Expert: Martin Meyer - 6/10/2007

Question
I have had an anniversary clock for many years (approx. 20 years) and for the last three years we have not had a battery in it.  Today we added a new battery and the time is working and on time.  However, the spinning balls at the bottom do not seem to work as they used to.  Any suggestions as to what we might try?

Answer
Hi Libby,
    Many anniversary clocks have a separate battery for the revolving balls. The battery for the clock movement is the one that you replaced, probably in a movement right behind the dial. If your clock has a separate battery for the revolving balls, it will most likely be underneath the base of the clock. Turn the clock over and look for a battery compartment. If it has an old battery in it, make sure you check the contacts in the compartment to make sure there is no corrosion. If there is any, you can remove it with a pencil eraser. Make certain that your new battery is full strength and a 1.5 volt ALKALINE battery, not an old fashioned acid battery, which may say "heavy duty", but will NOT say "alkaline." Also, do not use rechargeable batteries, which are 1.2 or 1.35 volts, and do not work in most clocks.
    If there is no second battery underneath the clock, then you have a movement which runs both the clock and the revolving balls off the one battery in the main movement. In this case, if a full-strength new battery doesn't make the balls revolve, the problem is in the movement. There are a few replacement movements available for this type of clock, but I have had very little success in finding ones which are compatible with the many different makes of anniversary clocks. The only really reliable way of finding a replacement is to contact the manufacturer of your clock, if you can determine who that is. If it is Loricron, you will probably be able to replace the movement easily; other manufacturers can be more difficult.
    Thanks for your question.  Martin