Upgrade for Clock? This could be great!

Cougar72

Cougar72

Daily Driver
I have an idea for a clock upgrade.. My VegliaFlash 3 button clock does not function properly.. As the 3 button clock was never an original X1/9 clock (Maserati part I believe) , a PO must have installed it.

It has a sticker on it that says "SOCAL 7-18-12" so it did not last very long as the car has been in storage since then. I suspect that if I want to try another 40 year old clock it will cost me $40+ and it again may not last very long.. They are ALL so old at this point.

I would like for the original clock to work, and there is a ton of information on this forum to fix it including schematics etc.... but I started wondering if I could do it super nice, super cheap, super easy (the impossible triangle - Generally you choose 2, but on my X1/9 it seems like I only get to choose 1 if I am lucky)

So here is my thought... I disassembled the clock and did some cursory measurements and it looks like this will work... Will need some new micro switches to fit the face and some simple soldering of the switch wiring

I would regain: Clock
I would loose: Stopwatch function
I would gain digital voltage - NEAT !
I would gain exterior temperature - NEAT ! ( run probe out, and up into the cowl vent area)

I know all of the purists may disagree on Franken-mods, and I support them on most cars.. but my X had its cherry popped sometime back in the 80's and it will never be "pure" again...

here is the ebay listing for the module - I seriously think it will nicely fit inside the factory clock box - I have very little to lose as its only ~10 bucks

The listing shows a blue one, but they have red, which I will try - as it will look factory and the light will pass thru the red factory lens better.

Anyone done anything similar?? - I did find an old post here about taking a digital watch and mounting it in behind there. it actually did not look too bad - but it was a major deviation from factory aesthetics

Take a look at the picture and the listing -Let me know what you think :thumbsup:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/0-28-Blue-3...83899856&tpos=top&ttype=price&talgo=undefined

 
I'm a bit of a purist, but this is a great idea! Plus it's easily reversible if you wanted to go back.. but it's tasteful so go for it!!

Love it!!
 
Great idea!!
My OEM clock works fine and I modded it to only be 12 hour and even so I want to do this!
 
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Good find! I bought one, worth trying. I don't care for the stock Veglia clock anyway. I have a spare one that I can gut :)
 
I ordered the part also .. its cheap Chinese stuff but its likely better than 40 yr old discreet technology... I bench tested mine again to make sure I wanted to scrap it... its got really bad "bounce" (impossible to set it - you just have to keep trying but it scrolls at warp speed) and it acts totally weird... also noticed it gets really hot on the transistor or triac heat sink - likely normal but its no wonder its all degraded in there

I really think I can get this new thing in the box - we will see who gets it done first - and how much hate mail I get when we find out its a no-go for some reason. good luck to us all
 
If it decreases the battery draw it's worth it

Just try to do it in a way that we can all replicate.
 
I would be careful to only order the red one...because the face of the veglia is a red lens and I am unsure but don't think the wavelength colors will pass thru well.. (unless you plan for a different face)

also It will also not "dim" when the headlights are on like the Veglia does - so I am hoping its not TOOO bright we will see..!! (the plus side of using red is that it does not effect the eye as bad at night)
 
I've been looking at these for a couple years

... but I've been too busy / lazy to complete the project. :snail:
I have a bucket full of these clocks in attempts to get "just the right combo". :read: :doh:

If you want a replacement module with the correct size and color of LED, same as the original clock digits, use THIS ONE.
You will find these clocks in all colors. I like the blue and I like the white, but the lens on the Veglia clock is red, so you'd need to hack up the clock face to make up a slot with the appropriate color if you plan on changing LED colors.

You will need solder skills (and some small project mechanical skills) in order to make this fit and function into the X1/9 clock housing.

The nicest thing about these clocks is that they have a zero drain on the battery. So you won't need a charger to keep your battery alive if you don't drive your X for weeks at a time.
The bad thing about them is they have a self-contained battery that will need replacement every 2-3 years, so you'll need to plan on pulling the clock for that. But even so, there's a fix for that if you're vested into the project and decide to run a button battery box to your glove compartment. :)
 
yes, I unhooked my battery on the X before I left town last week, would be nice to not have to do that
 
Many thanks for the detailed info, Bob!

I ordered one along with the remote battery box, makes sense to me. :)
 
after a few weeks of sitting mine will usually still start but it's pissed off (it doesn't like to sit that long)
You have a better battery, or warmer ambient temps or both. The clock drawing too much is pretty well documented I believe.
 
My displays arrived - but neither one came with any wiring or user guide info. The larger one has microswitches on the top edge, presumably for switching functions, but they would be inaccessible if installed in the clock housing, or any housing for that matter.
I did contact both vendors for some sort of user guide, see what they say..
 
