Re: (ET) RE: Alltrax DCX300 availability - Alltrax versus 4QD

["John B Reinhard" <reinharj frontiernet net>]

I think Alltrax makes a good product, and our market is tiny volume, and
even their new 'retail' price is probably fair, all things considered (for
instance: great warranty, compared to so many other products).
When you consider that the average software and hardware enigineer earns
$75K and up, making a custom change to software in a product to support
sales of a product in volumes of only a couple hundred units might actually
push the reatail cost of the unit.

However, as I mentioned in a past email, since the Elec-Traks are over 30
years old, and the Alltrax controller is potted and NOT repairable, to me
the 2 year warranty seems quite limited.  I want to be able to fix it
myself, after the warranty has expired.

I read lots about the 4QD products - HUGE amounts of information on their
website.  Positive info: the circuit boards are not potted.
But, the 4QD product cost more than the ORIGINAL price Steve Richardson had
quoted online for the Alltrax product - and does NOT have Field Weakening
(though this is probably not a problem for blowing snow).

After shoveling twice a day for the last week, I was highly motivated to
order an Alltrax Controller for one of my dead E-20's.

But, after reading this thread regarding Alltrax new pricing, and that Dave
(of 'Dave & Deb') has gone through 4 Alltrax controllers, I am leaning back
toward 4QD, since I will be able to replace blown FET's or whatever parts
myself (likely for LESS than the cost of just shipping the controller back
to manufacturer for repair).



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Markus Lorch" <mlorch vt edu>
To: "'David Roden (Akron OH USA)'" <roden ald net>;
<elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu>
Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2005 9:03 PM
Subject: RE: (ET) RE: Alltrax DCX300 availability


>
>
> >
> > >From what I understand, the ET model has additional current sensing
> > circuitry for the field controller.  The ET's motor wants a
> > much lower field
> > current than a typical separately excited field golf car
> > motor, something like
> > one-tenth.
>
> Yes, I think I was wrong and they had to make some (minor, but
> manual) hardware modifications. Plus they also developed a different 
> field
> map which Steve R. posted to the list a while ago. So the ET version is
> basically a customized, low-volume product.
>
> I have gotten info on the (inexpensive) SPX controllers that "look like"
> the DCP controllers we would need from Jeff @ Alltrax. It turns out these
> were DCP controllers that had a problem with a bad component in the field
> control circuit and thus were converted by Alltrax to standard 
> controllers
> for series wound or PM motors.
>
> Markus
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Elec-trak mailing list
> Elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
> https://cosmos.phy.tufts.edu/mailman/listinfo/elec-trak
>
>