What caused this ?

[xx4-nutter]

i heard about this when i was at teeside, and could smell it too but missed the big poof of smoke ! lol

what caused it ?



Garry D.

[mark christopher]

a short circuit
his car got hit then stopped my guess is somin then shorted out in or on the speedo. problem was the batts were soldered in so could not be unplugged easy

[Northy]

I think you'll find that what has gone wrong there is the 'magic smoke' has escaped from the speedo.

As most people know there is 'magic smoke' inside all electronic components which allows them to work. Once the smoke has escaped they cease to be. However, at this point they can make very good little silicon heaters (as shown above).

Here endeth the first electronics lesson, next time I'll explain where the mirrors come into it!

G

[xx4-nutter]

Originally Posted by Northy

....next time I'll explain where the mirrors come into it!

G

Do tell more g lol

Garry D.

[DCM]

Northy, do certain esc's have more 'volatile' secret smoke than others, causing them to pop, and I assume, once the smoke has escaped, the unit is then scrap?

[FifteenthNeo]

I assume, once the smoke has escaped, the unit is then scrap?

I cant see that a good scrub in soapy water wont make it nice and clean to use again.

Looks painfull though

[vader]

I've heard, one company who specialises in 'Smokey' speedos uses a process of extraction to get this smoke from the river wharfe!!! You can even smell the Yorkshire dales in this smoke.

mmmmmmmmmmm

[Northy]

I believe there are various different qualities of smoke. You can get cheap mass produced smoke from China, even 'fake' smoke from China would you believe. This smoke can be a little volotile, a bit like IB cells

You obiously pay more for higher quality European produced smoke, as it is injected into the components using really big cool looking machines (like the pie making one in Chicken run) which cost money. In china some little guy uses a sqringe.

You also have to treat the smoke with respect, don't try to use all its power to quickly (Star-Trek, 'she will no take any more captain' style), which is perhaps where some speedo manufacturers are going wrong. They should probably use more smoke, or higher quality smoke. But this would put the price up I'm affraid.

G

[DCM]

Darn, is this smoke ecologicaly freindly, will it increase my Carbon Credits, so if I have an ESC which has let its 'smoke' go, I will need to go plant some dandelions and daffodils??

[Cooper]

I heard next year the speedo's need to be "Kyoto approved" before they are allowed to be sold!

[big si]

northy

do motors contain this magic smoke too?
or is it a different smoke

and can you tell us about the mirrors lol

[Medders]

I just typed "magic smoke" into Google at work and the results got blocked by the IT filter. Strange that

[xx4-nutter]

northy is this the machine that creates the magic smoke ?


Garry D.

[xx4-nutter]

this can be the guys avator who smoked his speedo lol



Garry D.

[Glenn Atterton]

Wasn't just magic smoke, it had an eternal flame before it went out

@ least it wasn't the batteries going pop

ran the cells through a Pro-Trak the same day and he's lost 1 cell out of the pack. 1 nearest the esc. He'll get a 12th 4 cell practice pack out of it though.

Chassis also melted a little but didn't burn through. He poled the B with it.

Motor. not sure if it still runs.

ESC & Motor have gone back as warranty claims. Will post the out come when I know more.

[Adam Skelding]

Hmm. Just looked at this thread...
I can now smell the 'magic smoke' emitting from the FET (Fog Emitting Thingy's).
It does look like the ESC (Eggy Smoke Container) has emptied itself of contents..

[Northy]

Originally Posted by big si

northy

do motors contain this magic smoke too?
or is it a different smoke

and can you tell us about the mirrors lol

Anything electronic relies on the smoke, the magic smoke also travels through wires, and in the event that wires get too hot, they too will leak some magic smoke, again making the circuit no longer work.

About the mirrors, well I could tell you, but then you'd know as much as me!

G

[DCM]

Originally Posted by Glenn Atterton

Chassis also melted a little but didn't burn through.

Heh, that might of annealed the plastic a little and in doing so, strengthened it!!! hey, an X-6 mod.

[rcracer]

what if the ESC is made in jamaica, does it contain "special smoke" ?

[andys]

Graham.

Loved the smoke explanation

I wonder how brusheless work then, it did always confuse me, is the smoke in the motor !

Seriously though, who solders their cells in ! Seems a bit overkill to me, I like the idea of un-plugging it, if it goes wrong. I guess it had a switch, but I assume that went pop too ?