New radio control starter kits

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Jol Wilkinson
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Re: New radio control starter kits

Postby Jol Wilkinson » Mon Aug 29, 2022 12:51 pm

zebedeesknees wrote:That ratio rang a different bell here - it was a Gibson standard gearbox. Plastic symmetric sides and the worm shaft running in the plastic without bearings. I bought a couple, and fitted one to an Impetus chassis for a 350hp, now 08, diesel shunter. The bearing surfaces worked okay, but the end thrust caused the worm to chew it's way through the plastic. I modified it with two frame bearings flange inwards on that shaft, and though retired, it still works. The second one along with an unstarted Impetus chassis are still on that shelf...

My suspicion is that the gears were cut by Markits, that being well before Brian Rogers retired from Borg-Warner, bought much of their machine shop in Letchworth and started GSL..

Ted.


Ted,

did Markits exist as a business that far back? When LRM started to produce their own gearboxes Ultrascale supplied the gears but some people had issues with the plastic worm. John Redrup then had the gears produced by a small engineering company which were good until the owner passed away and a family member ran the business. That was, I believe, the reason for changing to Markits gears.

Whatever, why 38:1? 100DP gears can be produced in a variety of ratios, Ultrascale list a range from 15:1 to 50:1 including 40:1.

Jol

davebradwell
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Re: New radio control starter kits

Postby davebradwell » Mon Aug 29, 2022 1:01 pm

It might be that at 38:1 the required pitch of the worm corresponds to a standard screwthread so that they can be produced on a lathe with a standard set of change wheels rather than a special machine which it appears is infinitely variable. It might not, of course.

DaveB

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Jol Wilkinson
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Re: New radio control starter kits

Postby Jol Wilkinson » Mon Aug 29, 2022 3:00 pm

davebradwell wrote:It might be that at 38:1 the required pitch of the worm corresponds to a standard screwthread so that they can be produced on a lathe with a standard set of change wheels rather than a special machine which it appears is infinitely variable. It might not, of course.

DaveB


Dave,

the same worm is used with 100DP gears of various ratios. All that varies is the diameter of the gear wheel to accomodate more teeth. That's unlike the Romford gear set where the gear diameter remained the same but the pitch of the teeth changed and of the worm thread altered to match.

Jol

davebradwell
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Re: New radio control starter kits

Postby davebradwell » Mon Aug 29, 2022 3:58 pm

I eventually remembered enough of the theory to realise I was on the wrong track. Wasn't it Mike Sharman who used a standard screwthread?

I see Ultrascale continue their choice of obscure ratios with 21 and 46:1. I won't attempt any more speculation on where they all came from but there's room for plenty of intrigue there.

DaveB

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Rod Cameron
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Re: New radio control starter kits

Postby Rod Cameron » Thu Nov 24, 2022 7:14 pm

Not directly related to the kits, and may be an old-school question, but are the batteries subject to battery memory loss if not discharged and recharged fully?

I'm just dipping my toes into r/c for expediency. I am building a small French layout in H0 and it includes a back siding set into a roadway which runs off-scene to some agricultural or vinicultural facility. The layout is in Tim Horn modules, the siding is set amongst buildings and trees, and has OHLE on the main line in front of it. So I'm thinking how on earth am I going to clean the siding track? Answer :idea: r/c the only loco that will use it, an 0-6-0 (or rather 030) diesel 'locotracteur'! I don't think I have the dexterity to convert it myself so Micron Radio Control are going to do it for me. Should be fun! (A colleague in DRAG has shown us one of the kits, very nifty.)
Rod

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zebedeesknees
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Re: New radio control starter kits

Postby zebedeesknees » Fri Nov 25, 2022 5:57 pm

Hi Rod,
Rod Cameron wrote:Not directly related to the kits, and may be an old-school question, but are the batteries subject to battery memory loss if not discharged and recharged fully?

Old school? - a bit. Short answer - No.
You highlight the issues that plagued radio control ideas for decades; our regular batteries had issues. Ni-cd chemistry allowed degrading if the battery was left on charge after completion, and Ni-mh could be left on, but deteriorated if left fully discharged.

Ni-cd and to a lesser degree Ni-mh batteries exhibit voltage and worse - current - drop almost as soon as they begin to be used, most noticeably when powering electric motors under load.

This does not happen with the Li-Po batteries supplied with the starter kits, though a pedant might observe that the voltage available does drop a little.

They are nominally 3.7 volts, but they include in the pack a control circuit which allows them to be charged up to 4.2 volts. At that point, even if the charge voltage (nominally 5 volts from a USB supply), remains connected, then like your tablet or smartphone, the battery circuit will cease to try to charge the cell. That is even if/when you leave it on charge all night or longer.

A tablet or smartphone continues to function normally even when the charge is down to less than 10% because sufficient current is still available. If left to discharge to zero, the unit turns off and ceases to function but works again immediately it is plugged into the charger, though will drain again fairly quickly if removed before it has time to build up the charge. This is because that little control circuit protects the cell from complete and damaging discharge, limiting the voltage drop to approximately 3.2 volts. But the current is still available, controlled by that circuit, until the cutoff voltage, so the loco speed or haulage remains unaffected.

NB. This is not the case with bare Li-Po cells, charge over the 4.2v or discharge below 2.7v destroys the cell, which is why the litlte circuit boards are included within the package.

I'm just dipping my toes into r/c for expediency. I am building a small French layout in H0 and it includes a back siding set into a roadway which runs off-scene to some agricultural or vinicultural facility. The layout is in Tim Horn modules, the siding is set amongst buildings and trees, and has OHLE on the main line in front of it. So I'm thinking how on earth am I going to clean the siding track? Answer :idea: r/c the only loco that will use it, an 0-6-0 (or rather 030) diesel 'locotracteur'! I don't think I have the dexterity to convert it myself so Micron Radio Control are going to do it for me. Should be fun! (A colleague in DRAG has shown us one of the kits, very nifty.)


Thanks, and it's good news that Andy Rutter is going to install for you. We might get him into The Society yet!

Ted.
(A purists' purist)

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zebedeesknees
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Re: New radio control starter kits

Postby zebedeesknees » Wed Dec 07, 2022 11:04 am

For further information on modern batteries, 'The Secret Genius of Mordern Life' (S1, E4) "Electric Car" transmitted on BBC2, Sat 3/12/22 is a most entertaining and educational hour. Currently available on the BBC iPlayer.

Ted.
(A purists' purist)

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zebedeesknees
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Re: New radio control starter kits

Postby zebedeesknees » Sat May 20, 2023 11:09 am

Note these are available from The Stores again now, along with the Loco Kits.
I am a little surprised that their arrival has not been anounced, since they sold out at the Scaleforum in September last.

Also note that a 12 volt receiver MR603b is available from Micron Radio Control (with whom I have no connection other than as a very satisfied customer) which will drive motors up to 3A and has multiple auxillary outputs including triggers for MyLocoSound.
Those interested might start here:- http://www.micronradiocontrol.co.uk/pro ... r603b.html

Ted.
(A purists' purist)

myoxall
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Joined: Wed Apr 12, 2017 9:20 pm

Re: New radio control starter kits

Postby myoxall » Sat May 20, 2023 12:44 pm

Ordered two from Jeremy yesterday morning, they arrived mid morning today. Once again Jeremy you have excelled with wonderful fast service, welldone and thank you.

Martin


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