PIKO 25 TONNERS...............

[hankbonaire]

I have 4 of these small diesels....... 2 with sound and 2 with cleaning shoes.
Due to total track redesign no trains were running for 7 months.
All battery packs were removed from the locomotives and stored outside under roof cover.
All batteries were discarded.
Fast forward 7 months.
New freshly charged batteries were installed in all 4 battery packs.
All battery packs were inserted into the locomotives.
Nothing worked X 4.......... no power, no sound, no lights.......... nada.
The battery pack springs appear to be "RUSTED"........... ferrous metal ????.......... for electrical connectivity ????

What common household product can I use to remove the rust?

Pics 1 and 2 battery packs with rusty springs.
Pic 3 inside locomotive connection springs shiny metal.
Pic 4 PIKO catalog with shiny springs.

 

[Gizzy]

That's very surprising.

I think I would discard the old battery holders and buy new ones from Piko....

 

[grizzmo]

I have never had much luck in saving battery packs once rusted, you can abrade the ends that make contact and that will work for a short while before they rust again as the plating is gone. As gizzy said I think you need new ones.

 

[Chiefifd32]

I have never had much luck in saving battery packs once rusted, you can abrade the ends that make contact and that will work for a short while before they rust again as the plating is gone. As gizzy said I think you need new ones.

You might try citric acid. It’s relatively safe & will remove rust. Drop the pack into the citric acid over night.
I use it to clean aquarium water pumps, it cleans like vinegar but doesn’t swell the seal’s rubber.
You can find citric acid on Amazon, I usually buy it from Bulk Reef Supply.
Buying new would be my first choice, but if you have any citric acid on hand maybe it’s worth a try…
Take care

 

[FatherMcD]

You might also try a fiberglass brush pen. Fiberglass Brush Pen Sand Cleaning Clock Lubricant Watch | eBay I've cleaned the contacts on a Playmobil power unit using this. Probably should plan on replacing the battery holders, however, they look pretty bad. Ebay has generic 6X AAA battery holders. I used small bolts to add contacts in place of the wires and glued a loop of twine on the other end to remove from the engine.

 

[dunnyrail]

Please learn from this, storing locomotives outside even in your neck of the woods not a good plan. Many circuits these days are made of cheep nasty Chineese steel rather than proper non-ferrous concoctions. All my locomotives line in the house, coaches and wagons though live outside in nice secure dry sheds.

 

[PhilP]

If the (presumably) humid, salt-laden air has done this to the holders, I fear for the state of the tracks on the circuit boards in the loco's. Though not ferrous, they can corroded, and there is very little metal in them.

Good luck,
PhilP.

 

[hankbonaire]

FOLLOWUP ................. to PIKO 25 tonners.

Thank y'all for responding to my problem with the PIKO 25 ton battery holder springs rusting up.
The nickel plating on the springs seems a wee bit skinnyfied and didn't last even 1 year............ my opinion........... this is pathetic quality.
It is my understanding that PIKO is 50% German and 50 Chinese.
I will leave y'all to decide which 50% made the springs for the battery holders.
PIKO genuine replacement parts are in stock and cost about 7 euros each........... $7.25 in dollars.
To their credit, they DO have the small puller attached to extract the battery holder from the loco............. pic attached.
I ordered some similar holders from a Welsh Co. but they WERE missing the small puller........... pic attached.
The Welsh pullers were 40 pence each or 2 for a dollar.
I am a skinny bugger, so my fingers can extract the holder from the loco minus the small puller.
I ordered 12 from Wales........ 4 running, 4 charging and 4 in reserve for less than 1 from PIKO.
In all likelihood, the Welsh holders are made offshore........... look East a ways but I will give them a try.
Danki.

 

[PhilP]

Most components (especially cheap ones) come from across the China sea..
The holders you have bought from Component Shop will have.

That type of holder would not normally have a handle (puller) on it, that is a little add-on by/for Piko.

There are a number of differences between the various Piko 25T offerings :
Most importantly, a lower voltage motor, in the battery-powered examples.