Here's a blurry video of the part Cougar was posting about:

https://youtu.be/jG6ntLgH5ZI

This is all I could find for instructions, showing operation & wiring:

Display modes:
Only display time
Only display the voltage
Only display temperature
Time temperature voltage alternating display
Mode setting button:
Short press to select the clock, seconds, voltage, temperature display mode;
Long press show “ALL”, Enter the time temperature voltage alternating display mode,interval of 5 seconds. short press to exit
Time setting button:
Short press to adjust the hours, minutes (flashing),Short press again to exit
Short press the "Mode setting button", the clock starts running
Wiring of voltage measure:
Red: Power Supply +
Black: Power Supply -, Measure Voltage -
Green: Measure Voltage +
Package Includes:
1 x Digital Clock Voltmeter Thermometer 3-in-1
 
I have mine as well and I think its the same as the one in the video....

if yours is the same as mine... If you look close at the micro switches there is a "break spot" in the middle that will allow you to split the two switches apart...IMPORTANT note: there is one wire trace across the break point that will require a short length of wire to be soldered across it (after you break it) somewhat depending on how you mount the switches...

My plan is to take the switches and break them into 2 and use a small piece of wood sized to fit in the original clock box to position the 2 switches behind the factory buttons... I am going to place some tight fitting vacuum hose ends ( those colorful rubber things) on the back of the factory clock panel buttons to improve the tactile push of the button - it will add a little cushion to the button push to prolong the life of the microswitches.

I will then simply use small wood screws to mount the new micro switches to the little wood block directly behind the factory clock face (The little switches do have a screw mounting holes) and then mount the clock display directly above the switches on the same little wood block...

and then using measuring and using magic I will position it all to slide back together inside the clock box, and snap on the front panel - and voila'

I powered mine up and it looks good behind the factory red panel. My only complaint is that temp is displayed in Centigrade and the clock only does 24 hr mode. On the plus side the voltmeter was exceptionally accurate and matched my expensive fluke multimeter exactly.

Other than those minor insignificant issues ... This is a super cheap fix that will look just about like factory original. and I will now learn to "feel" temperature in centigrade, - heck it is a European car after all!
 
Following this project

Cougar72 said:
I have an idea for a clock upgrade.. My VegliaFlash 3 button clock does not function properly.. As the 3 button clock was never an original X1/9 clock (Maserati part I believe) , a PO must have installed it.

It has a sticker on it that says "SOCAL 7-18-12" so it did not last very long as the car has been in storage since then. I suspect that if I want to try another 40 year old clock it will cost me $40+ and it again may not last very long.. They are ALL so old at this point.

I would like for the original clock to work, and there is a ton of information on this forum to fix it including schematics etc.... but I started wondering if I could do it super nice, super cheap, super easy (the impossible triangle - Generally you choose 2, but on my X1/9 it seems like I only get to choose 1 if I am lucky)

So here is my thought... I disassembled the clock and did some cursory measurements and it looks like this will work... Will need some new micro switches to fit the face and some simple soldering of the switch wiring

I would regain: Clock
I would loose: Stopwatch function
I would gain digital voltage - NEAT !
I would gain exterior temperature - NEAT ! ( run probe out, and up into the cowl vent area)

I know all of the purists may disagree on Franken-mods, and I support them on most cars.. but my X had its cherry popped sometime back in the 80's and it will never be "pure" again...

here is the ebay listing for the module - I seriously think it will nicely fit inside the factory clock box - I have very little to lose as its only ~10 bucks

The listing shows a blue one, but they have red, which I will try - as it will look factory and the light will pass thru the red factory lens better.

Anyone done anything similar?? - I did find an old post here about taking a digital watch and mounting it in behind there. it actually did not look too bad - but it was a major deviation from factory aesthetics

Take a look at the picture and the listing -Let me know what you think :thumbsup:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/0-28-Blue-3...83899856&tpos=top&ttype=price&talgo=undefined

Click to expand...

Hi Guys,

Just I bought the clock that Bob Brown recommended, I tried to use one 3 volts RS232 battery and didn't turn on, I used a two 3 volts RS232 and turn on well, once I finish Leave on on my desk to monitoring, and numbers start to blinking and disappear, I installed 3 1.5 AAA batteries from my LED flash light to test and now has 6 hours running good. next week I'll try to install on my car with a proper 3 1.5 volt AAA battery holder.

just follow pictures and hope give you ideas to improve this project.

regards.


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battery issues

Hi Hussein,

3 AAA 1.5 batteries is not enough to keep on the clock, after 8 hrs start to blinking so I use now on the test bench 9 volts battery.

I start with one 3Volts RS232 battery follow Bob Brown's project, but this clock looks like needs more than 7 volts to running good. (my target is AVOID TO CONNECT TO CAR BATTERY!!)

REGARDS.

Ricardo.
 
One more detail.

lookforjoe said:
Thanks for the great process pics, Ricardo! Picked up some of those switches to rewire as you have illustrated :grin:
Click to expand...

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I used HOT GLUE just to keep all in position while super glue "JB weld" dried. just a couple drops on each corner on the clock and on the base of the switches adapter.

regards.
 
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