Repairing a Duplo train Posted by Armin on Monday, January 27, 2014 Let me start by saying there are quite a number of Duplo loco models. I discuss here only the ones I actually have experience with. The Duplo locomotives have two main parts: the top, which is one colour (here red) and the bottom (here yellow). The top part also carries the on-off button, which is the same colour as the bottom. an intelliloco still whole Both parts click into each other, which means we will have to deal with these tabs with hooks that are meant never to be disassembled. There are two such tabs in the back and a wide one in the front. To take the cover off a locomotive requires a special tool to un-click the tabs. A strong, thin steel blade would do, but it would still be a very dangerous job. You are hereby warned that opening the locomotive may be dangerous to you and to the locomotive: you may get hurt and you almost certainly will damage the locomotive.
Please be extremely careful, prepare the workplace well, and apply force only as needed. I use my workshop, where I have a workbench and an array of tools. Do not attempt this in an ad-hoc manner in the kitchen… I open the front and back separately, starting with the front. First I prepare two planks, such that with the locomotive upside-down, it is nicely horizontal, resting on both planks. The side with the tab to be opened should be supported only with the bottom part, and the top part should be free to move down. Fix the plank in a vise if possible. resting on the front of the bottom part Then I use a screwdriver of the right size to tap the lips of the tabs: Screwdriver in place for a back tab If you have not got a screwdriver with a nice thick, flat end, then hold the screwdriver a little at an angle, so that it will not too easily slip off the tab: Screwdriver in place for front tab Gently tap on the screwdriver with a wooden or plastic hammer, or with a block of wood.
It is very important that the locomotive is perfectly seated on the two planks that support it. Once the cover is off you can see the works: There is not much you can do here, except perhaps remove dirt and maybe apply some light grease. As I discoverd on the EuroBricks forum there are two versions of this "new" loco: one has a detector to stop the motor in some circumstances (discussed below) and the newer version, outwardly identical, lacks this sensor. The new locos are even more closed. Taking them apart is done in a similar way as above. There are no buttons under the new loco, it does not sense anything from the rails. When the motor is running and the loco hits an obstacle, is picked up, or falls over, it stops within a few seconds. I had figured out that it sensed somehow that it was no longer moving. The obvious way to do this is by monitoring the rotation of the front wheels which are not driven. In normal operation these wheels turn as they are roll along the rails or the floor.
But as soon as the locomotive stops moving these wheels stop too. Detecting the rotation should be done without any physical contact between the computer and the wheel's axles, both to avoid friction and to make sure dirt cannot interfere. The way to achieve that is to use a reed relay fixed to the chassis and a little magnet on the axle. To my great satisfaction that was exactly what I found: magnet of the stop sensor The magnet is in the transparent yellow bit on the axle, the reed relay is the vertically positioned small glass cylinder with greenish ends. It is even marked "REED" on the circuit board. The relay has two tiny bits of magnetisable wire in it, that overlap but do not touch. When the magnet passes in front, it magnetises the wires, which then attract each other and close the contact. You can test that the stop sensor works that way by holding the loco in your hand, starting it, and spinning the front axle with your fingers. As long as you make the front axle spin, the motor will run.
Note again the flat, wide wheel rims and the thick axle, made to withstand quite some vertical load.How to take apart a Duplo train I have two types of Duplo electrical trains. The Intelli train and the regular train (e.g. 3772). They need some repair and servicing, but are hard to open. I found a short description opening the Intelli train, but did not yet manage to get it open without damaging it. The best way to open the Duplo train is by using the following parts: two small pieces of cardboard Prepare the pliers by taping the two pieces of cardboard to protect the pliers beak. This prevents the pliers from damaging the train. Now place the screwdriver bit exactly on the visible yellow tabs before applying pressure with the pliers. Now carefully apply pressure to the bit using the pliers. Sadly the Intelli train does not have the large black bumpers so, this method does not work on that type of train. I need to find another approach for that one 😉
Explore posts in the same categories: Repairing stuff This entry was posted on March 21, 2011 at 12:21 pm and is filed under Repairing stuff. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. Tags: duplo, how to, intelli, open, repair, service, take apart, train, trein You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.5607 Track Repair Train is a 2008 DUPLO LEGO Ville set. It contains 16 pieces and is a train designed to repair tracks, and includes a Builder.The Lego Train 9V systems, which are among the most popular Lego products on the market, can be quite expensive. Therefore, repairing systems that are not working due to damage or missing parts is usually more cost-effective than simply purchasing a replacement set. Nevertheless, the repair process can be intimidating to the beginner, and many simply do not know where to begin, so this guide aims to provide a starting point. The first Lego train set was introduced in 1966, and it used a 4.5V system, which Lego continued to manufacture until 1987.
In 1969, Lego introduced 12V trains, and those remained available until 1993. Lego introduced 9V systems in 1991, which soon became the Lego standard and remained so until 2007. In 2008, Lego switched over to a remote control (RC) platform that uses non-electric tracks. Shortly thereafter, Lego began to phase out the 9V trains, and those sets began to increase in value and scarcity right away, which presents many challenges to the hobbyist seeking to acquire, replace, or repair a 9V set. Repairing a 9V Lego train system can be a matter of replacing a damaged or missing piece, fixing the current piece, or finding a suitable replacement, even from outside the Lego-verse in some cases. Note that while all Lego 9V sets are now retired, many of the parts they comprise are still available in other active Lego sets. In other words, just because Lego retires a set does not mean it retires the individual pieces as well. Lego has retired all individual 9V train tracks, however, because electric tracks are no longer necessary.
All Lego bricks and most parts and accessories have a design ID and element ID associated with them. Those IDs are unique. The design ID refers to the mold used to cast the piece, and the element ID refers to the specific color-design-ID combination. Using these IDs can make it very simple to track down a missing piece online. In the event that Lego has retired the piece, consider other element IDs within that family. If Lego has retired the mold, there are resources online that indicate whether there are any suitable alternatives among current design IDs. Most of the electronic parts included with Lego 9V trains are still available. As noted, the big exception to this is the 9V train tracks, which must be purchased used or in an unopened vintage set. This is also the case with 9V Lego train motors, such as My Own Train number 10153. The batteries, transformers, wires, and electrical connectors, however, can all be replaced from standard electrical supply, and even replacing the battery box with a third-party or custom solution is a relatively simple task.
Lego 9V train motors tend to experience a great deal of wear and tear through normal use and are the mostly likely electronic component in a 9V set to require maintenance and repair. Fortunately, those motors use brushes, gears, and contacts just like most standard electronic motors. Additionally, some manufacturers in the hobby industry sell a direct motor replacement, and the parts from those can be used as well. Many hobbyists also purchase inexpensive non-working Lego 9V motors, which can be disassembled and used for parts. Enthusiasts that must go outside the Lego-verse to find a solution to their problem should look to the greater model railroading world. The scale of Lego 9V trains is 1:38, which the community unofficially refers to as L gauge. There is no perfect analog for L gauge in traditional hobby trains; however, there are scales used in model railroading that are close enough to work in certain scenarios, such as G scale and 1 gauge, which are slightly larger, and O scale, and to a lesser extent S scale, which are slightly smaller.