Kato n gauge motor issues

[Daniel C]

The train in question is an E231-500 series motor car which is at least 4 years of age, and has a (I think) 3-pole motor with flywheels on either side. Normally (as everyone who models knows lol) when the power is turned to moderate speed on the powerpack (mine is a Kato standard S) the motor begins to operate and the head/taillights on either side of the train light up. However, this time when the motor car is placed on the track, the head and taillights of the leading cars flicker off, the motor car does not move and a slight odour of electrical burn is emitted from the powerpack vent. If I turn the speed all the way up on the powerpack, the green power lamp on the powerpack turns off with a click (then I push the re-start button) and the controller returns to normal. I suspect that there is a short circuit in the motor (all the bogies and copper plates on the motor car are touching in normal position) but I do not know where. Does anyone have solutions to the problem?

[inobu]

Tomix or Kato?

 

 

[Daniel C]

Kato (possibly) 3-pole DC brush motor

[katoftw]

If you just use the end cars with no motor car on the track. Do the lights in the end cars work correctly?

[Daniel C]

@katoftwyes they do

[Kiha66]

Welcome Daniel.  Did the train used to run ok for you, or has it been like this ever since you got it?  A photo and the product number would help people know what particular model this is, we'll have a better job tracking down the issue.

 

It sounds like there may be something wrong with the motor.  If you have a multimeter you can measure the resistance of just the motor car from wheel to wheel.  If the resistance is very low then the motor may have a short inside.  It is also possible for metallic debri to get inside the motor and cause a short.  If you manually turn the flywheels over a few times doe the train run then? 

[Daniel C]

@Kiha66The train used to run ok. I don't have a multimeter unfortunately and I have turned the flywheels many times over and over again but nothing happened. I will be adding a video up later (I made a DIY formation out of repainted KiHa 283 coaches and the E231 in the middle as a surrogate motor car) but still thanks for the advice!

[Daniel C]

@Kiha66I do not remember the product number since I got it a few years back and the younger me would keep losing things very frequently

[Kiha66]

If you look on the bottom of the cars they should say either kato or tomix.  A clear set of photos of the train, bottom of the car and the motor would help greatly.

[Daniel C]

As mentioned before, the car in question was manufactured by Kato

[disturbman]

I don't know why everybody keeps asking that 😄

So you only ever had the motor car? No case, no other E231 cars?

Edited March 17, 2021 by disturbman

[Daniel C]

I will try taking a photo of the motor since there is no way of adding the video to the forum

@disturbmanI once had a set of 4 cars with two cabs, a motor and a trailer. The car in problem is the exact motor car in the set (the other 3 have been damaged badly by the much younger me).

[inobu]

Different light boards.......

 

 

 

[Daniel C]

@inobu what do you mean?

[Daniel C]

@Kiha66here is a photo of the motor when the moulded cover is removed

[inobu]

Just now, Daniel C said:

@inobu what do you mean?

Tomix and Kato have different lighting boards. Tomix has constant lighting so the circuity is different.

 

Inobu

 

[Daniel C]

@inobuI know this, but the issue is all cars are made by Kato, and the cab cars with lights work normally when the faulty motor car is not on the rails. if the faulty motor car is on the rails the lights go off and i have to press the reset switch on the powerpack to get back power

Edited March 17, 2021 by Daniel C

[inobu]

Is the flywheel shorting the pickups?

[Kiha66]

That is the kato standard EMU motor.  It should be possible to get a replacement for it if its damaged beyond repair.  (although shipping may be expensive at the current time)  It also could be that the two brass pickup bars could be shorting to the chassis, although that is unlikely.  Try touching a 9V battery to the train's wheels.  If it runs then the issue is with your throttle, if not its with the train.

[disturbman]

12 minutes ago, Daniel C said:

 

@disturbmanI once had a set of 4 cars with two cabs, a motor and a trailer. The car in problem is the exact motor car in the set (the other 3 have been damaged badly by the much younger me).

So you probably had either 10-578 or 10-890. That's the only four-car sets that corresponds to your description.

@inobuYou are being a bit cryptic.

Edited March 17, 2021 by disturbman

[Daniel C]

@inobuI do not see any part of the flywheels touching the copper pickup strips

[inobu]

2 minutes ago, Daniel C said:

@inobuI do not see any part of the flywheels touching the copper pickup strips

[Daniel C]

@disturbmanIt was 10-890 since the formation I had did not contain the 6-door car (SaHa E230-500)

[Daniel C]

@inobuproblems with the angle of the photo. When you look from the side none of it is touching

[inobu]

Just now, Daniel C said:

@inobuproblems with the angle of the photo. When you look from the side none of it is touching

Will it bow downward when you turn it up right?