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Re: (ET) Controllers



What about the cost of replacing the potted wonder when it fails? Waiting for a replacement to arrive, plus the hole burned in your wallet AGAIN just does not appeal to someone that spent nearly four decades of actually repairing components and returning devices large and small back to service. Increased efficiency does not mean very much when the device is inoperative. :) Especially when repairing the device in the field was not a consideration.

RJ

Luddite.

On 6/14/2014 6:44 AM, Robert wrote:
Electronics today surpasses the original ET setup by a very large margin. It's more than how long will it last (MTBF -mean time before failure), efficiencies of PWM controllers along with MOSFET and IGBT advances in just the last few years have changed the way we control AC and DC voltages and currents. Even a PWM controller sold in 2003, and probably designed a couple of years before that, simply can't compete with the new stuff coming out. Motor control today is on a whole different level. Anytime you replace a relay (mechanical device) with a solid state device you decrease it's MTBF. Why do you think VCR's went the way of the mechanical typewriter? It's because they are mechanical devices and if any of you have ever worked on a VCR you know that belts and heads wear out long before any electronic failure, in fact even the CD has been replaced with MP3 to remove the mechanics. Hard drives in your computer? Solid state is replacing that too, it's much easier, and cheaper, to make a silicon device than to machine a housing, build motors, bearings, etc. not to mention labor costs.

Rob


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Message: 2
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2014 17:54:14 -0400
From: Charlie <medievalist gmail com>
Cc: et <Elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu>
Subject: Re: (ET) 4QD Pro 120 controller
Message-ID:
<CAJb3uA6GtXORq4F6gBVjr7RTLKykhfHxRCHMGHi9ZQN1JgxAfw mail gmail com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

Hey, you don't have to be a luddite to appreciate the later Elec-trak
electronics!  The late model E-20, I-5, and Wheel Horses have a simple,
elegant and durable design.

Now, if you'd rather have the early E-15 wiring than a modern controller,
that's another story entirely...   I don't think any of those early
transistor cards lasted much past 10 years, did they?

--Charlie
aka General Llud



On Fri, Jun 13, 2014 at 10:08 AM, RJ Kanary <rjkanary consolidated net>
wrote:

 AH HAA!  A fellow Luddite. :)

RJ


On 6/13/2014 9:57 AM, oasis654 aol com wrote:

interesting that some of the original equipment has lasted 50 or so years. would have to have changed the controller 5 times if they only lasted 10
years.   just wondering, jon k albany ny



-----Original Message-----
From: Timothy Gulden <rimmer59 hbci com> <rimmer59 hbci com>
To: elec-trak <elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu>
<elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu>
Sent: Thu, Jun 12, 2014 9:45 pm
Subject: (ET) 4QD Pro 120 controller

 Update on my E20 with 4QD Pro 120 controller.  I installed the original
controller in August 2003.  It now went defective and was replaced a
couple weeks ago with a new one.  Was able to get 10 years out of the
first controller.  Not sure how this stacks up to other electronic PWM
controllers.

Tim Gulden


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Message: 3
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2014 18:12:15 -0400
From: Jeff Antonucci <jlantonucci comcast net>
To: elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
Subject: Re: (ET) 4QD Pro 120 controller
Message-ID: <539B773F 7060109 comcast net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; Format="flowed"

Don't forget the New Idea machines.  They have the simplified
electronics too.


On 6/13/2014 5:54 PM, Charlie wrote:
Hey, you don't have to be a luddite to appreciate the later Elec-trak
electronics!  The late model E-20, I-5, and Wheel Horses have a
simple, elegant and durable design.

Now, if you'd rather have the early E-15 wiring than a modern
controller, that's another story entirely...   I don't think any of
those early transistor cards lasted much past 10 years, did they?

--Charlie
aka General Llud



On Fri, Jun 13, 2014 at 10:08 AM, RJ Kanary <rjkanary consolidated net
<mailto:rjkanary consolidated net>> wrote:

    AH HAA!  A fellow Luddite. :)

    RJ


    On 6/13/2014 9:57 AM, oasis654 aol com <mailto:oasis654 aol com>
    wrote:
    interesting that some of the original equipment has lasted 50 or
    so years.  would have to have changed the controller 5 times if
    they only lasted 10 years.   just wondering, jon k albany ny



    -----Original Message-----
    From: Timothy Gulden <rimmer59 hbci com> <mailto:rimmer59 hbci com>
    To: elec-trak <elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu>
    <mailto:elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu>
    Sent: Thu, Jun 12, 2014 9:45 pm
    Subject: (ET) 4QD Pro 120 controller

Update on my E20 with 4QD Pro 120 controller. I installed the original controller in August 2003. It now went defective and was replaced a couple weeks ago with a new one. Was able to get 10 years out of the first controller. Not sure how this stacks up to other electronic PWM
    controllers.

    Tim Gulden


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    Elec-trak mailing list
    Elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
    https://cosmos.phy.tufts.edu/mailman/listinfo/elec-trak


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Message: 4
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2014 19:05:52 -0400
From: CZ Unit <cz alembic crystel com>
To: elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
Subject: Re: (ET) 4QD Pro 120 controller
Message-ID: <539B83D0 5060601 alembic crystel com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

On 6/13/2014 5:54 PM, Charlie wrote:
Hey, you don't have to be a luddite to appreciate the later Elec-trak
electronics!  The late model E-20, I-5, and Wheel Horses have a simple,
elegant and durable design.

Now, if you'd rather have the early E-15 wiring than a modern
controller, that's another story entirely...   I don't think any of
those early transistor cards lasted much past 10 years, did they?

Actually the E15 card is not the problem; the SCRs are fine and the
capacitors seem to work as well. The only problem I have had with
electronics is the field diodes on the E20's, those are an easy
replacement on the board.

The problem is the E15's moronic use of a relay to switch the field, and
the edge connectors. Aside from that they will run probably forever.

C




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