# What's Killing Our Alarum Clocks? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 6, 2007, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-killing-our-alarum-clocks/425476 "2007-11-06T22:49:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NailBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NailBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NailBunny)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-killing-our-alarum-clocks/425476/1 "2007-11-06T22:49:15Z")
So here’s a puzzler. About six months or so ago, we bought a very snazzy alarum clock/white noise machine at Brookstone (an expensive gadgety kind of store, if you don’t have one near you). I know it’s silly, but I fell hopelessly in love with this clock. Not only did it allow you your choice of something like eight different sounds, with various delta waves or some psuedo-sciencey stuff blended in with them, but it would only allow you to hit Snooze twice! **Very** handy, as we are notorious Snooze-addicts. Abruptly, about two or three months ago, clock stops working. Really impressively stops working, like the screen is covered in jibberish and won’t light up, and no amount of outlet-switching or battery-trying will make it do anything. We took it back to Brookstone and begged our case, and they gave us a new one. Tested it out at the store and it worked fine, took it home and it continued to work fine. About a month and 1/2 later, we moved into our first house. And the first night we plugged in our clock - dead. Again, jibberish, not lighting up. At this point, without a receipt and not believing that Brookstone will give us our money back, and not wanting to risk getting the same, obviously defective, clock again when we both have such tight schedules, I spotted a much less fancy but similar model clock at Bed, Bath & Beyond (about $50 less, as well). White noise, clock face projected in soft blue light into the ceiling, fabulous. Last week, while getting into bed, I notice that the bottom line of LED lights on the clock face appear to not work any longer. 2’s look like 7’s, etc. The weird thing is, the projected clock face on the ceiling still works fine, so we can muddle by for the moment, but seriously…WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON? It’s not the electrical, as we’ve changed addresses. We’re not moving them around a lot, or plugging and unplugging or abusing the wires or beating the shit out them or pouring liquids over them. Does anyone have ANY idea what would cause this, and how to stop it? At this point we’re considering just going back to the godawful BUZZBUZZ alarum clock, but I love the white noise machine. I need my ocean noise! ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-killing-our-alarum-clocks/425476/2 "2007-11-06T22:58:40Z")
Satan. ---
**Author:** ![NailBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NailBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NailBunny)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-killing-our-alarum-clocks/425476/3 "2007-11-06T23:01:05Z")
That was my guess as well. Or some sort of gypsy curse. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-killing-our-alarum-clocks/425476/4 "2007-11-06T23:13:26Z")
How about a voltage spike? ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-killing-our-alarum-clocks/425476/5 "2007-11-06T23:20:22Z")
Did you hit it with a hammeur? ---
**Author:** ![NailBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NailBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NailBunny)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-killing-our-alarum-clocks/425476/6 "2007-11-06T23:27:34Z")
[QUOTE=vetbridge] How about a voltage spike? [/QUOTE] Would this be likely in both our apartment and our new house? If so, is there some way to avoid it? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![J\_Cubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@J\_Cubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_Cubed)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-killing-our-alarum-clocks/425476/7 "2007-11-06T23:30:26Z")
Do you perhaps sleep-tinker? Is there something like a lamp that’s been plugged into the same outlet at both addresses? I’d use a surge protector with any new alarm clocks. ---
**Author:** ![KP](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a9adbd/32.png) [@KP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KP)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-killing-our-alarum-clocks/425476/8 "2007-11-06T23:41:14Z")
A dimmable lamp on the same circuit --esp. the same outlet, is a possible, but uncommon, source of transients that can confuse digital electronics, when the stars align just right. The good news? If you unplug it and remove the battery for an extended period (say, a week, or even a month), it may come back to life, whatever the source of the transient. Personally, I’d put it in the dark during that time, because sunlight on LEDs can generate a charge – but even I know that’s probably unnecessary ---
