How to fix an atlas motor?

[Baronjutter]

It's like a hockey puck with wires coming out of it.  You just drop it in a container full of liquid and it turns what ever tub into a cleaner.  Or maybe that's not the same thing?

I'm a little scared of this naptha stuff, but I'll keep it in mind if the simple lube doesn't work.  Good advise, work in steps from most likely to least likely and least invasive to most invasive.

[mecgp7]

I experienced this same phenomenon with a broken motor brush. Same scenario and the loco would start to behave normally, but they got hot. Let them cool and it starts all over. Not sure how so many locos would be affected like that. Rough trip on the move, severe cold?

[victor miranda]

a hocky puck... ? really?

a couple of things... naptha can burn pretty quick. have a way to cover it
like with a pot should you find it burning.

hot water and dishwasher detergent is one ultrasonic solution
the water will not hurt the motor.
If I had to use naptha, I'd put the motor and solvent in a small jar and shake them a while.

Mostly I don't use those items. .... I use hot water some times.

I tend to just add oil and I open the brush caps  and clean, if it seems needed.

they are pretty simple, make sure juice can get in and out and that the shafts are free to spin.

[peteski]

It's like a hockey puck with wires coming out of it.  You just drop it in a container full of liquid and it turns what ever tub into a cleaner.  Or maybe that's not the same thing?

I'm a little scared of this naptha stuff, but I'll keep it in mind if the simple lube doesn't work.  Good advise, work in steps from most likely to least likely and least invasive to most invasive.

It probably does the same thing, just by different means (and on larger scale).  The ones used in the jewelry (and also sold as hobby units) are small units with a tub and the ultrasonic transducer usually attached on the bottom of the tub.  Mine is a small stainless steel pot (about 5" diameter and 4" deep) mounted in a housing with a power cord and a switch.  I fill it to the specified depth (there is a mark inside it) with cleaning fluid, dump my loco parts in ant turn it on for about a minute.

Naphtha is probably no more flammable than 99% isopropyl alcohol, but still it is a flammable liquid so common sense comes in handy.  After all, some people carry a wad of cotton soaked in naphtha in their pocket in a not very tightly sealed metal container and they even set it on fire occasionally - yet they live to tell about it. 

[rrjim1]

I find it odd that all seven locos are acting alike, one thing I would look at is you power pack, it sounds like it might be only putting out pulse power. 

[strummer]

...but if it were the power source,it seems his Kato locos would also be mis-behaving,which he has stated twice that they are not...?

Mark in Oregon

[rrjim1]

Atlas and Kato motors are completely different, the Kato turns over twice as fast at the same voltage. What's the chances that all seven Atlas locos have developed the same problem? 

[tehachapifan]

Atlas and Kato motors are completely different, the Kato turns over twice as fast at the same voltage. What's the chances that all seven Atlas locos have developed the same problem?

I wonder the same thing. I've never felt I needed to clean a single motor, let alone a whole fleet of them. While it's already been asked, any chance that it is a different power pack? Perhaps one that is intended for larger scales, some of which I believe put out AC power? I'm not sure what this would do to a DC motor, but my guess is it would not be good.

[strummer]

It just seems to me that,all things being equal,the same power supply would have the same effect on all motors,Kato and Atlas both........()

And I don't suspect "pulse" would make any difference; I'm currently using Troller Autopulse packs, and my engines all react the same...very nicely,I might add...

Mark in Oregon

[peteski]

I have definetley encountered a congealed lubricant in Atlas locos (and to be fair in some Minitrix and Fleischmann ones too) after they sat unused for years (and over-lubricated at the factory).

One question that should have been asked was to try turning the armature with his finger and see if it turned as easily on the motor in question as it did on locos working correctly (all locos using the same throttle).  If the lube was congealed, there should be slightly more resistance felt when trying to turn the armature by hand.

[rrjim1]

It just seems to me that,all things being equal,the same power supply would have the same effect on all motors,Kato and Atlas both........()

And I don't suspect "pulse" would make any difference; I'm currently using Troller Autopulse packs, and my engines all react the same...very nicely,I might add...

Mark in Oregon

When you trouble shoot a problem you should never over look anything that might be the cause. It better to check something out that isn't the problem than to over look something and end up not find the cause.

[strummer]

True enough, though I still maintain that if other locos are working fine, the problem must be elsewhere...

Let us know what you find out.

Mark in Oregon

[victor miranda]

I did ask him about the powerpack.

he said nothing...

at some point he is doing the fix and we have to allow him to do the repair as he pleases.

only the atlas means that it could be the packaging allowed the brushes to crack
or that the pulses are now just the right size to make the atlas motors hum.

or is also possible that some one opened all of his atlas locos and replaced the motors
with failed motors.

we don't know.

I only work miracles when I get my hands on it.

victor