Newly purchased Copal 703: Light permanently on

[Michael_]

I just bought a nice copal 703 for my birthday. My first flip clock.
The clock and the alarm works, its also relatively quiet.

But the light is always on.

I was not able to find a manual online so my first question is: Is this normal?
I was expecting a switch or sensor since this is an alarm clock and i want it dark in the bedroom.

If it is normal i think i have to take the bulb out and keep a flashlight handy.
Integrating a switch would of course be more elegant but i'm not sure if i can get this done myself
and i dont know anyone who can.
Maybe a watch repair shop can? But then this is not an ordinary watch & 1960s technology.

[Johan de Jong]

Yes, this is normal. The light is a small neon light which lits the numbers in a soft orange glow. This was considered luxury in the 70s: a clock where you could read the time day and night! The light bulb has a surprising long expected lifetime of well over 30 years. If you really don't want this light in you bedroom I suggest to move it to another room. The bulb is basically soldered to the mains input so it is not easy to take it out without damaging the clock.Which I would consider a shame as it is a really nice vintage time-piece you got there!

[Michael_]

Yes, this is normal.

Thanks for the clarification.

If you really don't want this light in you bedroom I suggest to move it to another room.

Well i bought it because i needed a new alarm clock and i plan on actually using it.

The bulb is basically soldered to the mains input so it is not easy to take it out without damaging the clock.Which I would consider a shame as it is a really nice vintage time-piece you got there!

That is unfortunate.
I guess i will see if i can deal with the permanent light and if not need to find a professional
to modify it with a switch and maybe another typ of bulb if necessary.

[Michael_]

Someone familiar with the Braun Phase 2?

https://www.braun-hifi-forum.de/viewtopic.php?t=3283

I found this one after i already bought the copal 703. I think the copal 703 looks way better but the braun is also available as a battery powered unit which would be an advantage.

I'm just wondering if it also has a permanent light or maybe no light at all? Does somebody know?
Would be expensive but maybe i should really consider using the copal in another room as clock and getting the braun as alarm clock if it should not have a permanent light aswell.

The bulb is basically soldered to the mains input so it is not easy to take it out without damaging the clock.

What exactly is on risk of being damaged when trying to remove the bulb?

[Johan de Jong]

Battery powered clocks usually do not have a light or one that is only on when you press a button (my Sankyo 535L has that). I don't know whether the Braun has a light. Beautiful clock btw! I really like the Bauhaus design style.

What exactly is on risk of being damaged when trying to remove the bulb?

There is no real risk, apart from electrocuting yourself if you do not do it wisely The light is directly connected to the mains, so in no case work on a live clock! You would need to cut the wires or desolder the connection and properly insulate the open ends.

Personally though I would really regret it. I like to preserve these clocks as original as possible. Modifying an original clock without a pressing reason is a sin in my book (and also takes a chunk of the value). But it is not my clock, so I leave that for you to decide

[Michael_]

I used the copal 703 as an alarm clock last night but once my eyes adapted to the dark i noticed
the clock really lightens up the room. Even when placing it 1 meter behind my bed, its still noticably
when opening the eyes.

On the positive side:
The clock is pretty quite. You can hear it once a minute when it flips over but
even that is not an unpleasant noise. You will get used to it pretty quick.
No horrendous noise/ticking like you get with a regular clock at all. Its way quieter than a conventional clock.

Well after checking back with the seller of a nice Braun Phase 2 (battery powered variant)
i bought it because he told me it has no light at all.
I do not know if that is true for the socket powered version aswell. Probably not?

So i decided against modifying or selling the Copal 703 but instead use it as a clock in another room.
The Braun Phase 2 will become my new alarm clock. (Instead of the Copal 703)

I personally think its a shame copal did not integrate a switch to turn on/off the light as you like.
Different people have different sleeping habits and for me it pretty much renders the alarm clock useless. (Unless i modify it).
I get it was probably because of cost cutting but in this case i would have cut out the lamp completely.

[Michael_]

Another update:

I have put a 12" record on top of the Copal 703 which i additionally fixated with a parfum bottle.
It sticks a bit out over the front and sides of the clock.
This way it prevents the light from spreading all over the room, especially from spreading to the ceiling.
With the clock placed 1 meter behind my bed you almost can't notice the light anymore. Its certainly good enough for me.
But you can still easily read the time.

Of course this setup makes it hard to turn on/off the alarm and doesn't look great but it works.
Thankfully the Braun Phase 2 i just bought will cure all the little issues i have with the copal 703 as an alarm clock.

[Michael_]

Well as turns out the Braun Phase 2 ticks VERY loud. Other minus points are it has no inbuilt light at all and doesn't keep time very well.

So i did way more research and bought a Citizen 8rd102. This is definitely one of, if not the greatest flip clock with alarm there is.
- Battery powered (So it works all over the world and you can easily move it without readjusting time, no strong EMF aswell)
- No permanent light
- No ticking, its silent (Except once every minute when it changes the "time plate" but its not an annoying noise)

It has a small control LED that flashes every second. (I knew that)
I just got the clock today and start using it tonight. But If that LED is annoying i will just remove it, no big deal. (Its soldered on to the PCB, i know that from pictures i found on the internet)

The only drawback is they painted the digits in yellow/greenish fluorscence paint instead of white. I think traditional white digits on black background would look even better.

Conclusion:

If you want a very quiet/non noticeably ticking flip clock with alarm feature and without permanent light look for a
Citizen, Seiko or Copal brand unit with Quartz movement. Those are usually battery powered but i think that's an advantage anyway.

The Copal 703 also has all these attributes but has a permanent light and is socket powered.
If you're handy you can modify it with a light switch as i did: https://www.flipclockfans.com/forum/...h-light-switch