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New Project LED Bulova Accutron advertising clock

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Adam

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Re: New Project LED Bulova Accutron advertising clock

Post13 Feb 2016, 21:05

I do have a quick question. Can I bypass the switch to test the light, does the switch open and close the circuit and thats it?

Sorry Mick no beer just Gin!
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Re: New Project LED Bulova Accutron advertising clock

Post13 Feb 2016, 21:22

It's a nice big size :mega:
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charger105

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Re: New Project LED Bulova Accutron advertising clock

Post14 Feb 2016, 03:46

Looking really good Adam :mega:
I like Diginuts idea about the 12VDC--110V/60Hz adapter. A nice simple solution.
How is the timekeeping ? It must be running slow on 50Hz ?

Regarding the main light, it looks like a short fluorescent tube ?
Have you changed the tube ? Looks like an inductive ballast......check it's got continuity through it's windings. Is that little can a capacitor or a starter ?
I don't think short tubes normally need a starter.

Rgds.
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Re: New Project LED Bulova Accutron advertising clock

Post14 Feb 2016, 19:58

Charger

I have changed the tube and the starter. But no luck, not sure what an inductive ballast is. Could it be the switch?

Its running approximately 11 minutes slow and hour.
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Re: New Project LED Bulova Accutron advertising clock

Post15 Feb 2016, 07:48

The inductive ballast is the transformer looking thing, except with only 2 wires going to it. It limits current.
If it's failed, the light wont work.
As you say it could be the on/off switch that's failed too.

Are you feeding it 110V or 240V ? Not sure it would work if using 240V.
Something like this could be an idea if you can't get it going:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Fluorescent- ... SwqrtWnK-O

Rgds.
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Re: New Project LED Bulova Accutron advertising clock

Post17 Feb 2016, 00:48

Hi Adam just an idea;
how about using LED's on strips, well defused run off the same 12 volt supply you're gonna
use to run the 110 volt inverter off?
You could mount the LED's where you liked then.

Nice job dude I really like it. :mega: :mega:
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Re: New Project LED Bulova Accutron advertising clock

Post19 Feb 2016, 22:10

A little update.

Light works, thanks Andrew removed the starter and Violla! The cracks really show now so I will have to find a good way of hiding them.

Now just the 50 - 60 problem to sort out.

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Adam

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Re: New Project LED Bulova Accutron advertising clock

Post29 Feb 2016, 11:55

With the inverter method do I no longer need the US to UK convertor? Sorry for the dumb question but just need to be sure. Also will I need to wire a plug onto the new inverter to 12V adapter and will this power method also run the light?


many thanks

Adam
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Re: New Project LED Bulova Accutron advertising clock

Post29 Feb 2016, 12:27

Adam wrote:With the inverter method do I no longer need the US to UK convertor? Sorry for the dumb question but just need to be sure. Also will I need to wire a plug onto the new inverter to 12V adapter and will this power method also run the light?


many thanks

Adam




All you need to do is get 12 volts DC from a bog standard UK mains adapter (ie, 240v AC 50hz wall plug thing that outputs 12v DC) , then wire that to the input of the USA car adapter which needs 12v DC in and outputs 110/120v AC at 60hz. The 60hz should make the clock run at the correct speed and be more than capable of powering the entire clock since it only needs 14watts max, according to the label on the back of it.
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Re: New Project LED Bulova Accutron advertising clock

Post29 Feb 2016, 12:45

Excellent, thank you. Im having problems finding the correct car adapter that I can wire from the ac adapter, they all seem to be connected to the lighter connector. Will something like this do it?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/28179149 ... ue&ff13=80

many thanks

Adam
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Re: New Project LED Bulova Accutron advertising clock

Post29 Feb 2016, 20:59

Adam wrote:Excellent, thank you. Im having problems finding the correct car adapter that I can wire from the ac adapter, they all seem to be connected to the lighter connector. Will something like this do it?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/28179149 ... ue&ff13=80

many thanks

Adam



The inverter you linked to is massively over the top power and size wise, at 400watts !


What I was originally suggesting was something like this :-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330765282840

.. which will convert UK mains down to 12v DC, and is apparently capable of handling a 24 watts load. You only need 12 - 15 watts or so. The key thing is that you need a 60hz 110v/120v AC line input to the clock as if its plugged into a US mains socket. (Though I have no idea if the clock is earthed, or isolated)


Next you use the 12v DC output from the above device, and connect the +/- to the input of this USA car adapter :-


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161818142883

.. and you should then get 110/120v AC at 60hz, so just plug the clock into the socket shown.


In theory it should work fine. But I can't vouch for how 'clean' and noiseless the outputs of either device are, or if it matters with the way the clock is wired internally. Can you see if the earth pin on the clocks mains plug is actually connected to anything inside the clock ?
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Re: New Project LED Bulova Accutron advertising clock

Post01 Mar 2016, 11:53

Thanks Diginut, this is where I was getting confused, as to how to wire the 12v adapter to the americanlighter connector, would I have to take the american inverter apart? Could I just use a UK to 12v cigarette adapter and plug the american inverter into that?

Something like this


http://www.whiterosetools.com/Silverlin ... wwodTHQJJA


thank you for taking the time to advise, its really appreciated


Adam
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Diginut

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Re: New Project LED Bulova Accutron advertising clock

Post01 Mar 2016, 13:55

Adam wrote:Thanks Diginut, this is where I was getting confused, as to how to wire the 12v adapter to the americanlighter connector, would I have to take the american inverter apart? Could I just use a UK to 12v cigarette adapter and plug the american inverter into that?

Something like this


http://www.whiterosetools.com/Silverlin ... wwodTHQJJA


thank you for taking the time to advise, its really appreciated


Adam


At first glance the device in your link looks ideal .. *BUT** its only rated at 600ma, which equates to about 7 watts peak and will quickly fail. Your clock needs double that.

If it were me, I'd simply cut the plug off the 12v output from the UK adapter, and solder it to the cigarette lighter plug. The +ve input on the cigar plug is the pointy bit, the -ve being the side tabs. Better still, partially dismantle the cigarette plug to make a neater solution.

Ideally use a multimeter to check which way around the uk adapter wires are, but normally the centre bit is +ve. It should be indicated on the body of the adapter.
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Adam

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Re: New Project LED Bulova Accutron advertising clock

Post01 Mar 2016, 14:03

Thanks Digitnut, I'll give it a go and order the parts. I'll post my results, hopefully with glee at an accurate timepiece, no longer a 'slow Joe!'


regards


Adam
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