**Author:** ![NailBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NailBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NailBunny)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-killing-our-alarum-clocks/425476/9 "2007-11-06T23:41:39Z")
[QUOTE=J Cubed] Is there something like a lamp that’s been plugged into the same outlet at both addresses? I’d use a surge protector with any new alarm clocks. [/QUOTE] Hmm, now we might be getting somewhere. At the apartment, there was a swamp cooler what shared the same outlet, and yes there is a lamp sharing the outlet at this house. Thank you for the suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-killing-our-alarum-clocks/425476/10 "2007-11-07T00:07:39Z")
[QUOTE=Lamar Mundane] Did you hit it with a hammeur? [/QUOTE] 😃 Perfect answeur. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-killing-our-alarum-clocks/425476/11 "2007-11-07T00:14:37Z")
> [@](#): > > What’s Killing Our Alarum Clocks? The extraneous u? ---
**Author:** ![ignis\_glaciesque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@ignis\_glaciesque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ignis_glaciesque)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-killing-our-alarum-clocks/425476/12 "2007-11-07T03:10:15Z")
I like the idea of a swamp cooler and an alarum clock together. I dunno, just sounds funny to me. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-killing-our-alarum-clocks/425476/13 "2007-11-07T11:37:43Z")
[QUOTE=ignis\_glaciesque] I like the idea of a swamp cooler and an alarum clock together. I dunno, just sounds funny to me. [/QUOTE] Yeah. I imagine a Louisiana Cajun who speaks in an upper-class British accent and wears a top hat and spats. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-killing-our-alarum-clocks/425476/14 "2007-11-07T12:15:13Z")
Swamp cooler? Does anyone care to translate? Is this a small fridge, like for a bar or dorm? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-killing-our-alarum-clocks/425476/15 "2007-11-07T12:22:38Z")
[QUOTE=Jinx] Swamp cooler? Does anyone care to translate? Is this a small fridge, like for a bar or dorm? [/QUOTE] No, it’s something that keeps _you_ cool by blowing air over cool water (or, I suppose, ice). It’s a really cheap and simple air conditioner. ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-killing-our-alarum-clocks/425476/16 "2007-11-07T12:33:54Z")
Swamp coolers, also known as evaporative coolers, are popular in areas of low humidity. They use a small flow of water over a filter. Air is drawn through the filter causing increased evaporation of the water, thereby cooling the air. They are cheaper to operate that A/C, but usually require regular maintence. [http://www.air-n-water.com/product/AF-320.html](http://www.air-n-water.com/product/AF-320.html) If the cooler is on a thermostat I guess the cycling could affect the clock, but I’m not sure exactly how. ---
**Author:** ![NailBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NailBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NailBunny)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-killing-our-alarum-clocks/425476/17 "2007-11-07T16:17:27Z")
I am heartily sorry for everyone I offended with my bizarre spelling of alarum. At a small age, my reading got a bit ahead of my spelling and thus I learned how to spell certain words a bit differently and have never been able to break myself of the habit. Thanks for teasing me about it though, that never gets old! [QUOTE=Derleth] I imagine a Louisiana Cajun who speaks in an upper-class British accent and wears a top hat and spats. [/QUOTE] That about sums me up, yeah! Thank you to those who replied with serious answers. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-killing-our-alarum-clocks/425476/18 "2007-11-07T16:21:42Z")
At least I hope you get a receipt from now on, every time you buy a clock, alarum or better yet, an alarm one. Sorry for your bad luck, but the more complex a device is, the more likely you’ll have problems. Just look at computers. Why not try to see if the company that makes the clock has a website, and then send them an email explaining all your problems, and keep your fingers crossed. ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-killing-our-alarum-clocks/425476/19 "2007-11-07T16:40:31Z")
You wouldn’t happen to be keeping a few high powered magnets in the nightstand below would you? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-killing-our-alarum-clocks/425476/20 "2007-11-07T16:43:06Z")
[QUOTE=panache45] 😃 Perfect answeur. [/QUOTE] Worud. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-killing-our-alarum-clocks/425476.md?page=2)