Expert: Martin Meyer - 6/13/2007

Question
QUESTION: My grandfather clock runs perfectly for about a week then for some reason it stops chiming I don't know what is going on can you help me?

ANSWER: Hi Glenda,
  This is quite an unusual problem. Usually a clock will either chime correctly or not at all.
 Grandfather clocks usually are designed to run for about a week, so your chime problem is occurring near the end of the winding cycle. Your clock may be a chain drive (you pull the weights up with chains) or cable drive (the weights are suspended on cables and you wind them with a key or crank). A third, less common, possibility is that you have a mainspring-powered clock, in which case you would wind with a key, and there would be either no weights or weights that are just decorative and don't travel up and down.
  Chain drive: If the right and/or left weight is all the way down and hitting the floor panel, then your clock just needs to be wound (weights pulled up). A kink in the chain is also a possibility, but not likely.
  Cable drive: The chime or strike cable (right and left weights) may be tangled inside the clock or, if this has been a problem from the start, one of the cables may be too short. If you have had the clock repaired in the past, there is a very likely possibility that the "stopworks" (mechanism that prevents the weight from being wound too high or running down too far) has been set incorrectly.
  Mainspring drive: If the clock is older (15 to 20 years or more) the mainsprings may be tired and need to be replaced.
  If any of these scenarios seem to apply to your clock, please get back to me with the details, and I will try to provide more assistance in getting your chime working again.
  Thanks for your question,  Martin

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

QUESTION: thank you for your reply my clock is a chain drive because there are 3 weights that we pull up. neither of them has reached to floor and I checked for kinks in the weights but there are none. any suggestions you give will be very helpful thanks in advance. Glenda

Answer
Hi again Glenda,
  First, remember that your clock should run for about a week before the three weights are all the way down. If this chiming problem occurs after about a week, as you say, then the clock is almost run out, and it's time to wind the clock anyway. You may solve the problem by simply pulling the weights up one day sooner.
  At any rate, if the problem is caused by anything other than the chain/weight, the chiming problem will sometimes occur at times other than when the weight is almost down. If  it invariably occurs when the weight is almost all the way down, it has to be caused by the chain.
  How much of the loose "pull end" of the chain can you see hanging down when the chiming stops? There should be at least a few inches of chain hanging down, or you may be letting the clock run down too much, and should wind it a day sooner. If you are winding the clock fully at the start of the week, all three weights should be almost all the way down at the end of the week; if not, and you always have the chime turned on, then there is an internal problem with the chime. If the chiming is stopping at the same point of chain-unwinding every time, the problem has to be in the part of the chain which is inside the clock at the time. From the chime-jammed position, pull the loose end of the chain down enough to see the part of it that was inside the clock. Look for anything abnormal: Is there a small ring a couple inches up from the chain end? If so, this is a protection against the chain's unwinding too far, and you should be winding the clock sooner. Are the chain links starting to pull open, showing spaces in the links? If so, tighten the links so the ends are butted right together like new. If this solves the problem, order new chains, because yours are worn out.
  I hope this additional information helps. Remember that some clocks do not run a full week, and may need to be wound in six days rather than seven.  Thanks again,  Martin