good dependable battery powered alarm clocks??.

jeepin

jeepin

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Jul 20, 2003
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Anyone use battery powered alarm clocks?. If so which brand and model do you use?. How reliable are they?. I am using a wall powered one right now, but I am worried that if the power goes out, then the alarm wont work. Please give me your opinions. Thanks.
 
I have 2 Spartus clocks. The first is a plug-in LED with a 9V battery backup that I have been using since 1985. :eek: I back it up with a small "travel alarm" that is LCD and runs on a single AA. I've had it since about 1995.
 
I have one of the radio-controlled oregon scientific alarm clocks. AC powered, but with battery back-up. Syncs with the atomic clock in CO _almost_ every night and I'm in upstate NY. Works very well, and it has fallen several times with no real damage.

I think it would be hard to get one that doesn't work well, just make sure you find something simple enough to use so that you don't get confused when sleepy.

:yawn:

A small battery powered travel alarm is fairly cheap, so using that as a backup wouldn't hurt. Radio shack makes a nice little analog one for 10.00 that is better built than the 3.00 similar models at the monster stores.
 
The timex folding ones with the indiglo feature are cheap and very reliable. Not tactical, just reliable and easy to use.
 
Funny you should ask. I was wondering when my SHARP CT-660E "Talking Time " clock would go titts up. As I recall my Dad, a gadget freak, gave it to me in about 1980. The battery door has a label for battery replacement dates and it shows '81, '84, '88, '90, '99. That filled up the label. The other door that covers the 'set' buttons is broken off and it has a few dents but it has been in use for at least 25 years. You can't imagine how cool a talking clock was in the 1970's. It announces the time then plays "Boccherini's Minuet". It announces at 5 and 10 minutes after that then you are free to sleep.

HEY, I just found a pic and audio clip on the attatched site. The clip does not play the minuet though. Money well spent! Thanks Pops.




http://www.rdwilson.dsl.pipex.com/gb3lc.htm
 
As an aside, when traveling, I've found that my cell phone is my most reliable alarm clock. I have a typical Sanyo flip phone that can be quickly and easily programmed to ring for any 'event' I input into its appointment feature.
 
Shake Awake vibrating alarm clock. It works great, you can put it under a pillow, or best under the mattress, just at the edge. It also can be used as an audible alarm and has built in stand for standing it up. Has snooze bar and illumination. I think the cost is about $20, check ebay.
 
Stormdrane said:
Shake Awake vibrating alarm clock. It works great, you can put it under a pillow, or best under the mattress, just at the edge. It also can be used as an audible alarm and has built in stand for standing it up. Has snooze bar and illumination. I think the cost is about $20, check ebay.
Click to expand...
Also, if you are hard of hearing like some of us are, the vibrating wakes us up without disturbing others.:yawn:
 
I have a Timex that I've had for 7 years. Uses a pair of AA batteries. They seem to last for over a year, keeps good time and the alarm is noisy and effective. Walmart had them for under $10.
 
Wind up baby! In my quest to divest myself as much as possible of battery dependence I picked up a keywind alarm clock a few months ago.

I love this thing!
 
Believe it or not, I put my normal clock radio on a UPS.

Power where I live is very unreliable but, a cheap $20 UPS will keep it running for months probably if power is out that long.

I've got a little battery powered travel alarm I can use if the mood strikes but, that is really only used during travel. Trying to figure out a hotel alarm clock radio at night in a dimly lit room is enough to ensure you get a wake up buzz at 6PM instead of 6AM assuming you have the volume set, the radio is tune to real station ...........

I find wind ups to be in accurate and a pain YMMV

Then there is always the alarm on my pager and watch to back up the others if I need them.
 
I'll chime in on this topic.....

I finally bought myself a Bose Wave Radio (without CD) last year and I use it plugged to the wall and it uses a battery for a backup, it is very pricey but I LOVE it, it works as both a clock radio and I hook up my portable CD player to it for playing CDs. I really like it and you might too.

Another one worth looking (clock radio) at that I almost bought myself was the Boston Acoustics Receptor, it too plugs into the wall and has a battery back-up, they are VERY NICE (around 150USD) but I preferred the Bose.

However up until I got my Wave radio I ALWAYS used a key-wind alarm clock (no power cord or battery to worry with) they weren't the most accurate thing in the world but I set the time on them every night before going to bed and then wound them, plenty accurate considering I set the time every night. The ones I had were all Westclox Big Bens or their double bell keywind. I've been through 2 Big Bens and one double bell in my lifetime and you should be able to get one at any retail store very cheap. The alarms are very loud. The only drawback is that if you are a light sleeper the ticking may keep you awake. They now make both of these in a battery-powered version which shouldn't tick as loud.

My last clock before buying the Wave was a Timex double bell quartz battery powered clock, it too was very satisfactory but I didn't use it long before buying the Bose and cost around 10 bucks.
 
My key wind has a small adjustment lever that allows the rate to be regulated. After a couple of days of tweaking, a bit faster here, slower there, it runs spot on.
 
Sid Post said:
Believe it or not, I put my normal clock radio on a UPS.

Power where I live is very unreliable but, a cheap $20 UPS will keep it running for months probably if power is out that long...
Click to expand...
That's ingenious. I never thought about using a UPS except for anything but a computer. I guess when you stop to think about it there are probably lots of uses for a UPS other than its original intent. Depending on the capacity of the UPS anything with a small amp consumption could be kept powered for a long period of time in the event of a power outage. Good example of a paradigm shift.
 
Target sells a little digital model that sells for about $8.00 and uses 2 AAA cells. It has a LOUD alarm, which I need. It is called "Equity" and is, of course, "Made In China". I have had mine for some 3 years and am still on the first pair of batteries.
 
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