Decision and Direction for Defunct Digi-Qs

Namuna · Post by **Namuna** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 12:38 pm

While yur at it...If you've got a voltmeter, get a reading on the battery in the car (before and after charging). At full charge you should be reading in the 1.4v range.

Okay, now here's a sanity check...You're turning the car OFF while charging, then turning it ON when using, right? Yes, it's a simple/stupid question, but sometimes I do a V8 headsmack on myself over the simple/stupid stuff.

MotorGong · Post by **MotorGong** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 2:13 pm

Namuna wrote:Okay, now here's a sanity check...You're turning the car OFF while charging, then turning it ON when using, right? Yes, it's a simple/stupid question, but sometimes I do a V8 headsmack on myself over the simple/stupid stuff.

Totally fair question, and YES, I am.!! I'm new, so let's not avoid the obvious.
I know the car has a cpu or whatever, I figured someone would have suggested taking it apart, but then again I could have asked. I do have a pretty cool FLUKE multimeter. I think it's time to test the batts.
And.....you guys won't friggin' believe THIS....I got a suprise e-mail from Terry at akitoys/akihabara toys just moments ago.....

Hi Dave,
I test one of the Pennzoil skyline I have works.
Do you still want it?
I can ship it to you.
Thanks!
Terry

I replied with a yes, and offered to pay for it even. I get this e-mail next:

**** This is a post-only message. Please do not respond. ****

Dear DAVID,

This ship notification is being sent to you by the U.S. Postal Service® at the request of AKIHABARA TOYS CO..

A package with a Click-N-Ship® label created on usps.com containing the following information is scheduled to be shipped on 06/21/2005.

Damn, what do ya think of this guy, huh? I swear I didn't threaten him or anything...

EDIT: Whoa SWG, Thanks! I'll let ya know!

MotorGong · Post by **MotorGong** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 7:32 pm

Namuna wrote:While yur at it...If you've got a voltmeter, get a reading on the battery in the car (before and after charging). At full charge you should be reading in the 1.4v range.

Alright, this is absolutely perplexing, especially for someone at my stage of the hobby.

The batts test fine. I didn't actually remove the batteries, but followed the wires to the circuit board, and tested them there. Is this proper?
The batts tested 1.395 on the multimeter. I turned the car on, tested again, and noticed a slow gradual decrease in voltage. The damn car STILL doesn't move, though.

I did receive the 'third' car in the mail today. I put that sucker on the charger, charge light came on instantly, charged for 10min or so, and BANG!!! I'm drivin' a Digi-Q!!! Twice now it only ran for 2-3 minutes, but I assume this is normal and run times will increase with usage.

ANY idea now has to what might be the problem with these other two cars? Or where I can/should go from here? I even messed around with different I.D. settings with the controller in case the car I.D. was somehow labeled wrong.

And I swear I didn't throw them across the room out of sheer anger or anything.....

filelicker · Post by **filelicker** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 11:37 pm

Don't throw them at anything....... I'll buy them from you...I need parts!

MotorGong · Post by **MotorGong** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 12:05 am

filelicker wrote:Don't throw them at anything....... I'll buy them from you...I need parts!

Yeah, so I suppose you WON'T tell me how to fix 'em, eh?

filelicker · Post by **filelicker** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 7:07 am

No clue....I would tell you if I did ...... to refuse to help another pimp for my own gain is just wrong I would never do that.... I just got a couple that are missing front wheel aasemblys and one mising rear wheels and couple of bad switches in the remotes .

Namuna · Post by **Namuna** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 12:26 pm

Well, depending on how much further you want to go...

Now that you finally have a working car, you now also have a means of confirming the problem with the other 2...IF you're willing to do a little micro-surgery.

I'm about 99% sure you've got fubar'ed batteries in them 2 dead DigiQs, now that you've got a working DigiQ it's just a matter of swapping out the batteries between the good car and each of the bad ones...But, if I remember correctly, the batteries are soldered in place and would require some micro-soldering to remove/replace.

Hey, if nothing else, you'll be getting some micro-soldering practice if you do decide to go that far...Sometimes that's 1/2 the fun and good amount of satisfaction for me; when something breaks (or was broken) and I figure out how to fix it.

Good luck.

MotorGong · Post by **MotorGong** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 4:19 pm

filelicker wrote:No clue....I would tell you if I did ...... to refuse to help another pimp for my own gain is just wrong I would never do that.... I just got a couple that are missing front wheel aasemblys and one mising rear wheels and couple of bad switches in the remotes .

Yea FL, I was TOTALLY kiddin'!!!!!

Sounds like you might be getting these cars.

Not sure about the micro-surgery though. Being a drummer and workin' construction/maunal labor half my life, my small motorskills are SHOT!!! I'm getting better. You should have seen my first cut-to-hell-with-a-hobby-knife shell I masked off for painting...

Namuna, the batts can still be fu'bar even though they read 1.4v? They seem to hold a great charge with the car switch 'off'.

And, me testing the batts where they connect ON the board is okay/proper?

filelicker · Post by **filelicker** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 5:24 pm

stampede_dude · Post by **stampede_dude** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 7:08 pm

if you could pimp one off to me cheap enough id like one to make my tank thats coming propo.

MotorGong · Post by **MotorGong** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 11:56 pm

MotorGong wrote:Namuna, the batts can still be fu'bar even though they read 1.4v? They seem to hold a great charge with the car switch 'off'.
And, me testing the batts where they connect ON the board is okay/proper?

Hey Namuna, what's going on here, is this right?

.....and stampede and FL, PMs comin' atcha.....

Namuna · Post by **Namuna** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 11:54 am

As far as your voltage checking method; you don't have to go that far for a reading, you only need to touch the testing prongs fo the voltmeter to the charge points on the bottom of the car.

How long did it take them batteries to get to 1.395v? My thinking here is it's a false full reading...While it might say 1.4v, it might actually only have a slight charge.

Here's another thing you could do to test the batteries; get the smallest light bulb you can find (like a christmas tree bulb) and rig it up with longer wires to connect it to the car batteries. You don't have to take the car apart, just make the connection via the charging pad.

MotorGong · Post by **MotorGong** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 12:35 pm

Namuna wrote:As far as your voltage checking method; you don't have to go that far for a reading, you only need to touch the testing prongs fo the voltmeter to the charge points on the bottom of the car.

Remember what I mentioned about me being new and avoiding the obvious?

>that's for me.....

Namuna wrote:How long did it take them batteries to get to 1.395v? My thinking here is it's a false full reading...While it might say 1.4v, it might actually only have a slight charge.
Here's another thing you could do to test the batteries; get the smallest light bulb you can find (like a christmas tree bulb) and rig it up with longer wires to connect it to the car batteries. You don't have to take the car apart, just make the connection via the charging pad.

The batts even read 1.22v after approx. 3 days of having it 'off'.
Sure enough man, FALSE READING! That little christmas bulb method you mentioned works like a charm.
And thus endeth the mystery of the Dead Digi-Qs. Which, I believe, was your prediction in the first place.

Namuna, thanks a ton for your attention. All of your advice was not only a learning experience for me, but incredibly accurate to boot.

EDIT:and thanks micro_man,SWG and the rest