Battery operated clock

[Famous Frank]

Years ago, a previous owner cut an additional 2 1/16" hole in the dash of my Elan and inserted an Ammeter. I have no use for an Ammeter and I also consider them dangerous.

I would like to install a battery clock in the hole. One with a black face and chrome ring that resembles a Smiths gauge. Because I disconnect the battery frequently, I would like the clock to be battery powered instead of electrically powered through the cars wiring system.

Does anyone know where I can purchase a battery operated clock?

Famous Frank

[Slowtus]

Amazon has a fair selection, I have bought a few to repair the 'arty' ones my wife like, they tend to be square but if you find a round clock face elsewhere or one from any car which has a Smith's clock you can fiddle and diddle until it works.

Why do you find ammeters dangerous? Just curious.

[StressCraxx]

I added an ammeter to a car I owned years ago. I learned the hard way the ammeter carried all of the vehicle operating and charging current through the gauge with only a simple internal shunt for protection. This was common for US domestic built cars. No, it was not a Lucas ammeter....

[Ianashdown]

Smiths Instruments have a few clocks that would probably look in character. I’m not sure how they are powered however.

Ian

[Mike Ostrov]

Hi Frank. All the Climax Type 14 Elites use an ammeter. No issues for me in 45 years and no other owner has reported any problems to me. Yes they are Lucas + 30 to - 30. I find them most useful to check brake lamps and directionals when I test drive Elites. A 10 gauge wire from the solenoid to the ammeter to the RB310 control box easily carries the load The ammeter feeds the ignition switch and headlamp switch. Sadly, cannot help with your round clock request. Found, I think the first generation Elan workshop manual. Seems to be for the S1 cars only, in a two clip nicely bound booklet, no ring binder. Will compare it to my two other workshop manuals. Back to some double fudge brownies and milk for an early lunch. Cheers. Mike.

[gentry74]

Frank
maybe you shouldn't worry about the clock itself being battery powered...and instead find one that you like

expensive:
https://www.7ent.com/products/clock-smi ... 6EQAvD_BwE

cheap:
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedway ... 1QQAvD_BwE

then wire up a rechargeable battery so your car charges it but the backlight is part of the regular circuit.
https://www.amazon.com/Tenergy-Capacity ... =8-10&th=1

Gentry (purchaser of one of your beautiful center consoles for my s3)

[gjz30075]

You can change the Speedway motors clock's face to a period correct face using this:
https://www.blocklayer.com/gauge-templates

[GLB]

I ran a wire from the hot side of the battery cut off switch through a 1 amp fuse to the clock so it works even when the battery is cut off. This is on a +2S. I keep the battery on a tender and have never had a problem yet. Gary

[mbell]

then wire up a rechargeable battery so your car charges it but the backlight is part of the regular circuit.

You'd probably want to add a diode between the battery and the car supply to make sure the clocks battery can't supply power to the rest of the car but can be re-charged by the car.

Personally I'd go with Gary's solution of adding a fused permanent live just to the clock.

[gentry74]

I guess it all depends on HOW Frank disconnects his battery....but he didnt tell us. (i'd go with the other suggestion too. One less complexity (vs having another battery hiding under the dash)

[reb53]

I buy a lot of stuff through these guys and they've never let me down.
Postage is calculated at checkout so you can back out but I've found them very reasonable.

https://www.cousinsuk.com/category/move ... insertions


Ralph.

[Slowtus]

Why do you find ammeters dangerous? Just curious.

Still curious.

[billwill]

I added an ammeter to a car I owned years ago. I learned the hard way the ammeter carried all of the vehicle operating and charging current through the gauge with only a simple internal shunt for protection. This was common for US domestic built cars. No, it was not a Lucas ammeter....

Of course an ammeter carries all the vehicle current (apart from the starter motor) if not there would be no point in having one.

And the "internal shunt" is probably thicker than the wiring. The wires would melt before that "shunt" was damaged by through current, i.e exactly the same behavior as if you had no ammeter there.

An ammeter works by measuring the tiny voltage drop across the shunt.

"The Hard way" ? Either the one you obtained was crap or you wired it in wrongly.

The classic mistake made by those who don't understand electricity, is to wire an ammeter as if it was a voltmeter, i.e from the 12v live circuit to earth (ground). This of course is the same effectively as short circuiting the battery through the ammeter measuring shunt, which causes enormous currents, which can damage several things including the wiring and of course the ammeter.

[billwill]

As I've said before on this forum, an ammeter in a car is a far more useful diagnostic tool than a voltmeter.

[berni29]

Hi

I really like the look of that Speedway clock.

Much nicer than the Smiths one. I wonder if they sell them in the UK?

All the best

Berni