The moon dial is now set and will indicate the proper moon phases as long as the clock operates continuously.
Grandfather clock moon dial setting.
Pull the click spring back about a half inch from the teeth of the moon dial and then allow it to fall back into place.
The moon dial on a grandfather clock also gave the manufacturers of the clocks to add a personal touch to their grandfather clocks.
The moon dial is now set and will indicate the proper moon phases as long as the grandfather clock operates continuously.
Like mechanical clocks this clock uses the mean lunar phase so will drift slightly over the months and years back and forth the phase setting allows for occasional correction of any unwanted drift.
The moon dial is adjustable via the options panel to bring it closer in line with the shifting of the moons cycles.
If the grandfather clock stops for more than 24 hours the moon dial will also stop and must be reset when the grandfather clock is started again.
Sometimes the moon dial on a grandfather clock refuses to turn.
Find the click spring.
Sometimes when setting the dial the moon dial will get pushed back in a way that enables the index spring to get wedged between the clock dial and the moon dial itself.
The moon dial on your grandfather clock will show the phase of the moon and not the date of the month.
When this occurs you will no longer hear the clicking sound as you advance it and you will feel a significant drag or scraping sound.
Now the dial is accurately set and will indicate the proper moon phases as long as the clock operates continuously without interruption.
It doesn t matter if the full moon falls on the 1st of the month the 10th of the month or the 20th of the month.
Many of the older grandfather clocks or english tall case clocks as many people called them had a painting on the dial along side of the moons each dial has 2 moons to keep the calendar accurate.
To fix this problem open the door or panel by the clock face.
The click spring is located just behind the moon dial itself.
Be well aware that if the clock stops for 24 hours or longer then the moon dial will also stop.
If the grandfather clock stops for more than 24 hours the moon dial will also stop and must be reset when the grandfather clock is started again.
The moon dial is now set and will indicate the proper moon phases as long as the grandfather clock operates continuously.
When the moon is full it is 15 days old.
Grandfather clock moon dials consist of a round disk displaying two pictures of the moon.
If you have a grandfather clock with moon phase follow these instructions.
If the last full moon was 3 days ago rotate the moon dial clockwise 3 lunar days so that the moon is centered at lunar day 18 on the lunar arch.
Next turn the moon dial clockwise one click for each day that has passed since the last full moon.
So you can set your moon dial to the correct phase when you feel it might get off.