Motor performance issue or did Microace introduced a new motor ?

[disturbman]

I recently received the Ultra Train and the Sumikko Gurashi Rapi:t from Microace and noticed that the motors behaved differently than normal motors, with both needing 30 to 50% power to get moving. I have talked with RGR about it, and the performance of the Rapi:t they still had was similar.

I know the Laview had received a new motor—the performances were amazing—and am wondering if MA has been rolling out a new motor. The slow speed performances of the Ultra Train and the Rapi:t are beautiful but I do not like to have to crank the controller so high to get the train moving, and the higher speed performances suffer.

As anyone noticed something similar on any of their new MA trains? Or experienced similar performances "issues" with their Ultra Train and Sumikko Gurashi Rapi:t?

I would like to understand if those performances are what we can expect on all new trains or if I was unlucky to receive to "faulty" motors.

Edited October 15, 2022 by disturbman

[Kamome]

My older Nishitetsu 5000 series and Kiha 47 Ibutama have this characteristic so not sure whether this is a new thing. Both will sit quite happily with interior and end lights on before slowly creeping off as you raise the power beyond 30-40%. Certainly the Leworm is a bit smoother in comparison. 

[railsquid]

1 minute ago, Kamome said:

the Leworm

 

🤣🤣🤣

[Kamome]

Sorry it’s female, Laworm 

[disturbman]

Worm is masculine in French, so I would call it—as I have done it before here—the “Leworm”.

 

36 minutes ago, Kamome said:

so not sure whether this is a new thing.

I have had upwards of 70 Microace sets over the years and none ever behaved like that. Maybe I have been extremely lucky until now and now very unlucky to get two trains having the same specs.

 

RGR confirmed their newly released Tobu 200 series was acting the same, adding that recent MA products were all the same. To me that means that either their Chinese providers/factory has quality control issues, or MA started using a new type of motors.

 

Would need to open one to be sure.

[cteno4]

Have you tried bay lubrication? I’ve had the most new trains that required a little lubrication to get rid of growl and/or high throttle to get going from MA than other manufacturers. This has gotten better over the years but maybe yours just didn’t get lubed.

 

jeff

[disturbman]

@cteno4what do you mean by "bay lubrication"?

I tinkered a bit with the models. It seems that the shell of the Ultra Train was incorrectly put and was applying too much pressure. I partially disassembled and reassembled the model and it ran better without the shell. Putting it back and the performance dropped again, having to put the controller at 50% to get any movement. I managed to get it placed correctly and ran it. Performances were then similar than my other MA trains. I tried it again today and the motor needed slightly more input again to get moving but improved after a couple of minutes.

The Rapi:t seemed to be the same. Running it in improved dramatically the performances but getting it back on tracks this morning, and the performances had dropped again until it warmed up.

I have checked the trucks and the gears are properly greased. I'll try applying oil to the motor, see what happened.

[cteno4]

Sorry autocorrect, meant any lubrication. Have you added some gear oil to the truck gears? Checked the work gear for grease on it? These are the points I’ve had a few trains show up new with no lubrication with MA being the worst offender percentage wise.

 

hmm that’s a bit suspicious that the mech is behaving fine with the shell off. Might look at disassembling the mech and reassembling it. Sounds like maybe something is getting torqued with the shell on and binding a little. 
 

jeff

[Rod.H]

Both the DMU's I have from Microace do this, I have not lubricated them, I don't know what to lubricate them with. I suspect the lubricant greases I use on my RC cars are out

[disturbman]

I'm filing this under "bad luck". I have checked more trains and I got the same kind of performances out of my Kato's; they wouldn't move before 50% controller input. I don't know exactly why those MA motors behave this way but I decided to live with it.
 

32 minutes ago, Rod.H said:

Both the DMU's I have from Microace do this, I have not lubricated them, I don't know what to lubricate them with. I suspect the lubricant greases I use on my RC cars are out

I use Labelle 106 grease for gears and their 108 oil for the motors. It's supposedly what MA uses to lubricated its mechanisms.

Edited October 18, 2022 by disturbman