All this to run an alarm clock

Finally I have a working alarm clock. Or rather, an imported working alarm clock. When I bought it, I'd no idea how difficult it would be to make it function outside its element.

All this to have a clock displaying 24-hour time. I bought it on a previous trip overseas this year, thinking... naaaaaaaaaahhhhhh, it can't possibly rely on the AC power to keep time.

I won't bore you with the details other than to say that plugged near-directly into American current, it runs fast.

It took a $65 device intended for use in cars overseas to provide it with suitable AC power that allows it to finally keep time. Eventually I will un-mate it from the grid here with a solar panel, deep cycle battery and charge controller but that's a future plan. (Yeah, I'm single, no one around to say no...)