Warning: Outbreak of Piko Point Lurgy

After pulling this point apart this morning it is quite obvious why the failure has occurred.
The screw connecting the crimp onto the line goes through the plastic web of the point. The connection gets a bit warm, the plastic softens, the joint gets slack & fails.

If anyone has these points it would be worth their while undoing the connections, drilling out the plastic & replacing it with a few washers & reconnecting it.

It is a basic design error!
 
Nodrog1826 said:
I know i carn't add a poll to this thread, but would be interesting to know old these points are..
Click to expand...
Well they were only released about 18 months ago weren't they? I bought mine just over 12 months ago when I re-built the WGLR and they hadn't been on the market for long then if my memory serves me?
 
It wold be interesting to know if the German and other European G scale forums have commented on this issue.

Keith, have you tried contacting the UK importer for Piko?

Might be worth sending them a link to this thread, and the one Mike posted....
 
I cannot comment on the age of this point as it wasn't mine. All I can say is it caused problems at someone else's open day.
When I return it I intend to examine any other Piko points as they could be more problems waiting to happen.
 
I have had 3 of mine approx 12 months but 2 others I bought 6 months ago.
Due to the bad winter the more recent ones have had no more than a couple of hours use in total and yet they still failed through corrosion and overheating.
When I reported the problems to Piko I used the link on their site. Presumably it went to Piko themselves.
I will look for the importer although I have now resolved the issues with my points.
Just to recap the issues I found and had reported here were: -
1)loose screw connections;
2)melted insulation and fused link wires.
3) screw holes not drilled deep enough,
4) screws overheating where they pass through the plastic web softening the plastic and becoming loose.
5) dubious practice of mixing steel and brass at connection points.
 
I see that Gaugemaster are the importers for Piko in the UK.
Although I have not dealt with them previously I gather that they have a v good reputation for addressing issues so lets hope that applies in response to the email I have just sent them.
 
yb281 said:
Nodrog1826 said:
I know i carn't add a poll to this thread, but would be interesting to know old these points are..
Click to expand...
Well they were only released about 18 months ago weren't they? I bought mine just over 12 months ago when I re-built the WGLR and they hadn't been on the market for long then if my memory serves me?
Click to expand...

Correct Mel. So I'd expect any "early snags" to have been discovered and eradicated by now. I intend to write to Piko's customer service today, pointing them in the direction of this thread and asking for their comments within one week. If they fail to respond, we'll just have to draw our own conclusions.
 
To date, Piko have neither acknowledged the e-mail I sent them regarding the various reports, nor have they responded in any way to them. A link was provided to this thread, so Piko could see both the pictures and comments.

I find their reticence disappointing at best. My future purchases of points will certainly be influenced by both Piko's apparent lack of attention to detail and failure to respond in any way.
 
I have had no reply either from Piko but Ian Fowler of the importers ,Gaugemaster, did come back to me v quickly and assured me that he had referred the issues to Piko. It appears they remain silent still.
 
An update on the referral to Piko about their points.................................................................SILENCE.
Clearly they are not interested.
 
KeithT said:
An update on the referral to Piko about their points.................................................................SILENCE.
Clearly they are not interested.
Click to expand...

Anything from Gaugemaster Keith? Might be worth mentioning to them that Piko are getting some rather negative publicity in the UK both from the point issue itself and their failure to provide any comment.
 
whatlep said:
KeithT said:
An update on the referral to Piko about their points.................................................................SILENCE.
Clearly they are not interested.
Click to expand...

Anything from Gaugemaster Keith? Might be worth mentioning to them that Piko are getting some rather negative publicity in the UK both from the point issue itself and their failure to provide any comment.
Click to expand...
I already did tell Gaugemaster, they were fine but Piko seemingly could not care less.

It is getting to the stage where you don't know which to buy for the best. My last purchase of LGB short straights was exactly that. Seven lengths in the box had one rail 1/8th inch short which meant that it would not make adequate contact in the opposing railjoiner. I had to butcher the track and cut the other rail to the same length.
 
Piko have always been at the bottom end of the market in all scales, their products more crude and less detailed than their competition. With G scale, I looked at their track hoping that it would be a near enough replacement for LGB but it isn't. The straights look cheap and nasty, and the points are starting to speak for themselves.
I have tried Trainline 45 points and crossovers but they are very flimsy with poor grade plastic sleepers and the connecting screws won't tighten sufficiently without stripping the threads. Some screws were too long and wouldn't tighten anyway. At this sort of price I would've expected better.
I haven't tried any of the newer Marklin/LGB points yet but I've heard bad reviews of those also.
 
An update on the points.
Gaugemaster have indicated that they will chase Piko for a response.
 
KeithT said:
An update on the points.
Gaugemaster have indicated that they will chase Piko for a response.
Click to expand...

Did anything ever happen (like a reply from Piko)?

Its taken a while, but two of my three sets have problems - no power to the blades.

I've removed and repaired one set (as per poor pics below). A nut had been used as a spacer and had rusted - as had the screw and the rust had spread - coating the underside of the track and the wire terminal. A scrape down to the brass on both items, replacement screw (had to use a 2 x 6 mm self-tapper as what I though was 2mm thread wasn't quite - as a 2mm Aristo track screw was slack in the hole) and a Stainless 3mm nut as a spacer. Now works OK again.

Build-up of rust ...

b781fe6b3a8348da96b41ad779a0a21d.jpg


The screw and spacer nut ....

1e37c12c37774432b20527e51aa75055.jpg


Terminal ...
d4a9815a6e914d55a3e4c937b0fadfb2.jpg


The screws are dificult to get out - haven't got a bit that fits - but otherwise the points are OK (I suppose)
 
Chris M said:
Saw the photos and thought I should have gone to specsavers
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They do say a picture says a thousand words. I know my limits (just keep forgetting that's all). They are bad aren't they? Only needs one word (cap) and the letter 'r' inserting!

Worse thing is, the other set of faulty points were LGB! They (Specsavers) open Sundays here - should have called in when we passed through town yesterday:thumbup:
 
Mick
Oh they look bad - I think!!;) Try removing the lens cap........8| Sorry!

No not a dickey-bird from Piko.
Fills me with confidence - NOT.

On the plus side since reworking them they have performed OK (I will no doubt live to regret that) and I have tempted fate by buying 2 more to create a crossover. Slight cock-up though - I only went and bought one L/H and one R/H! :wits::wits::wits:
How daft can you get?
 
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