PhilP

 

[hankbonaire]

Most components (especially cheap ones) come from across the China sea..
The holders you have bought from Component Shop will have.

That type of holder would not normally have a handle (puller) on it, that is a little add-on by/for Piko.

There are a number of differences between the various Piko 25T offerings :
Most importantly, a lower voltage motor, in the battery-powered examples.

PhilP

Thank you, Philp,
The handles (pullers) on the PIKO holders seem to be a press fit and come loose after time............. easy to glue.
I have always equated Germany with superb engineering. Not anymore.
How is LGB ????????????? ......... have never gone that route except for track.

Hank.

 

[PhilP]

LGB's offerings were very good. - A little less so, when China got involved, perhaps?
Now Marklin own the brand, and other than their first few offerings, are still pretty good.

YMMV
PhilP

 

[hankbonaire]

LGB's offerings were very good. - A little less so, when China got involved, perhaps?
Now Marklin own the brand, and other than their first few offerings, are still pretty good.

YMMV
PhilP

Back to the drawing board.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Back to the drawing board.

As I have said many times before, the problem with Chinese manufacture is that they will make what they are asked to make. If you don't specify, then you're in trouble. LGB (before Marklin) had the wrong mentality for managing outsourced manufacture from the far east.

However, when it comes to generic, off-the-shelf products, you often don't have an awful lot of choice.

I have sometimes posted a picture of my Accucraft, museum quality, brass caboose which has the label underneath, 'Made in China'.

And, to be fair, I am not especially enthusiastic about China as a nation or a society - I merely speak as I find.

 

[FatherMcD]

FOLLOWUP ................. to PIKO 25 tonners.

Thank y'all for responding to my problem with the PIKO 25 ton battery holder springs rusting up.
The nickel plating on the springs seems a wee bit skinnyfied and didn't last even 1 year............ my opinion........... this is pathetic quality.
It is my understanding that PIKO is 50% German and 50 Chinese.
I will leave y'all to decide which 50% made the springs for the battery holders.
PIKO genuine replacement parts are in stock and cost about 7 euros each........... $7.25 in dollars.
To their credit, they DO have the small puller attached to extract the battery holder from the loco............. pic attached.
I ordered some similar holders from a Welsh Co. but they WERE missing the small puller........... pic attached.
The Welsh pullers were 40 pence each or 2 for a dollar.
I am a skinny bugger, so my fingers can extract the holder from the loco minus the small puller.
I ordered 12 from Wales........ 4 running, 4 charging and 4 in reserve for less than 1 from PIKO.
In all likelihood, the Welsh holders are made offshore........... look East a ways but I will give them a try.
Danki.

Back to the drawing board.

What is the problem? Are the dimensions in the drawing showing that it won't fit. I was going to buy some of these, but if you have found out that they won't fit, I'll hold off.

 

[hankbonaire]

What is the problem? Are the dimensions in the drawing showing that it won't fit. I was going to buy some of these, but if you have found out that they won't fit, I'll hold off.

Ken,
Disregard the drawing.......... it is for MY reference.......... and the holders may not fit in the 25 tonners as they are slightly larger.......... several mm.
Measure inside your loco.
I removed the weights and put them on the outside.
My package is enroute from Wales to Bonaire......
SO..........
if you wanna wait 'til it arrives, I will measure a holder for you.
Also the double AA's are VERY similar but again a bit bigger.
If in doubt, go with PIKO's at 8 Euros now........ but in MY opinion, they are rubbish........... the original problem.
Sanikolas/Sinterklaas/Saniklaas arrived on island by tugboat in NOVEMBER
Sometimes he is black face and sometimes white .......... and sometimes he has to wear flour face.
Peace,
Hank.

 

[PhilP]

Not sure you will be able to fit a 6 x AA holder under the hood?

The original is a 6 x AAA holder, so quite a bit smaller.

PhilP

 

[hankbonaire]

Not sure you will be able to fit a 6 x AA holder under the hood?

The original is a 6 x AAA holder, so quite a bit smaller.

PhilP

Yeah, the double AA's won't fit............... way too big.