PaulS:
The real question is why a sketch that purports to demonstrate that the RTC isn't working is more than 9000 characters. I could have demonstrated that in less than 1000.
Okay well here is the issue:
I'm working on an irrigation project, that includes RTC, Relay, LCD, Keypad, Bermad Water Taps, and an Arudino Mega 2560 R3.
I pasted all my code that I wrote in here.
I'll add my code as a file.
For whoever is asking from where I'm getting my hour:
DS1302 has on its own library a set time code, which I use to set the time.
this is my full project as a RAR folder.