New C7005 chip - continuous jump starts

523 Views 6 Replies 4 Participants Last post by dvd3500, Sep 26, 2020

slotterkeith

Discussion Starter · Sep 24, 2020

Hello everyone.

I have just, very carefully, fitted a new (boxed) C7005 chip, and tested everything for accidental shorts before trial. I have converted many cars with these before (I know what I am doing).

A problem became apparent immediately, from the first time I put the car on the track: the car whizzes off even before a controller / touched, set up for it.

This happens every time I try it; i.e. the voltage is rectified but there appears to be something bypassing everything else.... the motor is always (seemingly fully) powered, when on the track, whatever I do.

Must this indeed be as a result of a faulty chip please? Has anyone else experienced the same? The track and other cars are fine.

If so, what recourse do I have? I have already cut off the ferrite and fitted eyelets,.. and how do I show that I didnt cause the problem? An apparently reputable (100% pos.) ebay seller. I have purchaseD a second similar chip from the same person... 🥺

Thanks

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MrFlippant

· #2 · Sep 24, 2020

Sounds like a bad chip to me. This is usually a blown mosfet for the motor power (as opposed to brakes).

How your retailer deals with it is a crap shoot. I'd be more inclined to send it to someone who can repair it, such as GregK, who offers that service, if you're not comfortable with Surface Mount soldering.

How it came bad is up for debate. They're old enough that it might be degradation... I'm assuming it was clear to you that it had never seen the inside of a slot car before (wires were untouched, no solder residue, etc)?

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slotterkeith

Discussion Starter · #3 · Sep 25, 2020

Greg. I appreciate your insight. Thank you.

I am now as sure as I can be that it is a dysfunctional chip. I have sent it off for repair today along with several others. I did inspect it and couldn't see any sign of pre-use. The vendor is not to blame, and so, whilst a surprise, it's is no big issue. I had never stopped to consider that these might 'age'.

The other chip that I presumed is from the same batch, as the numbers on the box are similar, works fine. I would like to know when the C7005 was introduced if anyone knows - purely for interest sake?

Best wishes from over the water.

K

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MrFlippant

· #4 · Sep 25, 2020

Giving more thought, with electronics of 30 years ago, degradation was definitely a well understood thing. I think with more recent components, though, it's not so much. More likely that chip just happened to have a bad component from the factory, and never would have worked brand new.

Any reputable retailer should accept the return of a lemon product, if not refund, then exchange. I don't suggest they are responsible for the failure, only that they are responsible for ensuring that you get what you paid for. That's part of doing business, IMHO.

As for the introduction of the C7005, I expect it was more or less the same time Scalextric Digital was introduced, which would have been 2005-2006-ish. They made the two "retrofit" chips so that people could race whatever cars in their collection they wanted to, as soon as the system hit the shelves, or at least shortly thereafter. What would be interesting is to find out when those chips actually stopped being manufactured. I'd think that the DPR chip more or less put a stop to the manufacture of the solder-in chips, but they might have kept making those a few more years. I have no idea. RikoRocket, or RichG, or GregK might know, if not someone who was on the Scalextric payroll.

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slotterkeith

Discussion Starter · #5 · Sep 26, 2020

So, although the retrofit C7005 is widely available, is it out of production?

You are correct about a vendor's liability, moral or legal. Over here if something is not 'fit for purpose' I believe it must be refunded or replaced. Had it been something more expensive, and I wasn't sending stuff off to Greg anyway, I would have followed this up and sought a replacement. If it can't be repaired I will 'grin and bear it'!

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Dr_C

· #6 · Sep 26, 2020

I would have thought hornby would produce decoders in batches - monitoring sales/inventory to assess when to build the next batch. We know the saloon version of the retro-fit decoder (C7006) was discontinued but have never heard that the C7005 is discontinued. Meanwhile as also stated above the C7005 continues to be widely available.

I also agree with MrF, not much to deteriorate with time if not powered up... unless stored unpacked in a very damp garage (bad idea)...

c

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dvd3500

· #7 · Sep 26, 2020

I doubt that production has ceased... a lot of their "super resistant" non-DPR cars have a hole that happens to be in the perfect place for the LED and little pegs that happen to be i the perfect place to hold the LED and even the webbing is just the right width to hold a retro chip in place.

I jokingly call these cars "retro chip ready" RCR.. :-D

Production does go in waves. The C8222 was out of production for nearly a year but now it is back...

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