A bit of guidance with a Big Hauler please

[JimmyB]

The link to that thread was useful. Someone there said the blue quartz had the best control for them.. Blue is the highest frequency 27 MHz crystal I know of. I would like to know if green works any better than blue... if not, then I wonder if the frequency might be a little higher than standard 27 MHz crystals.

What's weird for me though is that when I turn on the loco with no controller, it drives forward slowly, not at full speed.... I know it's not low batteries keeping it slow, because I can drive about twice as fast backwards with the RC car controller on the same battery. When I try to drive forwards with the RC car controller it's just as slow as without a controller. I wonder what else other than the transmitter and batteries might cause the forward movement to be weak and slow. It's almost as if it starts with no forward power at all, and then builds up a little bit of speed the longer it's told to drive forward. I imagine that if the problem is in the transmitter or the circuitry I should be able to de-solder the wires to the motor and reverse them, so that I could have fast forward movement and slow reverse, which would seem more appropriate.

Standard practice is Tx first Rx second when switching on, and Rx first and Tx last when switching off. Otherwise anything can happen, so there lies your problem

 

[-bbbb]

Standard practice is Tx first Rx second when switching on, and Rx first and Tx last when switching off. Otherwise anything can happen, so there lies your problem

The order of operations is understood. That's not the problem I'm encountering, as the same slowness in forward direction happens with any order of operations.

 

[JimmyB]

What's weird for me though is that when I turn on the loco with no controller, it drives forward slowly, not at full speed....

The order of operations is understood. That's not the problem I'm encountering, as the same slowness in forward direction happens with any order of operations.

Your very own words were "when I turn on the loco with no controller," so if you don't accurately describe your problem, then we can't find a resolution. So when operating your loco correctly iaw the instructions what are the issues, assuming you have carried out all the normal checks, e.g. batteries fully charged.

 

[PhilP]

Can anyone comment, on whether the Playmobil CAR RC has a slower reverse full-speed? - In comparison to forwards??

This could be 'by design' (knowing Playmobil).. - If so, then your 'fix', of reversing the connections to the motor, would cure your problem.


However,
Many speed controllers, can be calibrated, to set the 'off', and forwards/reverse max-speed settings.. - I would suggest, as your model 'creeps' (when at your 'off' position, this could also be the problem?

But I do not have access to the Palymobil instructions for the RC car, so am unable to advise if this is possible.

PhilP.

 

[Gizzy]

Can anyone comment, on whether the Playmobil CAR RC has a slower reverse full-speed? - In comparison to forwards??

This could be 'by design' (knowing Playmobil).. - If so, then your 'fix', of reversing the connections to the motor, would cure your problem.


However,
Many speed controllers, can be calibrated, to set the 'off', and forwards/reverse max-speed settings.. - I would suggest, as your model 'creeps' (when at your 'off' position, this could also be the problem?

But I do not have access to the Palymobil instructions for the RC car, so am unable to advise if this is possible.

PhilP.

I have a Playmo 5258 diesel (or rather Mizzy does), which has a remote control which is symetrical, i.e. same speed in both directions.

The images I've googled for the Playmo Car RC show that it is shaped like a small steering wheel so maybe your assumption about it is correct PhilP....

 

[-bbbb]

Your very own words were "when I turn on the loco with no controller," so if you don't accurately describe your problem, then we can't find a resolution. So when operating your loco correctly iaw the instructions what are the issues, assuming you have carried out all the normal checks, e.g. batteries fully charged.

I only mentioned what you quoted because that referred to what happened when I did that particular thing, demonstrating that the problem might not be in the controller. I've always been fully aware of the proper order of operations and have found no difference in function when I use the proper order or a different order. I think the purpose of the order of operations is to prevent unwanted and uncontrolled movement of the train. Yes, the batteries are not what slows the forward movement because the the reverse speed is not slowed at all, it's perfect in reverse. The controller I'm using has 2 separate joysticks and two springless slider controls for fine tuning which I use for control. You can see the exact controller I use with the Bachmann in a video. In the video it's being used to control 2 trains at the same time here at 1:33 and beyond:

The external fine tuning sliders are not the issue. I can re-calibrate the controller beyond the fine tuning slider controls by opening the controller and repositioning things inside, as I've done in that video for other trains, and maybe I should try that with this Bachmann. But I don't see how that could be the problem when the train is supposed to drive full speed forward without the controller. That is why I mentioned what it does with the improper order, because I'm under the impression it's supposed to go full speed forward with that improper order, and it doesn't. So maybe I should try opening the controller again. When I use the proper order of operations with a controller that can give a medium forward speed at best(and full speed in reverse), I try to use full throttle forward(which would be medium throttle forward if the controller calibration was the problem), and even while holding the train in the air it will not even turn the wheels for a few seconds before it slowly starts to barely turn them. Then it will gradually and very slowly pick up speed to a slow or medium speed. Sometimes it's soo weak it needs a push to get it started, and it can barely and only sometimes make it around R1 curves forward. But again, there are no problems backwards. So it seems weird to me. Don't worry too much about it. I may find a suitable Bachmann controller for it eventually, though I think there may be some other problem.

 

[JimmyB]

So we are not even discussing a Bachmann loco, let alone a Bachmann loco, so you have highjacked this thread on a different subject, an fed inaccurate information.

 

[-bbbb]

So we are not even discussing a Bachmann loco, let alone a Bachmann loco, so you have highjacked this thread on a different subject, an fed inaccurate information.

No, I am discussing a Bachmann loco, the video I posted only shows the controller I'm using with the Bachmann loco. The Bachmann loco I'm talking about is here:

 

[JimmyB]

No, I am discussing a Bachmann loco, the video I posted only shows the controller I'm using with the Bachmann loco. The Bachmann loco I'm talking about is here:

Sorry please start a new thread with the details of your issue, I am totally confused by your postings here.
What is the loco pedigree, and the system used to control it, and what are your issues with this loco. Please no side tracks as this just distracts from the problem.

 

[Eaglecliff]

The more I struggled with the foregoing, the more relieved I became that I stuck to analogue...

 

[trammayo]

The more I struggled with the foregoing, the more relieved I became that I stuck to analogue...

Yeah! Me too.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

You can always go back to wind up ha ha!

 

[Eaglecliff]

You can always go back to wind up ha ha!

I think we’ve still got my wife’s tinplate 0-4-0 in the roof somewhere. Sadly , the spring is broken.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Thus demoted to "pull toy"?

 

[trammayo]

You can always go back to wind up ha ha!

There are even problems there that spring to mind!

 

[Paul M]

⁰

There are even problems there that spring to mind!

Pipe dreams are what you want. No hard work involving track work, electrics or inclimate weather, just a comfy armchair, a cup of tea and your imagination. With a new layout every time, its definitely a win-win situation