GE 7-4643A Clock radio - Is this a common pictogramme for 9-volt battery backup on appliances?

[ClockChip]

I came across this sticker recently:



(It's from a 1980s GE clock radio - the model number is at the bottom left.)

I worked out the top pictogramme (indicating a 12/24 hour facility) and bottom pictogramme (120v or 220v mains power) fairly quickly. But the middle pictogramme...ah. That one left me baffled for a time.

(I won't say how long, exactly, because it would be too embarrassing.)

Eventually, it dawned upon me that this was a pictogramme to indicate a 9-volt battery backup facility.


My question is: has anyone else come across this same pictogramme on GE or other appliances? I ask because I thought I had at least a passing familiarity with 1980s gear, but that sticker is a new one on me.


(Perhaps my acquaintance with this stuff is even more slight than I thought it was? Or is this the first time other forum members are seeing it, too?)

[redwire]

I have not see that icon before. I think GE was just trying everything to market their stuff.
There was an era where clocks simply lost the time and alarm setting in a power outage. People thought it was the norm.
Old clock IC's rely on AC mains for the clock. MM5316 (VFD) and MM5387 (LED) was very popular 4-digit one. AC power failure of course erased the time and alarm settings and blink blink blink and you will be late for work lol.
Battery-backup became a selling feature after everyone got tired of setting their clock.

Now in a kitchen, who needs an alarm (clock) really? It was kind of a silly feature but people struggled to set the clock, you know VCR's pissed everyone off needing to do this.

Adding a battery-backed oscillator, they were RC oscillators quite poor for freq. accuracy but only needed to run briefly during the power outage. So power would come back on and your clock was few minutes out. At least the alarm setting was still good, although they could not make an alarm during a power outage. I had that once, woke up power was off and I was late for work. Boss mad.

[ClockChip]

Adding a battery-backed oscillator, they were RC oscillators quite poor for freq. accuracy but only needed to run briefly during the power outage. So power would come back on and your clock was few minutes out. At least the alarm setting was still good, although they could not make an alarm during a power outage.

I cannot say for sure, but this particular model of alarm clock may have been designed to prevent that very thing.

When you open up the backup battery compartment on it, you find yourself looking at, not one, but two 9-volt battery connectors:



(Apologies for the poor picture - it was taken by a third party.)

I do not own one of these clocks, so I am left wondering if one of the two 9-volts is meant to power the alarm so that it can go off during a power cut.

In any case, this is the only clock I am aware of that requires two 9-volt batteries for backup. If you happen to know of any others, I am all ears - this is the sort of obscure, off-the-wall detail I eat up with a spoon.

(Of course, now I am curious what happens if you decide to install only one of the 9-volts. Any ideas?)

[redwire]

Are the batteries in series to make 18V? Clock IC's driving VFD displays needed higher voltage rated say 8-22V power, although I've never seen two batteries - that is literally $10 here, could not afford lol.