Yet another Playmobil diesel, but with a question??

[alec dawe]

So, I've joined the Playmobil bash, and I an going to have SEVERE words with Dunnyrail for getting in first with a Harzerbahn conversion!
However, having got the bodywork off the chassis, (and a lot of time and swearing that took too) and separated into it's disparate parts, I have found that on one end printed circuit board there is a short length of black wire. I'm assuming that this is the radio control antenna, and my question is; would increasing the length if this wire be of any use in improving the reception range, or is it, as I suspect, likely to be a tuned length, and any alteration more likely to mess things up completely?
Also, where do the diodes go ( wiring diagram for dummies if anyone has one? ) and what rating diodes, also where are they available; Maplins?

 

[PaulRhB]

Diagram and Maplins part number in top post on page 3 of this thread. More details on page 2 of which wire to cut etc.
http://www.gscalecentral.net/electric-locomotives-trams/playmobil-diesel-transformation/30/

Any similar value diode is fine and I got some much smaller ones from a mate for the second loco which fitted in the channel in the chassis.

 

[alec dawe]

Many Thanks, Paul. That was exactly what I was looking for. I knew it was on the Forum somewhere, but I was blowed if I could find the thread. Its an evil little brute to take apart, isn't it, I used the cocktail stick trick, but you have to watch it, cos they bite back if you aren't careful too! I've got the two hoods, the cab, the glass and interior off as well, all separated, that's none too easy either! But hopefully it'll make a 'transformation' a little easier.

 

[PaulRhB]

Yep I had to search a bit but I knew it was in Stainzmeisters thread

 

[Tony Walsham]

Alec,
Given that it is 2.4 GHz, that short length (roughly 1") is a tuned antenna. Do not lengthen it.

 

[dunnyrail]

Sorry that I beat you to it Alec.

Not sure about the actual range of the beast. but I find it no problem in my 80ft Garden. I have to say that I was going to use the spec'd Diodes as suggested by Paul. However the Maplin that I visited did not have any in. So they offered to send them post free which I accepted. When I got home I searched in the bits box and found 6 differing Diodes 2 of one kind and 2 of anther. I used these and the effect was exactly as I wanted it so wired them in permanently. I think it may be the case that most of the Diodes of the sort of size that Paul used will reduce voltage by around a similar amount, IE in the region of a Volt or so. That would appear to be what happened with the ones that I used. Though I do stand to be corrected here. At least I now have 8 Diodes for any other project that comes to mind.

Good luck with the conversion, I await the Pics with interest.

Oh one another thing about these, I had a youngster round over the Holiday period let him run the Playmobile on my line. His attention span was short as most youngsters appear to be today and must have been pressing random buttons. He got the Binding Switch working which meant that he lost Control of the Loco. The flashing light on the remote made him report to me that the Batteries were flat. Only when I investigated later after he had gone did I realise what had happened. Worth while to remember if you let youngsters loose on these.
JonD

 

[Tony Walsham]

One of the first things I do with a new product I want to release is let children play with it before release.
Without fail they figure how to do (either accidentally or on purpose) some things I had never thought of.
I have just been gotcha'ed again a few weeks ago.
A young operator had managed to not only completely confuse the Orange DX-6i clone TX such that it simply did not turn on properly, but also accidentally reprogrammed the ESC so that even if the TX had been working because the max speed had been set to zero.
Now that is actually not that easy to do as the ESC has to be in neutral and stationary. Then the coal load has to be removed to gain access to the programming button.
The parent was most apologetic and asked if I could kid proof it. The answer is no I cannot. I respectfully suggested he monitor what his 6 yo was doing when operating his expensive large loco.

 

[PhilP]

Never underestimate the innocence of youth to completely b*lls things up!

I once had one of the office staff bring a VHS video recorder in... There toddler had decided to feed toast with a liberal covering of strawberry jam to Mickey Mouse who lived in the video!

 

[Martino]

It's not just the little ones! My parents in law are always bringing their car round so that I can 'fix' the climate system as Father in Law (an ex B52 pilot!) keeps randomly pushing buttons. .....and heavens knows what my mother does to her TV and DVD player!

 

[dunnyrail]

It's not just the little ones! My parents in law are always bringing their car round so that I can 'fix' the climate system as Father in Law (an ex B52 pilot!) keeps randomly pushing buttons. .....and heavens knows what my mother does to her TV and DVD player!

O
I wonder if he was the one that managed to Bomb Switzerland?
JonD

 

[alec dawe]

Not having boxes of electronic components like you lot, I popped into Maplions, but they only had 2 in stock, so I've opted for free delivery of some! Perhaps I should stock up on diodes, capacitors and resistors?