Appliance clock irritation

[Bob Vavricka]

We are finishing up a kitchen remodel and installed 3 new GE appliances including a slide in oven/range, microwave and wall oven. Tonight I noticed we had a power glitch at some point which happens occasionally. Setting the clocks is fun because all three set differently. Why don't they put a battery backup in the appliance to hold the clock setting if you have a power outage or at least use the same method to set the clock?

[Kent A Bathurst]

Can't answer the question, but I can solve the problem for you:

Get two pieces of black electrician's tape, each about 2" long.

Cover up 2 clocks, keeping open the one that is the easiest to reset. ;)

'Course, the next gen will probably be controlled by a linked chip that will be able to access the atomic clock online..................

[Brian Henderson]

We had a similar problem but it had nothing at all to do with the appliances, it had to do with the electrical supply, which was improperly grounded. Most modern appliances require a particular grounding scheme and if they don't get it, they can reset on an irregular basis. Since our appliances were under warranty, we had service out a dozen times, they replaced half the components inside of our range before anyone thought to check the electrical supply.

[Bill Orbine]

Time for a new kitchen, already!

Can you NOT set any 2 of the three clocks?

[Rich Engelhardt]

'Course, the next gen will probably be controlled by a linked chip that will be able to access the atomic clock online..................I was under the impression they already had imbedded a clock signal in the electrical lines?

[Art Mann]

I was under the impression they already had imbedded a clock signal in the electrical lines?


Who is "they"? All power in the continental US is distributed as a sine wave at 60 hertz. The power company monitors this quite closely. Some cheap desk and alarm clocks, among other devices, make use of this fact in keeping time. I suppose you could interpret that as an "imbedded clock signal", though it is quite a stretch. It has been that way for close to a hundred years.

[Steve Peterson]

I agree with the irritation. It is really easy for many appliance manufacturers to add a clock function when they already have a display. For example, most microwave ovens have a digital timer that reverts to a clock when you are not using the oven.

It would have only cost a few more cents for them to have included a backup clock. There are many ways to do this. I can purchase a standalone real-time clock chip and crystal for about $1. A manufacturer would probably be able to buy a million of them for about 10 cents. Adding the same circuit to the processor would probably bring the cost down to about 1 cent. They would also need a battery or a capacitor to supply power. This might add another 5 cents. Some bean counter at the factory probably got a bonus for saving 6 cents per oven by leaving this function off and every user is slightly annoyed, but only after they have already spent their money. A battery backed clock function is fairly low on the criteria list when you buy an oven.

I expect that many appliances will solve the problem in the next 5-10 years when the Internet Of Things becomes more common.

Steve

[Chris Padilla]

IOE - Internet of Everything

Soon, most things will have wifi connectivity to the WWW. This will be good and bad, I'm sure. :)

[Brian Elfert]

I think appliances don't have a backup for the clock simply because no real demand for it. I've never really thought that I needed battery backup for the clocks in my appliances. My year old GE range will keep the clock going for short power outages. I did have a five second outage a few weeks back and did lose the microwave clock.

I have a 25 year old alarm clock (actually Made in the USA!) that has a 9 volt battery backup. The battery backup is worthless for any long outage as it will lose 15 minutes in 8 hours running on battery. I gave up replacing the battery since it is so worthless.

[Art Mann]

I agree with the irritation. It is really easy for many appliance manufacturers to add a clock function when they already have a display. For example, most microwave ovens have a digital timer that reverts to a clock when you are not using the oven.

It would have only cost a few more cents for them to have included a backup clock. There are many ways to do this. I can purchase a standalone real-time clock chip and crystal for about $1. A manufacturer would probably be able to buy a million of them for about 10 cents. Adding the same circuit to the processor would probably bring the cost down to about 1 cent. They would also need a battery or a capacitor to supply power. This might add another 5 cents. Some bean counter at the factory probably got a bonus for saving 6 cents per oven by leaving this function off and every user is slightly annoyed, but only after they have already spent their money. A battery backed clock function is fairly low on the criteria list when you buy an oven.

I expect that many appliances will solve the problem in the next 5-10 years when the Internet Of Things becomes more common.

Steve


As someone who has designed this sort of electronics, I think you are underestimating the cost and complexity of implementing this feature a little bit.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Who is "they"?
The same people that developed or had/have a hand in PLC and BPL (Power line communication and broadband over power line) I'd guess.....I don't know for sure who "they" are.

There's a lot of faceless "they's" out there doing things that influence our lives.

[Pat Barry]

We are finishing up a kitchen remodel and installed 3 new GE appliances including a slide in oven/range, microwave and wall oven. Tonight I noticed we had a power glitch at some point which happens occasionally. Setting the clocks is fun because all three set differently. Why don't they put a battery backup in the appliance to hold the clock setting if you have a power outage or at least use the same method to set the clock?
I know these things all have their own clocks, but why? Maybe there's one in a hundred out there that actually uses the clock feature? What are you going to do with it? Put your roast in the oven before you leave for work and let it sit there until maybe noon when you want the thing to start cooking so its ready for you at 6 o'clock when you are ready for dinner. Its senseless. If you ask me, the only one of your appliances that needs the clock is the microwave, and that's not for telling time

[Rick Potter]

Don't know who 'They' are, but a favorite cult movie is about 'Them'.

[Wade Lippman]

We are finishing up a kitchen remodel and installed 3 new GE appliances including a slide in oven/range, microwave and wall oven. Tonight I noticed we had a power glitch at some point which happens occasionally. Setting the clocks is fun because all three set differently. Why don't they put a battery backup in the appliance to hold the clock setting if you have a power outage or at least use the same method to set the clock?

They got automobile clocks to work; appliance clocks might be next. Who knows....

[Rich Engelhardt]

Make me a sgt in charge of the booze!

I loved Them!

Still do.