# How many clocks do you need to manually change for DST? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 6, 2016, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-do-you-need-to-manually-change-for-dst/770794 "2016-11-06T08:10:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-do-you-need-to-manually-change-for-dst/770794/1 "2016-11-06T08:10:58Z")
It’s that time again – spring forward, fall back. Though I always forget which is which. How many clocks in your household and/or place of business do you need to reset manually, versus those which reset themselves? My answer is four: alarm clock, microwave, stove, and wristwatch. (Yes, I’m old-fashioned.) The desktop computer, laptop & cell phone all change automatically. ---
**Author:** ![Dereknocue67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-do-you-need-to-manually-change-for-dst/770794/2 "2016-11-06T08:41:45Z")
Household: 12 2 antique clocks watch microwave coffee maker stove car garage clock phone 2 weather clocks (programmed to self-adjust but never do) Home made wall clock I guess I could even include a backyard sundial but I never use it. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-do-you-need-to-manually-change-for-dst/770794/3 "2016-11-06T09:05:08Z")
Wristwatch and dashboard clock in the car. That’s it. I do have some fun at work, though, getting up on the ladder and manually changing the giant clocks on the walls. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-do-you-need-to-manually-change-for-dst/770794/4 "2016-11-06T09:45:42Z")
Car, stove, microwave, living room. Phone and computers change automatically. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-do-you-need-to-manually-change-for-dst/770794/5 "2016-11-06T09:52:29Z")
Just my watch. Incidentally, I’ve never seen a microwave with a clock. What’s it for? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-do-you-need-to-manually-change-for-dst/770794/6 "2016-11-06T09:56:52Z")
None, you bunch of luddites. I only have two clocks, my PC and my phone. Our daylight saving here in Australia changed a month ago (forward for us)\*, and I was actually awake at 2am so I watched it happen. \*So as not to confuse you, America, remember yours goes _back_ tonight ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-do-you-need-to-manually-change-for-dst/770794/7 "2016-11-06T09:59:18Z")
I actually change my vehicle clock, microwave clock, and the clock on my old digital video recorder. There are a lot of other devices with clocks in the house that I don’t usually bother to keep set to the right time: stereo, electric range, coffee maker whose timer mode I don’t use, a stopwatch that also tells time but which I only ever use as a stopwatch, etc. ---
**Author:** ![williambaskerville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f14d63/32.png) [@williambaskerville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/williambaskerville)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-do-you-need-to-manually-change-for-dst/770794/8 "2016-11-06T11:10:04Z")
Oven, microwave, an antique clock in the living room. How do cars know to update ? It had corrected itself the next morning. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-do-you-need-to-manually-change-for-dst/770794/9 "2016-11-06T11:42:52Z")
Watch Alarm clock Thermostat (lowers heat when I am at work / asleep) Car (have not done yet) Computer, tablet, and DVR are automatic Brian ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-do-you-need-to-manually-change-for-dst/770794/10 "2016-11-06T12:02:33Z")
bedside alarm clock, wristwatch, car dashboard. My wife has her watch and car. We don’t worry about the stove or microwave. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-do-you-need-to-manually-change-for-dst/770794/11 "2016-11-06T12:14:05Z")
We have about 13 usable wristwatches. It’s tedious to adjust them all, but at the same time it makes me feel like Uncle Scrooge taking a dive in his money pool. :o Then there’s: 4 wall clocks, 4 alarm clocks, 2 cars, 3 thermostats, 3 lighting timers, 1 water softener timer, 1 oven and 1 microwave oven. (I’m ignoring the coffemaker we don’t use and the VCR that’s been blinking for a year.) ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-do-you-need-to-manually-change-for-dst/770794/12 "2016-11-06T12:15:56Z")
Arizona person here: None is the answer. We never change. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-do-you-need-to-manually-change-for-dst/770794/13 "2016-11-06T12:25:05Z")
I changed (or will change) two-- my clock radio and my car. Other members of my household will change at least seven more, and we’ve got a clock radio in the guest bedroom that gets reset when we have guests, rather than when the power goes out or daylight savings time changes. (The list: 1 watch, 2 cars, the oven, the microwave, a coocoo clock, another fancy clock, another clock radio . . . I feel like I’m forgetting something, but I’m not sure what). ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-do-you-need-to-manually-change-for-dst/770794/14 "2016-11-06T12:28:07Z")
14 I think. Probably 15 since I always forget one. Fall is the worst since many are easier to advance than set back. Gonna do it after I’m done here. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-do-you-need-to-manually-change-for-dst/770794/15 "2016-11-06T12:42:36Z")
Two clocks in the living room, the microwave, and two clocks in the bedroom, so 5. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-do-you-need-to-manually-change-for-dst/770794/16 "2016-11-06T13:36:14Z")
Just the one on the thermostat. The others all do it by themselves these days. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-do-you-need-to-manually-change-for-dst/770794/17 "2016-11-06T13:43:17Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Just my watch. > > Incidentally, I’ve never seen a microwave with a clock. What’s it for? To see what time it is. 😉 Microwave, stove, watch. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-do-you-need-to-manually-change-for-dst/770794/18 "2016-11-06T14:13:59Z")
> [@campp](#): > > Arizona person here: None is the answer. We never change. Maybe one day the rest of us will wise up. Eight timepieces for me. Watch Digital clock in bedroom (GIANT numbers I can see across the room without glasses) Five other clocks Car clock (Some do it automatically? Cool.) I never bother with clock radio or microwave. Computers, kindle, phone do it by magic. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-do-you-need-to-manually-change-for-dst/770794/19 "2016-11-06T14:14:00Z")
Nine I change: Three wall clocks Two clock radios Wall oven Microwave Kid’s bedside clock/nightlight Old car Things that change automatically: Two phones Two tablets Three laptops Fios set top box New car Things I don’t change: Thermostat (don’t use programmable fealtures during DST) Irrigation system (only used during DST) ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-do-you-need-to-manually-change-for-dst/770794/20 "2016-11-06T14:18:52Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > It’s that time again – spring forward, fall back. Though I always forget which is which. “ **spring** forward, **fall** back” 😛 We have three: a wall clock in the living room, the backup alarm clock in the bedroom, and the car clock. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-clocks-do-you-need-to-manually-change-for-dst/770794.md?page=2)