Subject:
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autoFAQpost /trains/troubleshooting_monorails.en.faq
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.faq
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Date:
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Mon, 12 Jul 1999 23:40:52 GMT
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Viewed:
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1369 times
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Subject: I'm having trouble getting my LEGO® monorail set number 6991 to work right. The lights come on but the motor won't go. I checked my work against the instructions carefully, even got a new mono motor from CA but no go.
Topic-Level: 1
Content-Language: en
Originator: Larry Pieniazek, 1999-01-04
Revision: Larry Pieniazek, 1999-01-04
Reference: http://www.lugnet.com/news/display.cgi?lugnet.faq:12
Location: /trains/
<P>
This <B>IS</B> a puzzler. The lights in set number 6991 are powered by
battery box. So you push down the switch on the battery box, on come the
lights, regardless of what position the monorail motor switch is in. It
is unlikely that you'd have two bad motors, but possible.
</P>
<P>
The motor itself has two vertical sets of 4 studs in a 2x2 pattern. One
set is a dummy set (hollow studs); the other set is the power contact.
</P>
<P>
With the wire running from the last 2 rows of studs to the power contact
side of the motor, the motor needs <B>BOTH</B> the battery box switch
depressed and the side (v shaped profile, see instructions page 6) contact
pushed in one side or the other. If either is not done, it will not go.
</P>
<P>
Do you have other electric sets to use for parts during testing? A mono
motor will work fine from a 9V train (or RCX internal) supply.
</P>
<P>
Assuming you have it put together right, possible sources of trouble are
corrosion on any of the battery box or motor conductive studs, corrosion
on the contacts on the bottom of the double plates on the wire, and a bad
wire itself. These wires <B>DO</B> go bad. Typical failure point is the
connection from the "double plate" to the wire itself, on one side or the
other.
</P>
<P>
Rule out corrosion by inspection. If you find it, use an emery board, or
some 200 to 400 grit sandpaper, or a pencil eraser with some grit in it,
or a copper "chore girl" to remove it and retest.
</P>
<P>
If it's still no good...
</P>
<P>
Test the wire and connectors. The best way is to swap with another wire
if you can; but if you don't have another, you have to do a self test.
Unfortunately, the motor connects on the bottom, and the light brick
connects on the top, so there is no direct test that works. But the
following, if done methodically, <B>SHOULD</B> test all the possibilities.
</P>
<P>
First check the last two studs on the battery box where the wire connects.
Methodically try the light brick on one row, then the other. If both
work, those studs are good. Then test the wire.
</P>
<P>
To test the wire, dismount the light brick. Connect the wire to its
position on the back of the battery box, with the other end of the wire
hanging loosely; then put the light brick on the wire's top studs. First
try the battery box side. If that works, you are making good contact with
the battery box on the bottom. Now try the the dangling side. If that
works, it means that the wire is making good contact with the battery box,
and that power is making it to the other set of top studs. Now try
switching the wire end for end. Repeat both tests. That tests the
<B>OTHER</B> set of bottoms and tops out.
</P>
<P>
If any of these tests fail, replace the wire.
</P>
<P>
If all tests pass, I am out of clues -- except maybe for yet another bad
motor. Sell the set to me for parts. <TT>:-)</TT> If it has all its
parts, relatively unscratched, but doesn't work, I offer $175 US plus
shipping... <TT>:-)</TT> I am monorail complete but an extra 6991 can't
hurt.
</P>
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