Electrics and Garden Ponds...

[netsmithUK]

OK was trying to get some shots for the backyard basher competition of my Top Force magestically flying over our garden pond. (you can see where this is going already, right?) Just couldn't figure out how to tak photos and do the jump so I thought I rope in my son to do the driving. Lined it all up so he just needed to pull the trigger.

On his first attempt he managed to cart wheel it straight into the pond. Completely submerged.[8)]

I fished it out and pured the water out, but is there anything else i can do. The car was kitted with an ESC and fast Reedy motor.

[]

[Bibbo]

No Idea but just let it dry before putting power back through it.

The motor will be fine but the ESC could be another question.

[V]You should really have taken the precaution of fitting a MSC and cheap motor[V]

Oh, Chris, Chris, Chris!!!...LOL

[RETRO R/C]

LOLOL mate - you wont be last to do this either!!

The motor is no problem at all - we "racers" have been known to deliberately "dip" our motors in fluids to gain performmance.[8D] - but thats another story.........

The best thing you can do for the speedy is DO NOT put any power through it. Take the casing apart if possible - and rinse in fresh water!! THEN either let it thoroughly dry naturally - or help it along with a hair dryer - of course being carefull not to electracute yourself !!

I have "saved" electronic speedies this way - even saved one that submerged in SALT water !!

The luck of the draw is evident though - as it is mnore a rule that the thing will be stuffed........you may get lucky though mate !

Cheers

Darryn

[netsmithUK]

lol - it was all looking soo good.

And the worse part was I didn't even get a picture of the car going into the pond!

All the electrics where cheap bits out of old cars so nothing too valuable lost if it never works again.[]

[simensays]

Well, did you get the shot?! Sounds like a good runner up for the backyard basher competitionid="green"> if you ask me! []

[volksrod68]

im planning a few photo sessions for my backyard basher entry.....

it involves mud, mud, mud, and, err, a bruiser with rear wheel drive only.

2 wheel drive is better, wheels spin and more mud on the top of the truck!

already started a body mod...wait for the pics....

bad luck with the car chris, if only tamiya had made a waterproof radio box for it u might have felt better!

[spiff84(2)]

hi

i have a pond in my garden just crying out to be jumped, but your story has put me off the idea (at least for a few weeks). It was only going to be a Baja Champ with an MSC anyhoo. Maybe i should wait for the frogs to move out first.

[Jimbo]

LOL Chris[:I]

I hope no goldfish were hurt in the making of the film[:0]

I ve just found these photos on another board and thought I'd share them with you. If this is a Tamiyaclub member, then all I can say is 'nutter'[]

And he says nothing broke[xx(]

[netsmithUK]

a cautionary tale...

[mr_lister999.]

LMAO, i remember the same thing with my rough rider. Worked alright afterwards though.

[rc-martin]

RAOFLMAO!!!!!!! Sorry Chris, but thats just funny!!!

[mr_pushrod]

What a great example to be setting the rest of us.....lol

[terry.sc]

LMAO Chris. One of the drivers at my club races 1/10 IC touring cars, and because of the British weather he has buried his receiver in potting compound to completely waterproof it. He can race his car in standing water. Mtroniks make a whole range of waterproof ESCs. Its just a shame you did not know this earlier.

Just remove everything and dry it out fully before plugging it in again. The car itself will need drying off, make sure the bearings are all oiled again. The motor will be fine, just give it a clean out with motor cleaner, fit some new brushes and reoil the bearings. Like Darryn in the old days we used to water dip 540 motors for 10-15 seconds to bed the (very hard) brushes in, although I do remember a very irate model shop customer who came back after the boss had mistakenly told him to dip his motor for 10 minutes.

Open all the cases of your electrics. If you have somewhere warm, leave everything there for a couple of days. Make sure everything has dried out properly, then give them a try. You never know, you may be lucky. The receiver and servo have a lot greater chance of working again, the ESC is the bit to worry about.

[BiggusDitchus]

LOL, well that one of it in the pond will have my vote!

Terry what you mean in the old days, I race mardave V12 using mabuchi 540's and thats still the best way to run em in and get em going quicker. I remember a converstation recently with my dad(he has started flying electric gliders now, as a change to his scale ic engined ones) he wnated to run in the motor. So on my advice he did it the water method, but didnt listen carfully enough... i got a phone call asking how long he should run the motor underwater, I replied about 30 seconds to 1 minute... he had been there over 15 minutes [], the motor didnt last too long, I was blamed off course.

[WillyChang]

Chris:-

The ESC is not your major worry; if it isn't busted by now and you've rinsed & dried it out properly it should still keep working. The main casualties are any trimpots, which might need replacing.

The RX is the big hassle, its usually got a few tuning gangs and these could corrode even after you dry it out. A complete spraying-over with water displacement spray (WD40) might help, then degrease it with motorspray.

[DJTheo]

Mmm, somehow I have the feeling these awards will cause many swimming, burning and exploding cars, the "Tims" of "Home Improvment" will wake up in many people... [][]

The most important thing you can do when an electronic device falls into water is immediately to switch it off, even if it still seems working, they usually fail few mins after due to short circuits, have heared many people destroying their mobiles phones like that []

Cheers

[Guest Carsnboats]

Hi Chris,

Done something similar when I first started out, was playing with my grasshopper, with a brat shell on, in and out of puddles when it got wet and took off on its own. Just caught it as it started to submerge into a very flooded River Wye.

The best advice as far as electrics go is take it all out of its case then was it under the cold tap. Then put it somewhere warm to dry out normally,don't use a hair dryer etc.

Any corrosion that forms on the PCB can be carefully brushed away with a very soft brass brush. Or a stiff bristled toothbrush.

Cheers

Clive

[SJoerD]

quote:Originally posted by netsmithUK

a cautionary tale...

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id="quote">id="quote">

I believe the victim was murdered and the remains where dumped in the pond.

The murderer is in this room... []

[bholio]

quote:

Just couldn't figure out how to tak photos and do the jump so I thought I rope in my son to do the driving. Lined it all up so he just needed to pull the trigger.

On his first attempt he managed to cart wheel it straight into the pond. Completely submerged.

---

id="quote">id="quote">

Lesson Learned:

Next time, give the kid the camera.

[mr_lister999.]

quote:Terry what you mean in the old days, I race mardave V12 using mabuchi 540's and thats still the best way to run em in and get em going quicker

id="quote">id="quote">

They are the old days, its brushless motors now, especially since novak have realeased their brushless systems. []

[terry.sc]

quote:Originally posted by BiggusDitchus

Terry what you mean in the old days, I race mardave V12 using mabuchi 540's and thats still the best way to run em in and get em going quicker.

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id="quote">id="quote">

I find the best way to get V12s at my going quicker is to run into the back of them with my Associated RC10L3.[]

[WillyChang]

quote:Originally posted by bholio

Lesson Learned:

Next time, give the kid the camera.

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id="quote">id="quote">

No no Noooooo!

The camera's more expensive and harder to fix!!! [:0][:0][:0]