Help needed on Digital Clock

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anandkrishnantc

anandkrishnantc

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Hello,
I have recently bought a SONY clock radio from US(ICF-C492 to be precise) which I found running wrong time. Means is losing around 10 minutes per hour.

As pointed out by some sources, I thought might be problem with the supply voltage frequency (its supposed to take 60 Hz in US and here its 50 Hz) but I have another model, which is running accurately with same supplied frequency of 50 Hz. And this problem has been reported many people around the world including US.

I want to know where I can service this, or any of you friends has some intelligent guess on where it might have gone wrong (in IC or circuitry or something like that) so that I can take this to a good Clock repair shop!
And I dont think Sony will design a clock circuit which depends upon the supply frequency and keep accurate time.:)

I live in Bangalore. WIll it help me taking this to a Sony authorized service centre? (this product is not available in Indian market till now).

thanks in advance
Anand Krishnan
 
A lot of the clocks in the US depend on supply frequency to keep time. There isnt much you can do to make it run correctly in India. Besides the frequency is hardly stable here. It keeps changing with the load. The solution to fix your clock is prolly gonna cost more than the clock itself.
 
I am looking for some body who can provide me a digital clock PCB so that I can used the same display which is the best attraction in this model.

I think thats the better way rather than converting the frequency and feeding it.

Probably my self can make the pcb . Let me see. Anyway thanks for replying Raghu.

regards,

Anand
 
AFAIK only the cheapest of digital clocks will rely on the mains frequency and any decent one will use a quartz oscillator for the same.
 
Hi friends,

I solved the issue for time being.

I have converted the clock to 50 Hz mode. Bu still its lags almost 1 minutes per hour due to the power fluctuations. I wish I get a constant 50 Hz supply (may be a small invertor will do?)

But I still cant believe that a great company product will be designed in this way. Even in US the supply frequency will fluctuate. really poor design. But not surprised because its a Chinese made one.

I went into its IC details and made a small modification in the circuit by disconnecting a Pin so now its with 50 Hz mode.

But I need somebody to help me to find a permanent option to provide 50 Hz without depending on the external power supply.

regards,

Anand
 
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