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Quote:WASHINGTON (AP) -- A yearlong experiment with the nation's electric grid could mess up traffic lights, security systems and some computers - and make plug-in clocks and appliances like programmable coffeemakers run up to 20 minutes fast.
"A lot of people are going to have things break and they're not going to know why," said Demetrios Matsakis, head of the time service department at the U.S. Naval Observatory, one of two official timekeeping agencies in the federal government.
Since 1930, electric clocks have kept time based on the rate of the electrical current that powers them. If the current slips off its usual rate, clocks run a little fast or slow. Power companies now take steps to correct it and keep the frequency of the current - and the time - as precise as possible.
The group that oversees the U.S. power grid is proposing an experiment would allow more frequency variation than it does now without corrections, according to a company presentation obtained by The Associated Press.
Officials say they want to try this to make the power supply more reliable, save money and reduce what may be needless efforts. The test is tentatively set to start in mid-July, but that could change.
Much more here: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/U...TE=DEFAULT
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I can feel my circadian rhythm being affected already.
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This is not good for my paranoid personality disorder. (un-diagnosed) 
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Diagnosis is just a doctors visit away.
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(06-24-2011, 04:45 PM)PonderThis Wrote: I can feel my circadian rhythm being affected already.
I don't think you are allowed to use those kind of words here. (The one that starts with C.)
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(06-24-2011, 05:30 PM)Valuesize Wrote: This is not good for my paranoid personality disorder. (un-diagnosed)
Sometimes the diagnosis is made by the general public. For instance, I have bad personality disorder. But I get discounts a lot of places because of it.
(I have the "jerk gene" and am not responsible). I've applied for welfare benefits but need and endorsement from Red.
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But, about the clocks and power grids and all.
It's comforting to know that even if the power spike it the granddaddy of all power spikes, it will only effect the clocks and not time.
Well I find it comforting.
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I don't care. My clocks are wind up. Some are a little faster than others but not 20 mins. Daylight savings time can be rough. I wind them on Tuesday you need to know that. Just for giggles consider a wind up clock beats 80 times a minute, times 60 (mins per hour) times 24 hours times 7 and that is how many times it beats a week. It amazes they keep time at all.
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(06-24-2011, 05:49 PM)Willie Krash Wrote: I don't care. My clocks are wind up. Some are a little faster than others but not 20 mins. Daylight savings time can be rough. I wind them on Tuesday you need to know that. Just for giggles consider a wind up clock beats 80 times a minute, times 60 (mins per hour) times 24 hours times 7 and that is how many times it beats a week. It amazes they keep time at all.
"a wind up clock beats 80 times a minute", ? do you wind them too tight?
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He uses it for a metronome, and only plays polka's.
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(06-24-2011, 05:54 PM)tvguy Wrote: (06-24-2011, 05:49 PM)Willie Krash Wrote: I don't care. My clocks are wind up. Some are a little faster than others but not 20 mins. Daylight savings time can be rough. I wind them on Tuesday you need to know that. Just for giggles consider a wind up clock beats 80 times a minute, times 60 (mins per hour) times 24 hours times 7 and that is how many times it beats a week. It amazes they keep time at all.
"a wind up clock beats 80 times a minute", ? do you wind them too tight?
We've always said Willie's wound a little too tight.
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the only time I can remember winding any clock in the last half century was this old west bend clunky looking thing that for some reason is in my shop.Actually I have lots of strange things in my shop
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To see a clock beat less than 70 would require a very long pendulum. 80 isn't too far off typical for a regulator.
Wound too tight indeed. They are 9 clocks in this room. Two have springs..
One man's insanity.
