Chrisr40 Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 (edited) Oh well at least I know it wasnt my ham fisted electrickery. So is it okay if on a DC source or 9v battery then ? Edited May 13, 2020 by Chrisr40 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike10nis Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 Mine worked perfectly fine off a 9v battery and the product recall now explains why it decided to explode once I connected it to an AC power source instead. At least I know it wasn’t my fault now. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ian Hargrave Posted May 14, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 14, 2020 Email from Rails just.Dapol have issued a product recall on these.See their website for details 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold jonnyuk Posted May 14, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 14, 2020 timely recall, i was going to place an order today, hopefully they can get the new units out soon, unless they are just going to discontinue it given there is no mention of repair, just a refund??? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cctransuk Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 16 minutes ago, jonnyuk said: timely recall, i was going to place an order today, hopefully they can get the new units out soon, unless they are just going to discontinue it given there is no mention of repair, just a refund??? You clearly didn't read far enough : - "Replacement products with correctly-specified components will become available in due course," added Dapol. John Isherwood. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Gwrpannier Posted May 14, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 14, 2020 Great.i wonder where I will stand as I modified my tower by removing it from the base it comes fitted to and fitted to my layout. running on 12v and no issues either. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 I heard the voices were speaking in a strange tongue. But it seems it was just Welsh. Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold jonnyuk Posted May 14, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 14, 2020 5 hours ago, cctransuk said: You clearly didn't read far enough : - "Replacement products with correctly-specified components will become available in due course," added Dapol. John Isherwood. thanks for pointing it out. I did miss that bit, i read it from the rails email i get Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshleyH Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 Only just seen this, just after I got despatch confirmation of my Chocolate and Cream motorised one from Cheltenham Model Centre, guess they didn’t see the note from Dapol in time either. Mind you, I was only planning on running it off a 9v battery in any case, so assuming it works fine I’ll probably just keep it anyway. Guessing the dodgy component is part of a rectifier to change AC current to DC for the motor. If the detailed information gets published it is probably a simple soldering job and a few pence of component anyway. Still looking forward to receiving it in the next few days. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackD48 Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 Mine blew up when I was running it on the 12V dc output from the controller. The top blew off and there was what I reckon was the innards of an electrolytic capacitor strewn around, with the metal can and the plastic sleeve with the spec of the capacitor about 6 inches apart. I was surprised to see that the capacitor was rated at 10V. I would have expected a higher rating, even if it was in the digital part of the circuitry - does this still run at 5V? This happened before the recall, and I contacted Rails about it and have sent it back. They said they'd replace it, but now it looks like a refund. Pity, it was a nice novelty, sure to entertain the grandkids. JohnD 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisr40 Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 Mine went pop on dc too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Nile Posted May 15, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 15, 2020 15 hours ago, JackD48 said: I was surprised to see that the capacitor was rated at 10V I expect Dapol were as well, hence the recall. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philou Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 Back to the tales of errant sheep in the valleys: When I was younger than I am now, I worked in the Glamorgan Polytechnic (as was) and one of the lecturers who would have his lunch with us technicians, would regale us with various stories. His shaggy sheep story was he was travelling along in daylight with a rising embankment on one side when a sheep came over the fence and down the bank in front of the car. He stopped. He wished he hadn't as all the rest of the flock followed onto the top of his car en-masse before proceeding on their way. Apparently, he had a hard time convincing his insurers ................ Cheers, Philip There is another one, involving a duck .................... 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted May 15, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 15, 2020 Perhaps Dap will re-market these rocket-tops for November 5th... 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Harlequin Posted May 16, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 16, 2020 (edited) Has anyone got a video of one of these things blowing it's top? I looked on YouTube but didn't find anything. I wonder if someone would like to video one doing it's thing on a 15VAC power supply in the interests of scientific enquiry and public interest? (While taking the appropriate health and safety precautions, obviously.) Edited May 16, 2020 by Harlequin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Emily Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 The contents of electrolytic capacitors aren’t very pleasant. I forget what the electrolyte is but probably not good to inhale it. I plan on continuing with my original in use. I run it on 8-9V DC and no problems as of writing. If the issue is a capacitor rated only to 10V then theoretically I should be fine. I weathered mine and bedded it in so am loathed to chisel it out. 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chuffinghell Posted May 16, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 16, 2020 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted May 16, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 16, 2020 How high does the top go? Will it hit the ceiling? Can you take out a light bulb with it? Does it make a decent bang or a not very impressive 'phut'? Are there lots of sparks and thick smoke? Definite YouTube potential here! Glad I wasn't tempted enough to buy the operating version, on which I'd have disabled the sound anyway. I was put off by not seeing how the bag could be positioned over the loco's filler cap, and in the event disappointed anyway with the bag; I replaced it with the one from my old Ratio water crane, which also sourced the drip catcher. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank S. Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 I have one on the way to Australia. Going by what I've read, If I only power it with a 9v battery, all should be well ??? I'm loath to send it back, as RoS say to use the cheapest return method available - from Australia, this is Surface Mail - which, at the best of times, takes 3 months. And, as you've probably noticed, now, is not the best of times ! Cheers, Frank Savery, Chief Cook & Bottle Washer, King Island Tramway, Tasmania Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cctransuk Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 43 minutes ago, Frank S. said: I have one on the way to Australia. Going by what I've read, If I only power it with a 9v battery, all should be well ??? I'm loath to send it back, as RoS say to use the cheapest return method available - from Australia, this is Surface Mail - which, at the best of times, takes 3 months. And, as you've probably noticed, now, is not the best of times ! Cheers, Frank Savery, Chief Cook & Bottle Washer, King Island Tramway, Tasmania Surely, if the product has been recalled as defective, the cost of return postage will be borne by the retailer / manufacturer? John Isherwood. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Emily Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 I tested how low a voltage these will actually work on and 3V seems to be fine. For anyone unwilling to chisel theirs out for return I’d recommend running it on such a low voltage and it should cope just fine without blowing its top. I use a spare track output from my Gaugemaster Model D controller to achieve this, now that the trains are all powered by the DCC. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted May 18, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 18, 2020 Wouldn’t continuing to use a product that has been recalled, in full knowledge of the recall, invalidate your insurance should that item start a fire? The fire risk may be lower with reduced voltages but this is just speculation. Unless the item is used as a static model, disconnected from the juice, the risk of fire remains. This risk may be acceptable to you but your insurance company may have a different view. Darius 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted May 18, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 18, 2020 7 hours ago, Darius43 said: Wouldn’t continuing to use a product that has been recalled, in full knowledge of the recall, invalidate your insurance should that item start a fire? just fill it with water, at least it will put itself out! (in all seriousness though, as there will be someone who doesn’t see I’m joking, don’t!) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold adb968008 Posted May 18, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 18, 2020 (edited) Aw shucks.. I just filled mine with water and set it to15v. No where did it say don’t cross the streams, now this thing exploded out and is haunting all my trains... I looked this morning and it had dismantled everything.. so I sent up the experts into my loft and this is their video... There advice is if there’s something strange, ..in your water tower Who yah gonna call... Model Shop !!! If there’s something wired, .. and aint 9volts who yah gonna call... Model Shop !!! I ain’t afraid of 12Volts I ain’t afraid of 12Volts If your seeing plastic bits,.. lying In the 4ft who yah gonna call... Model Shop !!! If you’ve got strange trains,.. running tender first who yah gonna call... Model Shop !!! Edited May 18, 2020 by adb968008 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted May 18, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 18, 2020 You’ve been too long in lockdown! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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