Jump to content
Indetrucks

Tamtech Lancia LC2 ESC & Battery Question

Recommended Posts

Hey all,
So it's been about 25 years since I spent my hard earned Xmas & birthday money on the Lancia LC2 kit. I recently pulled it out of the boxes in storage.

It's not in rough shape considering I was a boy and it's been 25 years. I know the Tampack (sounds like a tampon) battery pack is done, but I gave it a charge anyway.

To my surprise, the car still works... kind of. After cleaning the remote terminals, the remote came alive after installing fresh batteries!
Plugged the battery in to the car and I had steering!

The reason I am created this thread is because of the speed control. There is no variable, it is either full on, or full off. Same goes for reverse. I don't remember this 25 years ago...

As far as adjustment on the speed control, (white Phillips screw) Either direction will cause the car to go forward or reverse (both full throttle). There only seems to be a tiny "sweet spot" that doesn't trigger the gas where I need to set it so I can use the controller.
In fact, I had to trim the throttle on the remote all the way down, otherwise it will always be on (make sense?)

Also worth noting... it seemed MUCH slower than it was before. The gears are a little chewed up, so I found a new set on Feebay which I already installed. But also, could the old battery cause the speed to be so weak?
The battery literally lasted less than a minute (the throttle) after letting it charge for 3 hours. The steering worked fine still. I also picked up another "old" Tampack and get the same thing. Steering works, but throttle only for a few seconds.

I would love to make a new battery pack which will still fit in the slot of the car. Any advice on where to get batteries that might work would be great!

Some pics



Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Am I right in saying this is 1/24th scale?

What voltage is the battery?, you might be able to fit a small lipo, 1s= 3.7volts or a 2s= 7.4volts,

Sorry can't give any more info as I don't know this model, someone will be along later who will know.

I guess it depends on wether you want it 100% original?, or are you willing to modify it?,

you could fit a seperate ESC and receiver (again not sure what this has in it?) that would give you speed control again.

Welcome to the club. :D better start clearing some space, this hobby can be addictive. :D:D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

7.2V - 270mAh

yes, 1/24th scale

I want to try and keep it OG, although I think a new battery will probably be in order and they don't make these anymore as I understand it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

In that case, you could run it on 2s lipo with a low voltage alarm :P It will fly :D:D The power of lipo compared to Ni-cad is amazing.

Have a look at hobbyking.com, they give you all the weights and dimensions of the batteries, and they have a U.K warehouse, it will get you going and then you can rule out the battery.

I am guessing the ESC (electronic speed control) is built into a circuitboard on this model?, might be worth giving it a good clean?.

Had to edit my post, obviously if you do change to a lipo battery, you will need a new charger suitable for lipo.

It is late so I leave this for someone better qualified to answer, but as you know you might struggle to get a ni-cad battery that works now.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I believe you can construct a battery using six of what they call '2/3 AA' batteries - most likely Ni-Cd but potentially Ni-MH. They are the same cells that go into rechargeable battery packs for cordless phones.

You would need these cells assembled into the same dimensions of the original Tampack battery, but finding a suitable connector would be the only tricky part. I plan to do the same for my own BMW GTP Tamtech car that I will eventually get running, but I believe another TC member has already done so for his original Porsche 962, which he has since sold on.

Futaba has also developed an ESC and servo integrated unit that will fit into the Tamtech cars - they are advertised as being used for 1:24 scale cars and 1:6 scale motorcycles. The car type is known as the MCR-2CS and appears to be of near-identical dimensions, whereas the motorcycles use the MCR-2MS.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The adjusting pot on the receiver/ esc may be toast. Those tamtech radios are finicky.

Replacing the radio may be tough. The issue you run into is that the servo for the tamtech has a special shape that fits perfectly into the chassis. Your best bet is to make a new battery pack from a cordless phone pack.

Replacing the bushings with bearings will speed the car up tremendously.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The adjusting pot on the receiver/ esc may be toast. Those tamtech radios are finicky.

Replacing the radio may be tough. The issue you run into is that the servo for the tamtech has a special shape that fits perfectly into the chassis. Your best bet is to make a new battery pack from a cordless phone pack.

Replacing the bushings with bearings will speed the car up tremendously.

The steering servo works great still with full steer left and right.

Great idea about the cordless phone battery option!

Are you talking about the white wheel bushings and going bearing? I actually ordered a set of bearings and they should be here shortly.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Amazon has tons of cordless phone battery's but I'm not sure which one would be a suitable replacement.

My Ni-Cad Tampack measures 2.5x1.75x.75 and 7.2v - 270mAh (roughly the width of 3 AA battery's in a row with a little added at the top and bottom where connected)

The ones on Amazon are all Ni-Mh 3.6v and anywhere from 400-900mAh

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_2_15?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=cordless+phone+battery&sprefix=cordless+phone+%2Celectronics%2C251&rh=n%3A172282%2Ck%3Acordless+phone+battery

I have two Tampack chargers, one puts out 7.2V (quick 15 min charger) and the other 8.7volts (wall charger that came with the car and says it takes 4 hours). Not sure why the one that puts out the most volts takes longer to charger, but anyway.

