Carson/Carrera digital chip problems.

773 Views 19 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Rush, 2 mo ago

Rush

Discussion Starter · 3 mo ago

Hello, I recently purchased two Pioneer Legends DPR cars and two Carson chips for use on a Carrera Digital 1/32 set. I'm having problems with both chips, the cars will run a few minutes and then the motor will start to cut out like the brushes are bad. At this point by lifting the rear wheels off the track the motor cuts out when accelerating past 1/4 throttle. I installed a Slot-It chip and a Carrera chip in the cars and they run fine. The shop I purchased them from checked them out and said there was nothing wrong with them. I have tried a lot of different things, but nothing seems to help. Has anyone had a similar problem?

Rush

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MrFlippant

· #2 · 3 mo ago

Clip the head off the Ferrite Man at the guide end. For some reason, the Carson chips have a problem with them being there.
Be sure to leave the ferrite man on the motor alone. That is beneficial and should not be removed.

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(image courtesy Digitising Slot Cars: Scalextric and Slot.It)

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Rush

Discussion Starter · #3 · 3 mo ago

Thanks I'll give it a try.
Rush

MrFlippant

· #4 · 3 mo ago

The other thing is to make sure fuel mode is not on, 'cus that also sounds like what being out of fuel is, except you have no lights on those cars to tell you that's the case. Or pull into the pit and refuel. I assume that's not the case, since you said other chips worked as expected.

Rush

Discussion Starter · #5 · 3 mo ago

I removed the ferriet between the chip and guide. Still having the same problem, the motor run will run for 2 minutes and then start to cut out. If I leave it sit for a while it will then run for another 2 minutes like nothing is wrong.
Rush

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Rush

Discussion Starter · #6 · 3 mo ago

The fuel mode is set to off. But by turning the CU off then back on, it's like doing a reset, the car will run for another 2 minutes. Could my CU being going bad? I have other Carson chips that run just fine. I also did a reset on the CU, that didn't make much of a difference.

Rush

MrFlippant

· #7 · 3 mo ago

If turning the CU off and back on results in that car going just fine after it was not, then I'm definitely suspecting some setting somewhere, but I have no idea what that could be if you're not running with fuel.

Can you run it with the body off, and then feel the chip for excessive heat when it starts to misbehave? A little warm is normal, but is it uncomfortably hot on any of the little black components?

Try coding the car to a different controller/ID, too. Are you using wired or wireless controllers? If wireless, can you test with a wired controller?

Rush

Discussion Starter · #8 · 3 mo ago

Nothing on the chip or motor is hot. I only have wireless controllers, trying a wired one is a good idea. A friend also has a Carrera Digital set and a wired controller, I will run the car on his set. If the car runs fine, I think it could be the wireless module or CU.

MrFlippant

· #9 · 3 mo ago

Try the car on his track, too.

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bswan72

· #10 · 3 mo ago

Try taking out the traction magnet and running the car. The Pioneer traction magnet is extremely thick which could cause the car to be pulling too many amps for the chip.

MrFlippant

· #11 · 3 mo ago

That's why I was thinking of the chip overheating, but if resetting the CU gets the car working immediately for another two minutes, that seems unlikely.

Slotspeed

· #12 · 3 mo ago

Some cars I understand have a ceramic capacitor in the guide but you've removed this? Because you will need to.

Some good diagnosis with the help of Greg, but have you put another car with a stock Carrera chip alongside as a test on another ID and see if any issues correlate with the 2 minutes of running without issues? If a stock decoder equipped car keeps going then that would rule out a CU issue.

Rush

Discussion Starter · #13 · 2 mo ago

Removing the magnet did not help. These are 2 new Carson chips, older Carson, Carrera, and Slot-It chips work fine. Hopefully today I'll find out a little more.

Ade

· #14 · 2 mo ago

Is the chip of the same appearance as the older working ones 👀.

Other than that have they changed the firmware at all 🤔.

Rush

Discussion Starter · #15 · 2 mo ago

Something may have changed in the new chips. Here's what I found this morning at JJ's digital Carrera track. I took two cars one Pioneer and one Scalextric with the new Carson chips installed along with my wireless module and wireless controller. Without changing anything, the cars were put on the track. Each car ran perfect for 20 minutes, I figured that was long enough without having any problems. Next I used my module and controller without any problems. One more thing at home this morning. The Pioneer car was put on the track, it ran for 2 minutes and started to have problems, without powering down, the Scalextric car was placed on the track and it had trouble right away. I turned the power off on the CU, immediately turned on again and the car ran for another 2 minutes. So, it's looking like my CU does not like the Carson chip. It's odd that my problem is with a specific chip. Do CU's eventually start having problems? The CU is about 5 years old and gets a lot use.

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UDoKuoio

· #16 · 2 mo ago

I have the same feeling as Mr F that the chip acts like the FUEL management is "ON".

"2 minutes OK ..problems.. CU OFF&ON.. 2 minutes OK, problems...." mhhh.. it smell something "coded" like fuel comsumption or other stuffs.

Slotspeed

· #17 · 2 mo ago (Edited)

Rush said:
So, it's looking like my CU does not like the Carson chip. It's odd that my problem is with a specific chip. Do CU's eventually start having problems? The CU is about 5 years old and gets a lot use.

I doubt its the CU.

The symptoms you describe sound like a fault in the Carson decoder is affecting the ability of any of the decoders from reading the rail protocol correctly whilst that Carson decoder is on the circuit. I have dealt with a similar issue with an early version of my own self built decoders. In my case it was a tantalum capacitor that was becoming resistive and affecting the rail decode. It also ran ok for a lap or two before it started to wig out. (Tantalum was a very bad choice and I should have known better) Just checking, have you used any old Carrera analog track connecting sections with a 0.1uF (100n) ceramic capacitor embedded in the track? Because we have also seen those give trouble when incorporated into a digital system.

I think the best course of action would be to contact the manufacturer at this stage. I have heard of similar symptoms previously.

my 2c.

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Rush

Discussion Starter · #18 · 2 mo ago

Yesterday I finally figured out what was causing my problems. It happened to be the signal from the CU to the Scoring Position Tower. By unplugging the tower all of my problems went away. I also found out that it can affect MPL and FT-Slottechnik chips, so if you are having problems with an after market chip try unplugging the tower. I never had a problem with Carrera chipped cars, this is only with an after market chipped car. I use SmartRace projected onto a TV so I do not really need a position tower. What a relief, it's good to have the cars performing like they should!

Happy Racing,
Rush

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MrFlippant

· #19 · 2 mo ago

Weird.

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Rush

Discussion Starter · #20 · 2 mo ago

I agree, but a follow racer was having the same problems on his track yesterday. Unplugging the tower eliminated the trouble.

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