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Clock Loses Time

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion' started by TonyPSchaefer, Sep 8, 2009.

  1. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Has anyone else noticed the clock keeping time slowly?

    I listen to Cubs games (shut up, Evan) on WGN radio, AM720. Every hour they have the "hourly chime" and about five times so far this season I've had to bump the clock by a minute.

    At first I figured that it was because I was anticipating it. So one time I actually did anticipate it and waited with my finger on the "minute" button until the chime. Then I changed the time as quickly as possible. I figured that I was off by about ten seconds tops. A few weeks later I was listening to the pre-game show, heard the chime and watched the clock. It was quite a while before it changed.

    Anyone else?
     
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    An entire thread about losing...cool!
    Actually, almost every car I've ever had had completely unreliable clocks...but the one in my Prius gets touched only twice per year when I adjust for Day Light Savings time.

    Is this a new problem? (the clock I mean, not the Cubs).
     
  3. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    mine is not accurate either. but i rarely use it other than checking on what time it "might" be. atomic time is great, but i am not that "together" so i basically waste my life in little 5-10 minute chunks by showing up early for stuff.
     
  4. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Mine has gained nearly a minute, though I didn't note what day I set it.

    Somebody used the cheap quartz crystals.
     
  5. Boo

    Boo Boola Boola Member

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    My 2007 remains accurate every standard/daylight savings time change.

    It hasn't gained or lost a minute yet between time changes.
     
  6. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    Hi Tony,

    How do you know that the WGN time standard is correct?

    If this concerns you, I think you should use the official US time website as your reference, which is supposed to be accurate within a second and is based upon the National Institute of Standards and Technology reference.
    The official US time
     
  7. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Yeah, I thought of that, Patrick. Yesterday, which is what reminded me that I wanted to post about this, I was checking it against my phone time. It was behind again but I let it go until I heard the chime on the radio. The phone and the radio were closer together than the chime and my clock.
     
  8. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    The clocks are cheap. Accuracy will vary between units and operating conditions. It's too bad Toyota didn't use the GPS to set the clock, since the GPS has the time accurate to a millionth of a second.

    Tom
     
  9. jayman

    jayman Senior Member

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    Well, Tony, if it makes you feel any better, both my Prius and now my FJ have clocks that are inaccurate. My Prius would lose 5 mins a month, my FJ somehow gains 8 mins a month

    Which doesn't change the fact that BacNET = :sick:
     
  10. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Common chatter sniffed on a BACnet network:
    [WHOIS]
    [WHOHAS]
    WHATTHEHELLTIMEISIT]
     
  11. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    Mine is slow. It loses 1 second about every 6 months.
     
  12. Rokeby

    Rokeby Member

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    Tony,

    Very, very slick... a classic misdirection move. You've got people
    thinking your clock is loosing time.

    Nice try, your clock is correct. IIRC my high school physics, as you
    approach the speed of light the relative time you experience slows
    down. Yeah, the real "problem" is you are screaming around at a
    horrendous speed, well above the PSL. I can't figure out what speed
    that is, but you haven't fooled me.

    [For the techie types, Tony isn't going to admit how fast he's been
    going. But maybe the numbers can be backed out. If Tony drove 50
    hrs a month, how fast would he have to go to "loose" 1 second in a
    month?]

    My question is, what FE/MPG are you getting?

    I suspect there's another little secret hidden here too: there's "stealth"
    at less than what 42 MPH, and then "warp stealth" above 42 MPH.

    Have you discovered "cosmic stealth?"
     
  13. ceric

    ceric New Member

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    For a quartz clock, losing 15sec/month is considered typical.
    Those who have navigation should have very accurate time since it is linked to GPS satellites.
    I have an atomic watch. Absolutely love it. Never have a need to adjust it (not even DST - it does it for you also). You just know that your watch is always accurate within 1 second.
     
  14. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    I almost got away with it, too. Rokeby outed me.

    I have occasionally taken to driving my car at speeds approaching the speed of light, in a vacuum, along the event horizon of a black hole.
     
  15. jayman

    jayman Senior Member

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    Tony, it's kind of obvious to me that work-related stress is taking a toll on you. My advice? What else?

    Heavy

    Drinking
     
  16. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    Did you look under the seats?
    It will no doubt be in the last place you look.
     
  17. jayman

    jayman Senior Member

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  18. Betelgeuse

    Betelgeuse Active Member

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    It better be in the last place you look since if you keep looking after you find it, you're not that bright. :)

    Back on topic: I find my clock gains about one minute every 6 months.
     
  19. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    You clearly have no idea who you're dealing with. :loco: :dizzy: :crazy:
     
  20. jayman

    jayman Senior Member

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    Heavy





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