Anyone have any recomendations on an amazon battery pack that will work with my current chargers/car providing I simply switch the leads?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Tampax are 2/3rd AA in 3 sticks of 2.

Before lipo, many 1/18th cars used 6cell 2/3rd AAs

usually in a ladder formation. Even the Tamtech

Gears had similar packs of 2 sticks of 3.

Could be easier to get these packs to rebuild.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Tampax are 2/3rd AA in 3 sticks of 2.

Before lipo, many 1/18th cars used 6cell 2/3rd AAs

usually in a ladder formation. Even the Tamtech

Gears had similar packs of 2 sticks of 3.

Could be easier to get these packs to rebuild.

Are you suggesting getting one of these Tamtech Gear battery packs, disassembling and then reassembling into the correct configuration?

I found this Ansmann pack after a little research, but I have no idea what the dimensions are. I do have a Li-po charger that is adjustable.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

FYI,

I found this site that custom makes battery's

I was able to order an identical replacement in NIMH 700mAh 2/3AA for $18

http://www.cheapbatterypacks.com/Default.aspx

I have been waiting to get materials together to configure a battery; this website made it all so much easier. I just hope the HPI micro battery connector and Tampack type are the same...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have been waiting to get materials together to configure a battery; this website made it all so much easier. I just hope the HPI micro battery connector and Tampack type are the same...

That was my only concern as well.

Either way, I ordered 2 which were about $18 each and if the connector is wrong, I will remove the two I have and attach those.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yeah their connectors are suitable... I've had HPI micro RS4, X-ray micro & TamtechGear.

They've all been tethered off the same charger lead, think it came from HPI box.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You're easily excitable :)

FYI the HPI micro uses a motor of familiar size

to the Tamtech black motor.

Dunno how it compares performance wise though.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You're easily excitable :)

I must be, too! But I think it is because the battery is the final obstacle for me to get my Tamtech car running...

The decals are the reason I cannot have a box-art Tamtech running, as mine are very brittle with age - ironic because I bought the BMW GTP specifically for the BMW tri-colour stripe scheme!

I shall report on the battery once my pair arrive.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Some yrs back I revived the old tampacks by

jabbing dresspins to contact each individual cell

and zapping them back to life; after conditioning

on charger they worked well enough to run car.

Ran longer than my attention span anyways.

The old decals might not be stickers, could be watertranfers.

Try soaking them maybe, but you can't reuse.

Ironically there were heap of Tamtech parts yrs

ago, chassis parts & stickers were everywhere.

Now that they remade done bodyshells, can't find

anymore. Tyres were always rare, we grafted on

Sponge from slotcars or Mini4WD.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The old decals might not be stickers, could be watertranfers.

Try soaking them maybe, but you can't reuse.

I know that they are waterslide decals - I attempted to apply them as such, but the larger stripes crumbled/shattered. Is there a decal softener of sorts that may prove useful for reviving old decals, or would I need to reprint them?

Either way, the prospect of properly-working Ni-Cd batteries at proper specification has me quite excited. I had shelfed that BMW for years until something like this came along...

As for comparing the HPI and Tamtech micro motors: it says the HPI type is more suited to 6V input, whereas the Tamtech motor was designed for a 7.2V input. Turn information is not readily available for the latter, but I would imagine the Tamiya motor to be more powerful.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I wouldn't read too much into that.

Mabuchi supplies them for industrial manufacture,

they are commonly ordered in 3/6/12/18/24v.

Not saying the Black Motor might not be

something specially specced but it'll work fine.

(over voltage = MOAR SPEEEED! anyway)

Ran my HPI micro on a 6x AA pack which only

fitted wider shells. 2/3rd AA would be better fit.

Some disposable electric toothbrushes use same

(Size) motor too, but they run off 3V mainly.

Have not tried harvesting 1 for Tamtech use yet.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

... And it appears I ordered 2/3A batteries - for two packs - by mistake...

They looked a little large, but apparently are only 5 mm too large in the width dimension. Knowing how snugly the Tampack fits in the Tamtech chassis, and also knowing the (non-existent) return policy on custom batteries... I may need to find a chassis to cut up. We shall see, once the packs meet the car.

But thinking about it again, I would not have wanted to charge a Ni-MH battery using a Ni-Cd charger.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

NiMH are a bit bigger than nicad but you can try making a pack without shrinkwrap maybe.

The genuine Tampacks had thick shrinkwrap over the cells.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

oh :( you said 2/3 A not AA... yeah A is another battery size altogether... much bigger though, definitely won't fit

Some notebooks used to run A cells in their batteries pre lithium...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Sorry to hear about your miss-order.

Yes, very easy to order the incorrect size, as I almost did as well.

They only offered 1 battery brand in the 2/3AA size so easy to miss.

On a positive note, I got my two battery's in and they are both a perfect fit and perfect charge! The car is back to life.... even the connectors work without modification :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...