Puchi problem

[e_lm_70]

Just got my Puchi from HK.

The crappy HK eShop has sent me the TX with CH10 and the car with CH6. PS Not every eShop is professional like this one ... but find a Puchi isn't a easy task !

It look to me that there is no way to change a quartz in the car !

There is a big module that is replaceable on the TX.

It is available a TX module for the Puchi TX for cheap ... and if so where ?

I had a fast look inside the TX module ... I didn't found any replacable quartz ... is there any trick that I din't see ?

Danke

e_lm_70

[dgilpin]

There is a crystal in the car, it is the small round kind. There is a standard crystal in that TX module, you just have to unsolder the metal shielding to get to it, and then unsolder the crystal. That is probably the better route as they are easier to find.

[e_lm_70]

Danke dgilpin

Do you know if I can use the AM crystall in the TX . (I have many AM quartz .. probably also for CH6)

Just seen in the shops AM & FM crystall ... but these doesn't make sense to me ...

I have been able to see the little cristall in the car ... but the value written on it was not matching with the CH6 as reported in the sticker in the car.

e_lm_70

[dgilpin]

I don't know, but I would guess that a crystal of frequency x would in AM or FM radios.

Does the car work with the TX? Maybe the sticker is wrong?

[e_lm_70]

No the car doesn't react at all with the TX.

I guess the stickers are rights. CH6 car and CH10 TX.

I have a FM TX CH7 from a Radi-Book, and the car messing around with the TX look that sometime is make some mess, for fraction of second ... so I guess the CAR and TX are OK ... but just speak on a different freq ...

What a crap ! I need to go to HK to kick some ass :) btw ... where I can find a Puchi for less then 69$ ... or where I can find one at all !

e_lm_70

P.S: Going home now ... I will see if can see something new in my Puchi ... but I don't want to mass it too much, since I can till send it back (hopefully) !

[dgilpin]

Yeah, at least try the "dealer" first. Maybe they would swap the TX module only?

I got mine in HK, too. But I had better luck! I looked around and could not find any Puchi Marus available, even where I got mine!

[e_lm_70]

I had a second look at the car/TX :
-Car has a small round quartz : at 26.640 (CH6 is written inside and outside the car)
-TX has a standard size quartz: at 13.5975 (CH10 is written inside and outside the module)

For the TX is understendable that they use a 2x freq : 27.195

But for the CAR I don't understand the relation between Quartz and real Freq CH6 around 27.05 (don't have here the CH & FQ map)

BTW at the end the HK shop has shown to be a "good one", I got money back for the non working car ... and I can keep the car as well ... who know if I will ever been able to make it working !

e_lm_70

P.S: So far the two main HK eShops, the HLJ and the local eShop have shown to be pretty trustable !

[e_lm_70]

dgilpin:

Can you have a look inside your car and TX (just need to unsrew 1 screw on car and 4 on TX module) and can you tell me which CH you have and which quartz you have ?

Danke

e_lm_70

It look like that I will need a 13.5475 MHz quatz ... so far I just seen it in Copenagen ! no other place ...

[Neo]

Sorry to intrude but Elm can you check your email.... I have a totally unrelated question I'm hoping you can answer...

Thanks

[dgilpin]

A free car?!? Lucky dog!

I have two cars - channel 8 and channel 10:

#10- RX=T26.740, TX=13.5975M
#8- RX=T26.690, TX=13.5725M

So there is a spread of 0.025 between #10 and #8. Apply a 0.025 spread between #8 and #6 - and I get what you get - 13.5475

I don't know why the RX frequency doesn't match the channel frequency - maybe it would work better!

[e_lm_70]

What are the freq on the Cars ?

Lucky ? OK money back means a credit ... so not really 100% free.
BTW car & TX are "free" but ... my intention was to have a working puchi for my collection !

My Puchi was one of the last in my HK eShop ... now they have 0 on stock ... no plans for new ... I also guess that Yokomo doesn't produce it anymore !

Danke so far.

Who knows if the TX work also putting in a 27.095 (more easy to find) ... in theory it shuold work ... but with less range !


P.S: In theory I can use also a brute way for make it working: remove the original PCB and put one Bit PCB ... I will have a digital throttle (or two step is I sacrify a booster PCB) and semy proportional stearing (but with no feedback ... so very tricky to handle ...)

[e_lm_70]

ON my car I have also seen a sticker with SN .... I was surrise by the numerber : 0005408 ... this sound to me that mine is the number 5000 ... it sound to me a very little production !

