Expert: Kenneth Saunders - 7/31/2009

Question
QUESTION: This clock has been a wonderful clock and has not been moved and has kept great time until 2 weeks ago. Now it won't run longer than about 10-12 minutes from just the pendulum swinging. Nothing obvious appears to be wrong when looking at the movement. The weights were about half way down when it first stopped. What is likely to be wrong with it. The movement looks like a Howard Miller movement but I see no markings on the movement itself. Maybe I don't know where to look.

ANSWER: 1) 20 years is about the time they need overhaul or replacement of the mechanism.

2) might be out of beat--give the pendulum a wide start about to the glass sides and then see if it keeps running

3) weight could be hitting the pendulum - wind and repeat to see if it runs but stops in the same circumstances.

4) rear of the mechanism itself has stamped info on who made it for Sligh (NOT Howard Miller)
  



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: You were correct the back of the clock mechanism which I could only see using a small digital camera with macro capability says "Charles R Sligh Clocks" and under this UW03082B and beside this is "URCOS Made in Germany No(0) Jewels Unadjusted" and then 450473. The clock does nothing different when making the pendulum swing wide and the pendulum is not hitting weights.

Answer
The URGOS mechanisms are still being made by the Hermle company in germany and the replacement mechanism is UW03082B-- about $400 + install

when this model wears, the first symptom is that the pendulum swings only in a very short arc- moving only about 2"

I think you need a pro.