Expert: William J Perkins - 12/21/2010

Question
QUESTION: I purchased a Harrington House wall clock in 1998. It had fallen off the wall onto a metal heat register (which broke it's fall#in 2006. I stored it away until recently. A small post had broken off as well as another small part, which I saved, and I took the clock to a repair person who says it is now repaired, but it won't keep running. It also won't run down. I recall having to wind it about 6 or 7 times every week and it kept good time. Now, it never runs down, so it just stays tight #I have wound it a quarter turn, maybe once or one and a half turns at best since it's repair a couple of weeks ago) but it won't keep running more than a few hours, then it stops. The other day it ran through one whole day and night, then stopped running. I don't get it. The repair guy thinks it's fine and wonders what I'm doing wrong. The clock is hanging flat to the wall, level and out of any kind of temperature fluctuation. The repair guy says he will come to my house and check it out, but doesn't have any idea what could be wrong with it. What would you suggest.

ANSWER: I would suggest you accept your repair persons offer to come to your house to examine why it does not run properly in it's home environment.  If it runs properly in the shop their has to be an installation problem.  If that is not the answer then the problem has to be with the repair or lack of repair.  In either case, I believe the clock repair person has a responsibility to follow up on the situation.  Obviously the fault is with one of you and the way to find out which is for that person to follow through.  Regards WJP

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

QUESTION: Thank you for your expert response, which totally made sense. I had the repair man come out to the house, where he checked the installation, which was fine, and tried some further adjustments to the clock. He hung it back on the wall and...voile...it stopped running within 5 minutes. He said I needed to replace the movement, which is approximately $250.00, which with his warranty on the repair leaves me a credit amount. Considering the credit amount it will cost me $95.00 more to have him replace the movement with one with a brass mechanism which he said should last for many years. He felt the other movement was just old and not of a quality you would repair. Does that make sense to you? Thanks.

Answer
This truly raises my hackles.  I cannot comprehend a situation where I would say a clock was repaired and then, shortly thereafter, say the movement needs replacement.  That should have been evident at the onset.  Be that as it may, you are caught up in this awkward(?) situation, left with what was the obvious solution in the first place.  Then, adding insult to injury, accusing you of doing something wrong.  (Quoting from your first inquiry to me, "The repair guy thinks it is fine and wonders what I'm doing wrong."  This leaves you between a rock and a hard place.  Again I suggest you take advantage of the repair persons offer to replace the movement.  Make sure that he is providing you with a proper and new replacement movement, not a rebuilt or repair job.  I do hope this turns out well for you.  Regards WJP