[dgilpin]

The frequency on the cars is the RX numbers, if that is what you are asking.

My s/n's are 003502 and 003532.

I'll post info if I see any around. Contact Tiny - maybe he can fiind one.

I think a mini-z board would fit in there. I thought of doing this myself - but I don't know if it will work with 2.4 volts.

[e_lm_70]

What I mean is the number in the little quartz (a small metallic cilinder) in my case it is written: 26.640 so the RX crystal in my case it is a 26.640MHz.

I didn't check in details the Mini-Z PCB size, but it look to me too big for fit into ... I can have a second check ... btw the Mini-Z PCB is pretty costy ... sacrify a Bit is ok ... sacrify a Mini-Z is expensive ... I cheaper to messa with the mini-x electronic ... but still on the edge of the size .... I can also get miniaturized receivers ... but they cost money and I will have to add home made ESC and servo PCB ....

The Quartz is the easy way to go... for now ...

So far I just know that the puchi TX is charging fine ... the motors in the puchi are ok and as well the meccanic and battery ... the rest is a question mark till I don't manage to let TX and RX speak le same language !

[dgilpin]

The numbers I posted that start with the "T" are the frequencies from the car crystals. I put the T in there because it is on the crystal and thought it might mean something to you.

[e_lm_70]

Sorry ... I haven't seen it ...

Thanks a lot ... got all the possible info for go forword !

Ok so my Car is defenetly a CH6 and the TX is defenelty a CH10 !

Either I found a new RX quartz 26.740 ... or I found a new TX quartz 13.5475 ... or I found a new TX module CH6 !

I guess that all are hard to find ! ...

TinyRC : If you have access to any of this items ... let me know ... I can combine the order with something else for justify the shipment ... (ok I know I'm not your best cutomer ; btw I try ...)

A Mini-Z PCB is 60$
A Mini-X electronic is 40$
A Epoch is 80$ (RTS Ready to Sacrify ;)

If a Mini-Z PCB fit plus 4 cell ... I will get the fastest Puchi of the world ....


From your SN it look to me that Yokomo has create in all no more then 6000 Puchi kit ... it will be for sure become a rare item soon ...

P.S: My Car PCB in the Puchi has a littlle extra PCB mounted over a SMD chip with 4 wires ... it look a last minute fix ... what a crap design ! Is your the same ?

PP.SS: Tayo has made a far more nice FM TX/RX design for far cheaper (45$ RTR) ... but is not as good as a Mini-Z ...

[dgilpin]

Mine does not have the added circuit. You can see pics of it at http://www.gcs-net.com/puchi/

I compared circuit boards, and the mini-z is a little smaller. The only problem would be that the crystal sticks way up over everything.

I checked two more HK shops - no more Puchi's! Maybe we should put them back in the boxes and save them for collectors items! Auction them off on eBay for $500 each!... OK, I guess not.

[e_lm_70]

Here is where I have an additional staff ...

It could be that mine Puchi was a defect Puchi that have been returned to Yokomo and then fixed up ... your PCB look more clean.

Or maybe Yokoma has found a way to improve the PCB after the first production was started ... who knows ...

I have a crappy digital cam ... but I will take a pic ...

About Ebay ... I have first to be able to make my puchi run ! ...
but with the right marketing it can become a cult item of RC fan ! .. so 500$ is realistic :)

If I have to put a Mini-Z PCB ... I will put a F1 PCB (with brake !) and FET update :) ... but it is costy ... ok ok ... with 69.9$ credit I can get the F1 PCM and till have some cash left ... but I will not been able to get 500$ from eBay then :)

But the Yokomo TX look far more professional then the Kyosho TX !


I discovered why there is 455KHz gap ... RX should have for some electronical/air wave reson ...

[e_lm_70]

Here is my PCB ... with a Mini-Z F1 comparison ..

The quality of my camera is poor ... BTW it is possible to see that my Puchi PCB is different !

Anycase after some experiment, It look like that my Puchi is working ... I just need the right crystall to plug in my TX ... maybe it will come soon !

[dgilpin]

Looks very similar to the regular Mini-Z board.

Yes, I see the added circuit. Maybe it will help the jitters that mine have while at a stop.

Sounds like you will have it running soon enough!

[e_lm_70]

Find the right quartz for the TX module has failed !
Not even sure it is as simple as change the quartz for get a TX module with a different CH ... if it so simple, why yokomo doesn't allow to change quartz instead of change a full module !

BTW.

