Not Truck Related

[theoldprof]

This is not truck related, but I hope somebody has the info I need. Recently bought wifey a tall clock. It has a battery movement. It also chimes. I can turn off the chimes, but they are off all the time. The "chimes" are a small speaker about 2 inch diameter with a double wire running from the speaker to the mechanism. I would like to lower the volume of the chiming all the time. Can a volume control switch (a rheostat?) be installed in the wire going to the speaker to lower the speaker volume? If so, is there a + and a - speaker wire? Can the control switch be wired into either wire? If such an animial is available, where can I get it. Thanks.

 

[late4dinner]

I'll just bet ya that if you stopped at a Radio Shack and asked that question to one of the youngsters you would be fixed up right quick.

Those kids know how to do just about everything.

 

[theoldprof]

Thanks late, but you lost that bet. Stopped by the local Shack. The young gal and guy looked at me like I was the owner of multiple heads. They didn't have the foggiest what I could use. I did see some potentiometers that I think are volume controls. However, they have different ohm resistance. And there are also three connectors on the gizmo. Anybody else got suggestions?

 

[bluejaybee]

I don't think the resistance would matter all that much in what you are trying to do. The 3 post control should still work. Cut one of your speaker wires (shouldn't matter which one) and try them on different posts till you find a variation you like. If all else fails, put your wires back together. All you are out is the switch.

 

[theoldprof]

Thanks, bluejaybee. I talked with an electrician friend of mine and he is going to scrounge a switch, test it with his trusty ohm meter, solder the wires and make a house call and we'll install it. He's retired also so he's desperate for something to do. I am going to mount it with the switch knob sticking out of the back of the clock so I can control the volume as needed. Sometimes we have overnight guests and they probably don't want to hear the BONG, BONG all night long.

 

[theoldprof]

Today my retired electrician friend came by with his trusty bag of tools and a switch and we installed the switch. My wife about croaked when she saw us with a drill starting to auger a hole in the back of her new clock. Works like a charm.