The Benefits of Quartz Cuckoo Clocks
Unlike windup cuckoo clocks, which require rewinding every one,
two or eight days before, quartz cuckoo clocks use a more modern
timing mechanism, drawing power from batteries and running
continuously until the batteries run dry. Battery cuckoo clocks
run for approximately one year on a new set of batteries give or
take a little, depending on the type of battery used and the
amount of animated movement built into the clock. Obviously,
moving one small bird in and out of it's little house once an
hour is going to take a lot less battery power than moving a
small group of animated characters in a moving scene out of
their housing, around to the front of the clock, sounding the
cuckoo noise, playing the accompanying music, and moving them
all back inside again as often as every half hour, as is the
case with some ornate clocks.
All battery-operated clocks are fitted with a manual volume
control for the sounds and a shut off switch to conserve battery
power. On many battery operated clocks, a photo cell acts as a
shut-off switch, turning off the sounds - and music if any -
automatically each night. Another major difference in these
battery operated quartz cuckoo clocks is that instead of merely
mimicking the sound of the cuckoo bird, they play an actual
recording of a real cuckoo bird with the possible addition of
other woodsy or jungle sounds, such as running water, or
anything else the creator of the piece may desire.
At the appropriate times, the doors open, the bird emerges from
his house, any other animated characters swing into action, the
cuckoo issues its call, flaps it's wings, the music is played
and then the whole thing shuts off and the characters return to
their resting places awaiting their next call to action. Battery
powered cuckoo clocks allow for far more activity than the old
fashioned mechanical cuckoo clocks were capable of, and whether
you prefer the simplicity of the earlier works to the battery
powered ones remains a matter of personal choice.