I have been in contact with Yokomo Japan and Yokomo US for ask if i can buy a TX module or just the quartz.
As result Yokomo doesn't look like they want to sell TX module ... but surprise surprise, Yokomo Japan has spontaniusly decided to send me a TX module CH6 for free !

What a great service from Yokomo !

BTW: Since my intention was to have a running Puchi, I have already order a second one, plus other two for a interested friend ... let's see if this little RC is as good as the possible Yokomo service.

Happy Puchi to all !

[dgilpin]

overlooked this source before: http://www.microrcracing.com/puchi_maru.htm

[strakka]

hey how much did you guys pay for your puchis in HK?? in HK dollars. im going there this summer so i want to buy another one

[e_lm_70]

Originally posted by strakka
hey how much did you guys pay for your puchis in HK?? in HK dollars. im going there this summer so i want to buy another one

The price for a Yokomo Puchi was around 69$, one of my two cars got here till with the HK sticker price on the package (I guess my eShop just went down in the street and bought my car in a regular HK shop) ... I don't remeber exactly the price but it was around 60$ (not a big margin for my eShop).

BTW I guess the Puchi are getting every day harder to find in the Market ... my eShop doesn't have anymore the puchi ... the serial number on the car report a little number around 5600, so I guess Yokomo has not produce more the 6000 unit ... and I also guess they have already stopped the production.

BTW. After some experience I have to say:
Money whise the best car is a Tomy Bit Booster (LXX booster clone just for 10$)
Fun whise Epoch is better bigger but far faster and far more accurate.
Yes Puchi is the smallest prop RC, but isn't as smooth as a Epoch or Mini-Z, is very very slow, on a track my Tomy Booster with 3.0 Engine are far faster then my Yokomo.

The Puchi is a great car for who is doing RC car collection. It is a nice to have but not good for racing and not good for fun (since there are cheaper alternative).

e_lm_70

P.S: As reference I use my experience in my collection:
Some Tomy (booster, not booster, coin battle, WideG, 1 PullBack, 1BitRacer) (very good, booster are great)
Some LXX (booster & not booster) (close to the tomy quality, very cheap and good larger front tyres)
2 bullets (a real crap trash)
2 Enertech (cool due to the 2cells+turbo but not as accurate like Tomy)
1 Zcar (cool, good quality, little bit smaller the a Bit)
1 Micro clone (pretty crap, but is far smaller then a Tomy)
Some SMARTLAND (IR and RC, the IR are very cool, with prop speed control)
1 Digi-Q (extremly fast, but power is nothing without controll)
2 iRacer (similar to Digi-Q but slow like a Bit and with poor controll due to the IR, so a little crap)
2 Cubic (1/50 scale, rear traction stearing ... little bit a crap but funny)
2 Yokomo (see above)
2 Epoch (see above)
Some Mini-Z (F1 & regular, over 40km/h, out of scale for compare)
2 F201 (cool, but out of scale)
1 TB01 Enzo Ferrari (over 60km/h, out of scale)

[e_lm_70]

Ops ... forgot:

1 RadiBook (not as smooth as a Mini-Z but cost just 45$)
2 Mini-X (cool after some tunig, like Neomagnet and bearing and setup ...) little bit cheaper then a Mini-Z

[strakka]

i see you have a miniz F1. the one rite beside it what car is that?? and is it $65 canadian or US or HK?? how much is it in HK. you know?? what shop do you go to?? is it in kowloon??

and the 2 cars infront of the clear chassis (your minix perhaps??) what car is that??

[e_lm_70]

Originally posted by strakka
i see you have a miniz F1. the one rite beside it what car is that?? and is it $65 canadian or US or HK?? how much is it in HK. you know?? what shop do you go to?? is it in kowloon??

and the 2 cars infront of the clear chassis (your minix perhaps??) what car is that??

OK close to the Red Mini-Z F1 there are my F201 (red) and an Epoch (blue)
Close to the Yellow F1 there are a Mini-Z empty body (green), Mini-X (transparent...to be painted) and Tomy Coin battle (red & blue).

Behind the F201 there is the Taiyo Radi Book (blue) just 45$

This pic is little bit old now ... some cars are missing and some have been arrived ...

e_lm_70

P.S: What is the 65$ ??? BTW I always means US Dollars
PP.SS: About shops: I have mainly used: TinyRC - ToyEast - Dinball (all 3 very very reliabile ... BTW TinyRC most probably offer the best after sell service ... unluckily he has few items and it is located in US (from EU buy in US isn't the cheapest way)