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Can I repair my battery operated wall clock?

I have a couple of battery operated wall clocks with the same problem. the second hand sticks at a certain point, causing the clock to not keep time.
I have had other clocks that did the same thing and trashed them.
one of the clocks is about 10 years old and worked fine for the first 8. It was a gift and I dont want to throw it away. the other is less than 2 months old and already sticking. the batteries are fresh.

wanda, August 2008

home Fix label Clocks and Watches label_important Wall Clocksdone

I had a similar problem due to using rechargeable AA battery, they run lower than 1.5V at full potential.

Joao, February 2020

If all else fails pull off the second hand.
The wall clock still functions. Who would have thunk it? One is apt to think that the second hand mechanism turns the minute hand, and the minute hand then turns the hour hand.

Michael Hayes, September 2019

I have a very large wall Clock from Magnolia Farms. It drove me crazy for months because it would stop working around the half hour mark. I happen to love it, so I put up with it even though at times I wanted to toss it. (too expensive for that) Then I found this site and I tried the Duracell Alkaline Battery fix.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. It really worked!!!!

JM, May 2018

I have a Equity 40222S 10 inch Insta Set Analog Clock which worked fine, but then the second and hour hands began to move very fast. Hours passed in minutes. I changed the two AA and 3v coin batteries with fresh ones, but no change in behavior. Any ideas?

Grant, January 2017

Great thread here. My new 'plain-label' batteries wouldn't get the 'minute' hand moving. Went out and bought Duracell and it's all great now!

Wendy, May 2016

the pendulum on my wall clock works but the clock dosent work

marie, August 2014

So having already done all of the suggested fixes before finding this forum, I was discouraged and thought there was no hope for my
favorite clock. With no confidence at all, I made one last effort and replaced the fresh, new battery with a Duracell Alkaline Battery. I'm so happy! I don't know why, but that actually solved the problem! Thanks so much ...

Jeneen, April 2014

I looked this up because I was having the same problem. Tried a new battery (off the wall brand) and kept tweaking the hands, nothing worked. Got a Duracell Akaline Battery, like wirecutterman suggested, and it worked!! Thanks a bunch! Kept me from chucking it & buying a new one (since this one IS new-less than a year old).

libraryladysums, January 2014

Yay! Thank you everyone, I think that solved the problem. I didn't remove the second hand but I 'loosened' it a little bit by gently pulling up on it in the middle where it fits into the mechanism. Then the minute hand moved consistently.

Jennie's daughter, May 2013

I had the same problem and saw the answer that the battery was weak and could not push the second hand up past 8, so I changed the battery and that solved the problem

dave0458, April 2013

I have taken my wall clock apart, hands are off however cannot remove battery pack to replace with new one. How do I remove battery pack ?

Anne, April 2012

I just have to thank you all! I bought a clock that I love, from a flea market, got it home and the second hand would twitch and not keep time w/a new battery. After finally finding this page, I shortened the second hand, bent it slightly upward, and this time gently put it back on the center and for about half an hour now, it's keeping time. I think all that did the trick, thank you! I was so close to throwing it.

JacquelineG, March 2012

I had this problem with 2 clocks - I trashed the one I had and the brand new one did the same thing - it turns out that if the second hand is too long, the gears slip, so.....I just shortened the second hand and presto - it works. If you still have problems, just take off the second hand and keep an eye on the time to make sure it is accurate. Just another perpective - it worked for me.

Rob in Texas, March 2011

Remove the second hand...you only need the minute and hour hands.

Joe, January 2010

I just bought a new wall clock with the same problem. Fresh batteries didn't help, nor did tweaking the hands. This clock doesn't have a glass face. I finally realized that when I turned the clock over on its face to check out the battery works, I might have squished the front works a bit. I gently pried off the cap which holds the hands in place, then pushed it back in place just until it clicked. Ta-da!

Mary Ritter, January 2009

It depends where the hand is sticking. The usual cause is when the minute hand passes over the hour hand and catches it. Remove the battery, take the clock glass cover off, hold the minute hand in the centre of its length and gently tease (SLIGHTLY bend) the end of the minute hand upward. Alternatively, the hand could have loosened - in which case just gently press it back down on the centre pivot.

Harry Lindswell, November 2008

the batteries you are using are no good, the first signs of a failing battery clock LOSES TIME, next sign the battery has not got the power to lift the second finger up usually happens around the eight
use DURACELL ALKALINE BATTERIES

wirecutterman, September 2008