VDO clock

[Deutsch]

These instructions were really great. I got the clock open in no time without breaking the plastic "glass"

Once inside, I noticed that the Solenoid coil and the resistor are fried.

Any ideas of what the Ohms are of the resistor (mine is so damaged that the color code rings are gone)?

I'll also need a new coil. any ideas?

Thanks
_________________
The German

[iamdonquixote]

funny,
I am in the midst of fixing my vdo keinzle right now from my 69'. I used the exact same methods for getting the ring off ( except I didn't go hog wild with the vice I was afraid I would break the glass ). My chrome ring has one bend where i stuck the screwdriver but it will bend back and will be hidden when reinstalled. My solder "fuse" was gone as well, my other problem was with the spring for the latch on what i call the "points".

The spring that holds the catch had come off from the back and as a result the latch did not engage with the cog. I think that when the points close and "pop" back to the other side, that the latch should drag and ratchet on the cog.

I have a power supply at work that I can use to determine how much current the clock draws. Actually now that I think about it, the current draw must happen quite fast when the points close maybe one would have to use an oscilloscope? Probably killing fuses is the easiest. I will try to post some pictures in the next couple of days. I suspect that the latch spring is the cuplrit of many failures because without the ratcheting the points will just flap back and forth and draw too much current, this became evident when I first applied power without the proper ratcheting.

Also, it is probably important to exercise the clock without power after it has been properly lubed ( by the way I agree no WD but what then? )

-rob

[iamdonquixote]

german -

it looks like a 10 ohm resistor ( brown black brown silver ) I can double check it with a meter tomorrow as well as the characteristics of the coil ( solenoid )

hopefully thats the only problem with your coil

rob

[Deutsch]

OK,
So I got 3 clocks that were not working on e-bay and got myself the coil and resistor from one of them. I installed them in my clock and I went ahead and bought some electronic component cleaner (Heptane) in a can and sprayed the clock. This stuff does not attack most plastics. Then I lubed the clock with silicone spray (used very sparingly). The clock started ticking right away, and all the plastic is still OK.

I guess that that's the way to do it on a budget.

I fixed the other 2 clocks and now I have 3 working clocks, not bad...
_________________
The German

[jeffdt]

Anyone have the fuse figured out yet?

[Mick]

If you have a meter that measures current (you will probably need on capable of measuring 10amps to be on the safe side) - put it in series with the postive supply - ie black lead on battery - red lead on posotive terminal of clock (make sure the leads are plugged in the correct terminals on the meter - they are usually different for measuring current - also set the range to maximum - ie the 10 amp scale to avoid frying the meter) read the current draw.

I wouldn't expect a clock to draw too much current - I would be surprised if it drew anywhere near 4 amps as it would flatten the battery pretty quickly.

You could also make a rough estimate by measuring the resistance of the clock itself - remembering that V=I*R.

So transposed I = V/R

(where I=current V=voltage and R=resistance)

Now where's that thread about algebra and VW's gone ??
_________________
www.vdubber.com
Aircooled blogs, builds and banter

[Deutsch]

I installed the clock and put a 2 Amp fuse in line. So far so good. No burn outs.

Before that I put an Amp-meter in line and looked how high the Amps read while the solenoid is activated (winding stage). This is only a split second, so the meter might not have had enough time to catch up. But, it read about 2.48 Amps. So I decided to start with a 2 Amp fuse expecting it to burn out soon, but so far it has not (3 days). I think that the winding time is too short for the 2 Amp fuse to heat up enough. But, that's perfect: If something goes wrong (i.e. the winding takes too long, or it gets stuck) it should blow in no time.
_________________
The German

[torboon]

So T did try to fix my clock too.

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/122151.jpg

[70 140]

Actually it was me that wrote that tutorial and sent it to Keifer. I have fixed about 6 of those clocks now.

not erik g

Erik A

[keifernet]

Sorry Erik, you know how it goes at one time there were 3 or more Erik's on here regular and I accidently creditied the wrong one

( you have not been on here much lately though...)

Yes you deserve the credit, thanks for sending it to me and now for it helping out all these other folks.

I still have not had time to mess with the 4 or 5 ones that I have gathered up...
_________________
my seller feedback
rebuilt carb info = for sale

"STFU Polly and go eat a cracker!" 12-21-2012.... can't wait!

[70 140]

Sorry Keifer I didn't mean that to sound like I was coming down on you. I just saw the post and had to get my .02 cents in. Yeah, I wasn't able to be on much in the summer, but it looks like a long winter has started so I should be around a little more

[keifernet]

No probs man, glad to see you posting again, the Ghia forum has been kinda slow lately...

your .02 is worth more and you deserve the props for the clock article...
_________________
my seller feedback
rebuilt carb info = for sale

"STFU Polly and go eat a cracker!" 12-21-2012.... can't wait!

[Deutsch]

It's been a year now and the 2 Amp in line fuse has held up so far. The clock continues to work and keep time quite accurately.
_________________
The German

[keifernet]

Wow, blast from the past! LOL

I had no time and I sent Erik ( 70-140) 2 of the clocks I had (that I could find) and traded him something for repairing them for me!

He's a great guy.
_________________
my seller feedback
rebuilt carb info = for sale

"STFU Polly and go eat a cracker!" 12-21-2012.... can't wait!

[Ghia Nut]

Can any one pm me with some tips to fix my clock, 72 (the one that was a transition period) or shoot me to a web site that covers it?
_________________
'59 1500sp Ra Jay
'79 Super Vert ej22t
EJ series motor swaps... all the cool kids are doing it.
BC race car.

[1971ghia]

I'm in the process of repairing the VDO Kienzle clock on my 71. I got the chrome trim ring off without damage. In addition to a bad "solder" fuse, I also appear to have a second problem. When I apply power, the steel disk spins 1/2 turn but does not latch/catch on to the teeth of the cog/gear above it. So the electrical contact just keeps opening and closing. If I manually spin the steel disk, I can make it latch and then the rest of the clock appears to work fine (for a minute or so).

Is there some adjustment I can make so it properly latches on its own?

[retrowagen]

I can offer some advice as a Ghia collector and also a collector of fine Swiss and German timepieces (some of which are more valuable than a very nice Ghia). DO NOT use grease, machine oil, or WD-40 on the mechanism of any mechanical clock (or quartz clock, for that matter, but who cares about quartz clocks?!). I doubt that "Action Blaster" stuff works wonders in a fine-tolerance device such as a clock--it sounds to me kinda like that product in the movie, Envy..."VaPOOrize"!: "Where does the poo [sic] go?" Obviously, grits of dirt and grime do not dissolve.
The Mobius products from Switzerland are good, but hard to find. Any clockmaker will instruct you to dip the mechanical bits in normal kerosene. Being though that the clocks in our Ghias are electromechanical (electrically wound [DC] mechanical timepieces), you probably don't want to immerse any electrics. Try to keep them dry.

Best regards,
Dave
www.copellos.biz/gallery/23097.htm

[1971ghia]

There is a spring on the post that raises up from the steel disk. I assume this would control the tension on the arm. Can this spring be tightened or replaced?

[60sbeetleguy]

Anybody out there have a bezel and lens for a small clock? My lens has a crack in it.
Any help would be appreciated.

Al
69 Beetle Convertible

[TimGud]