Without realizing it at the time, May 2025 apparently became my month for vintage-style clocks (see the Nixie clock post if that doesn’t make sense).

About twenty years ago, I bought a reproduction of a 1950s-era Double Bubble clock to, er, double down on the retro vibe in our guest room/collection room. I’ve always loved how it fits the space, but one thing that always bugged me is that I couldn’t control the lighting independently from the clock itself. The only way to turn off the lights was to either unscrew the bulbs or unplug the entire clock, which stops the timekeeping. Not ideal.

So I decided to add a toggle switch that would let me control the lights independently. It seemed like a relatively simple electrical mod, but since the clock runs on 120V AC power, I wanted to do it properly and safely, and not just cobble something together (which, I’ll admit, I’ve done in the past). My ChatGPT assistant was a huge help here, not just in sketching out a clean wiring diagram, but also helping me pick and order the right components.

The actual fix was pretty straightforward and took about an hour. I used a stepped drill bit to make a clean ½” hole in the back of the metal housing for the toggle switch, then wired the switch inline with the hot (live) leads going to both bulbs. Now, the clock motor runs continuously, and I can flip the lights on or off whenever I like.

It’s a small mod, but one that makes a big difference in day-to-day use. And it feels great knowing it’s done safely and permanently. Plus, there’s something deeply satisfying about extending the usefulness of a beloved object with just a bit of care and tinkering. Long live the Double Bubble!