Are you having trouble with modern electronic clocks eating the backup battery?

In My Humble Opinion
1

It’s happened twice so far.

I had a simple digital RCA clock radio. I only used for the clock. I had it maybe six years. It started draining the 9V backup battery. They usually last a year or more. I even wrote the date on the battery with a sharpie. They were failing after six weeks.

Even stranger. The clock wouldn’t work. It would just flash and wouldn’t reset. A new battery fixed it. But six weeks later the same damn thing. Time for a new battery.

These clocks should work without a battery. It’s only a backup (to save the setting) if the power goes out.

9v are very expensive batteries. I threw out the clock.

Bought a simple digital clock. Different brand. All was fine for about five years. Now it’s eating the 9v backup battery. Same darn thing. Flashes and won’t reset. New battery fixes it for a few weeks. It’s eaten four batteries during the winter.

I just unplugged and threw this clock in the trash.

WTF is going on?

It’s like the power supply is partially failing and then using the backup battery.

This time I’m going to eBay for a vintage and reliable 1980’s digital clock. I’m done with the cheap shit they sell these days.

2

Maybe spend more for a better clock rather than looking for a cheap bargain.

3

In my humble opinion, no.

I have two of those types of clocks, both are at least 20 years old. Both function perfectly. One of them doesn’t even have a battery in it, I have to reset it every time there is a power failure.

4

Are you sure the outlet you are using is hot?

5

It’s plugged into the power strip that my TV and sat box uses.

I guess I could try it plugged directly into the wall.

I’m not deliberately buying cheap clocks. It’s what’s available from Walmart they usually have four or five models similarly priced.

6

That’s been my prior experience. These clocks worked fine without the battery.

Now it won’t stop flashing and reset without a fresh battery.

7

I found a possible replacement.

It’s twice as expensive as the others on Amazon.

Maybe it’s made better.

We keep a clock on the TV that can easily be read from the sofa.

8

Hmmm…