ClockSpeed 4+

Needs more settings?

Just tried this app to help me calibrate pendulum clocks. The user needs to input the number of ticks per second from a drop down menu, but gauging what this is isn’t easy. Also at one end of the available scale the slowest tick is at one second intervals (correct for a long case or grandfather clock), but the next options are 1.33 ticks per second then 2 ticks per second with nothing in between. I have a clock with a pendulum of about 6” and used the 1:33 option but it is impossible to say whether 1:33 is accurate and clearly the options 1 and 2 would be wrong. Some further help from the developer would be useful. I may then be able to improve my rating.

I see that Thomas has kindly responded to my review, which I appreciate, but his reply has confirmed my conclusion that the app will not help me to determine whether my collection of old pendulum clocks are keeping good time. It isn’t easy to determine what the designed interval between the tick and the tock should be on such clocks and this knowledge is essential for the app to work.

For it to do what I want it would be helpful if it were possible to input the length of the pendulum (from the suspension to the centre of gravity of the pendulum bob, I would imagine) as it is this which determines the time interval between the tick and the tock. The longer the pendulum the longer the interval. Sadly there seems no way of opening a one-to-one dialogue with Thomas about this.

Developer Response ,

hi there
the app measures the actual duration between the ticks. And the value you need to choose is in principle the duration you expect between the ticks, the exact timing the manufacturer had in mind when the clock was designed. The result is the difference between the two values.
Let me give you an example: Let’s say, the app finds that your clock ticks exactly twice per second. But without your input the app does not know, how fast/slow it is designed to tick. How should it calculate if it runs fast or slow? If you tell the app you expect only one tick per second, your clock runs actually double speed. If you tell the app, you expect 4 ticks per second, it runs actually half speed. Clear?
I designed the pull down menu based on many clocks I measured. If you have anything, which is not covered, I am happy to adjust it.
Especially with old pendulum clocks, you really need to understand your specific clock how fast it is designed to tick, otherwise you will never find out if it is fast or slow with just a few ticks. In such a case I suggest you measure the old fashioned way over 24h the accuracy of your clock and share the result how many seconds/minutes it was fast/slow and a 60 second recording of your clock with me, then I can add such a special case into the pulldown menu.
Your case with a 6“ pendulum is maybe a clock with 4500vph or 1.25Hz, which I personally never have seen. Just in case, I will add this value for you in the next two weeks, I hope you will find it useful.