SHOULD BE VERY STABLE BECAUSE IT IS A LOW FRICTION CLOCK. EDDIE
March 10, 2009, 16:02
Mario PaganiThanks, Eddie. The bellows seems to be still operative, the chain coming out of it is in the right lenght on the pulley. Th pendulum rolls, everything seems ok EXCEPT that it loses half an hour a day or so.
March 10, 2009, 20:52
Eddie G. HinesGREETINGS MARIO, IF THE BELLOWS HAS A PIN HOLE IN IT IT WILL CAUSE YOUR CLOCK TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP. EDDIE