Archive for September, 2014
Topsy Turvy Clock – FAQ

There have been some questions about the Topsy Turvy Clock that I’ve entered in the SimplyAVR Design Contest Why?This is the question that I get asked the most and it shows the people who really know me vs those who
A working Topsy Turvy Clock

Late last year I was watching a kids TV show and spotted a rather unusual clock, it was a simple mantel clock but the numbers were in topsy turvy locations. I wondered if I could make such a clock and
RTC Revisited

It’s been quite some time since I last looked at the RTC module for the Topsy Turvy Clock. I’ve found a suitable rechargeable battery but until now I’ve been focusing on the motors and mechanisms. When I tried to get
Clock Electronics Current

The initial design for the Topsy Turvy Clock had all of the circuits being driven through the regulator on the microcontroller. This is a MIC5219 regulator and is rated at 500mA but also has a very low dropout voltage. The
Sign-O-Matic

To finish off the Topsy Turvy Clock I wanted to add a tag or sign on the back so that people would know when it was made and by who. I initially thought of a stainless steel or brass metal
Clock Software

For the software of the Topsy Turvy Clock the natural choice was to use the loader and tools provided by Arduino. This meant the coding would be in C++. It’s been a long time since I last used this language
Other wierd and wonderful clocks

Whilst building the Topsy Turvy Clock, I’ve been on the lookout for other interesting clocks or other interesting clock modifications. There are quite a few examples of the Weasley Wizard Family Clock which has multiple hands to show the locations