SP5B Troubleshooting
This is a forum post by csn030696 made just before Wix shut off the forum. I copied it here to "Groups" since it may be relevant to other builders.
Steve
Hi Steve,
First, I’d like to thank you for these designs. I have been interested in clocks since I inherited a grandfather clock in middle school from my grandma and enjoyed tinkering with it to get it running again. I was thrilled to stumble upon your designs a few years ago.
Originally about a year and a half ago, I attempted to build your SP4 Large Easy Build Wall Clock. I got it setup and running for a few weeks until one day it slowed and stopped. After that point, I ran through your common troubleshooting steps to no avail. It hung on the wall untouched and not running until a few weeks ago when I decided to give it another crack. I decided maybe my bearings had seized up after running and upon pulling it apart it seems I was at least partially correct. I tried to get the bearings back up to working order but decided they were a lost cause. I also decided at this point that I wanted to print a new clock as I had seen your redesigned B models.
So, I recently printed your SP5B 32 Day Easy Build Wall clock in the 15 day runtime gearing option, thinking that with the smaller geared clock than the prior attempt and your new gear design I would have it running easily. Unfortunately, I hung it yesterday and I haven’t been able to get it to run for more than 2 minutes at a time. I have a little over 5 pounds in my weight shell. I used all the bearing options, no bushings. I threw out my old bearings and got new ones that I cleaned out fully to the point where I could spin them in my hand for a few seconds. I tested the pendulum swing before fully assembling and I had it swinging for about 10-12 minutes before fully degrading. All gears were drilled out and spin freely on their arbors, as well as arbors spin in the frame. All gears appear to have end shake as well. Given all this I am surprised I can’t get it running for even a few hours at least. I am currently testing the weight in free fall, and I have stopped the escapement and it has started up again no problem and quickly. I am also testing the pendulum free swinging while the weight is free falling, and now the pendulum stops before 2 minutes have passed, although nothing has changed from yesterday when I first tested, built, and hung it to today. I have very little guesses as to what to try next. The only thing I can think now is possibly a frame sag issue pinching something when the weight is on the clock, but I don’t know how to address that.
Sorry for the long-winded message, but I’m hoping you can give me some direction as I love your designs, and I would love to get them working!
Thank you,
Chris
Hi Chris,
It seems like there are two issues here. SP4 received the same upgrade as SP5 to improve reliably considerably. You can download the updated SP4B design as long as you can still log into MyMiniFactory using the same account used to purchase SP4. Unfortunately, I believe it is mostly a complete rebuild. The new gears have to be completely replaced. The new gears and winding key require a new frame. So the entire clock needs to be reprinted. The weight shell and pendulum might be the only re-used parts.
Getting SP4 running again often requires finding what may have changed regarding friction. Sometimes the bearings need to be cleaned. Also check for end shake on the central arbor and escapement arbor. A very tiny bit of side thrust can stall the escapement. It may help to add grease to the pinion teeth. Only a tiny bit is needed and it will work its way through the main gear teeth. PLA seems to be resistant to most greases and solvents. The only other advice is to do the debug checklist that you have already completed. Double check that all gears spin on their arbors and all arbors spin in the frame. This is especially true for the gear 3 arbor since gear 3 is attached to the arbor (or at least it is in the SP4B implementation).
Since you also have the new SP5B, maybe it would be best to focus on debugging that clock. If the pendulum swings for 10-12 minutes, why does the clock stop running in less than 2 minutes? Is the escapement rotating freely? Or is it getting in the way of the pallet and slowing down the pendulum? Move the pendulum back and forth manually. The escapement should start spinning immediately when the pallet clears the escapement teeth. Any lag in the escapement starting to spin will prevent energy from being transferred to the pendulum. Check for end shake on the central arbor, the gear 3 arbor, and the escapement between gear 3 and the shaft collar.
The easy build clocks do not suffer from frame sag like the other vertical oriented clocks. You probably don't need to worry about it as long as the frame was printed with 3-4 walls for strength.
Steve