Andy Wade wrote:
Christopher Tidy wrote:

From my point of view I'd regard an acceptable error as 5 minutes
every 6 months. Does anyone know the typical time error seen on the UK
grid, or where I might find this information? Any suggestions would be
much appreciated.


You can download more information than you ever wanted to know about the
National Grid from he

http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Elect.../gridcodedocs/

I've pasted two relevant snippets below (NGET stands for National Grid
Electricity Transmission plc).

1. From the definitions:

Target Frequency
----------------
That Frequency determined by NGET, in its reasonable opinion, as the
desired operating Frequency of the Total System. This will normally
be 50.00Hz plus or minus 0.05Hz, except in exceptional circumstances
as determined by NGET, in its reasonable opinion when this may be
49.90 or 50.10Hz. An example of exceptional circumstances may be
difficulties caused in operating the System during disputes affecting
fuel supplies.

2. From document BC3, which deals with the frequency control process:

BC3.4.3 Electric Time
---------------------
NGET will endeavour (in so far as it is able) to control electric
clock time to within plus or minus 10 seconds by specifying changes
to Target Frequency, by accepting bids and offers in the Balancing
Mechanism. Errors greater than plus or minus 10 seconds may be
temporarily accepted at NGET's reasonable discretion.


All very well, but ISTM that the biggest problem with using the mains
alone as a time standard is power cuts, after which you'll always need
some absolute standard such as MSF, GTS, NTP, etc. to reset your clock.

Thanks very much for those useful snippets, Andy. When it refers to a 10
second error in electric time, do you know if it refers to a 10 second
error from the true time at any instant (assuming that the sychronous
clocks were set to the correct time at an instant when the electric time
was correct), or a 10 second cumulative error week on week, month on
month, etc.? It isn't immediately clear to me. You're also right to
point out that you need some kind of absolute time standard if you care
about that sort of accuracy. I don't: all I'm interested in is whether
the grid is accurate enough to make this rather cool clock keep time for
day-to-day purposes, and it seems that the consensus is that it will be
fine.

Best wishes,

Chris