Space_jaco

Space shuttle technic 8480 - alternative part to wire with bricks

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Hello

I am rebuilding my space shuttle technic 8480. The parts 5306bc069 (Electric, Wire with Brick 2 x 2 x 2/3 Pair, 69 Studs Long) really are in bad shape. Getting new ones (or not as damaged ones) on Bricklink is way to expensive so I was wondering if any of you knew of a more recent part that would do the job?

thanks

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Take the cable heads off, and use new wire. If you're not fond of that, you'll need some PF extension wire. Honestly, you'd probably be better off just sucking it up and buying the wires, because it would be no cheaper to buy PF wires, or you could check Ebay, or just get a few short old wires, and connect them together.

Edited by Saberwing40k

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1 hour ago, Saberwing40k said:

or just get a few short old wires, and connect them together.

This is the best solution that I know of for this problem cost wise. 

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3 hours ago, Saberwing40k said:

Take the cable heads off, and use new wire.

+1

But make sure you use thin wires (like IDC ribbon cable), otherwise it will be hard to attach the connectors.

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3 hours ago, mocbuild101 said:

+1

But make sure you use thin wires (like IDC ribbon cable), otherwise it will be hard to attach the connectors.

The wire I bought when I did this was slightly too thick to reattach the connectors, so I used a sharp knife to take out some of the insulation at the top and bottom of the wire so that you can bend it into the cavity of the connectors. Just be careful not to take so much off that you get a short between the two halves of the wire cable.

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The wires run in some pretty confined spaces within 8480 so you will ideally need wires that are no thicker than the original wires along their whole length. I had the same issue when building the barcode truck so bought all new wires from bricklink. It costs money but I'm happy knowing they are all original parts.

Edited by allanp

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There was definitely two styles of the older wire... the original had a slightly rubbery feel, and matt texture to it...

later wires (not sure if they did the extra long ones), used a different wire, which was slightly stiffer, and had a shiny texture to it.... and as far as I know, have not deteriorated yet

My Shuttle wires are definitely dead.. and have contemplated repairing them...

I should have a look at all my 9V wires and see exactly what I have, and in what condition...

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19 hours ago, Saberwing40k said:

Take the cable heads off, and use new wire. If you're not fond of that, you'll need some PF extension wire. Honestly, you'd probably be better off just sucking it up and buying the wires, because it would be no cheaper to buy PF wires, or you could check Ebay, or just get a few short old wires, and connect them together.

Thanks. I have seen a video on Youtube about changing the wires. Might try doing that

16 hours ago, mocbuild101 said:

+1

But make sure you use thin wires (like IDC ribbon cable), otherwise it will be hard to attach the connectors.

thanks

11 hours ago, RohanBeckett said:

There was definitely two styles of the older wire... the original had a slightly rubbery feel, and matt texture to it...

later wires (not sure if they did the extra long ones), used a different wire, which was slightly stiffer, and had a shiny texture to it.... and as far as I know, have not deteriorated yet

My Shuttle wires are definitely dead.. and have contemplated repairing them...

I should have a look at all my 9V wires and see exactly what I have, and in what condition...

Mine are definitely matt and with a rubbery feel. And they are falling apart...

Edited by Space_jaco

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Just bought the same part on BL, new condition but in 162 stud long. It seems that this lenght was much more common.

I will cut it to length (I need twice 69 stud long so that should be plenty) and add the bricks that i dismounted on either ends.

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I had the same problem, they had completely perished. Bit the bullet and got some shiny ones on Bricklink.

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I have the same problem right now. Bought a 8480 at Ebay, I am happy with the deal, but the wires are in really bad condition!

One thing I noticed while looking for this Set: This problem seems to concern 8480 more than every other Set! I have bought a 8868 after looking a long time for it, none of the Sets in general good condition I looked at had this issue! Even the old 870 and 8700 motor kits I have, their wires still are excellent.Almost every 8480 I looked at had its wires broken Well, 8868 is from 1992, 8480 from 1996. Has somebody else observed this? What about other Sets near to 1996 release date?  I must admit that 8480 has multiple wires and this very long one, but most time all wires have isolation that peels off.

Soldering new wires is not a problem. Comments on a YT video suggest to use speaker wires. Although most modern wires have quite thick isolation, I think it should be possible to find some with the correct diameter. What I´m really afraid of is to open the 2x2 plates!!! What about a platic or maybe cooper tool instead of a stainless steel screwdriver?

Edited by Philpp
grammar

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Forgot to mention why it is so important if this is really specific to 8480 or it´s release date: The 69 studs long wire appeared only in sets from 1996 to 2003. So it´s very likely that if one buys it at BL, it won´t be in good condition, at least not for long!

 

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4 years ago I had the same problem with my Barcode truck 8497. All the insulation of the wires was gone or had broken down.

In 2014 I bought a few new original Lego wires (several lengths). I just checked, but it seems that they are also slowly decaying.

The electrical cable of my mobile crane 8421 is still okay, but it also looks like it will also crumble.

When I bought the original Lego wires they were in there original package.

They may have remained good because of that package. 

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Did you buy wires with the 2x2 connector plates as used in 8480 and 8497 in 2014?

How else did you solve it with 8497?

We have to be aware that there are two aging problems with electric wires:

First they can get stiff and then brake INSIDE (the cable strand brakes), usually with pure cooper wire as it stiffens when deformed (bent=assemble+disassemble LEGO) in cool condition, but logically also with alloys containing cooper. That will disconnect power! This is usual for very old and much used wires, regardless what kind of.

Second, the OUTSIDE isolation can peel/crack/dissolve. That will produce a short circuit! There seems to be the specific problem with that era wires.

So I think spending a lot of money at BL is useless, they will be rubbish anyway in a few years! Remember just 11 Sets between 1996 and 2003 and nearly all of the most sought after have wires that have no isolation left!

Still looking for better advise to open the connecting plates than the only YT video there seems to be! Advise please!

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It doesn't matter what tool you use, as long as it's stiffer than the thing you're trying to pry apart. I personally have had success with metal tools - they did leave marks, but I'd much rather some marks on the bricks than decaying insulation!

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Small, flat blade screwdrivers, life from those small jewellers sets work fairly well.

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Thanks to both of you! You are right about the stiffness,

I will try as soon as I find the right wires, somebody interested in pictures?

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Sorry for the late answer! ! All my Lego projects are at standby at the moment. But I will do it and post pictures, just give me time!

I couldn´t resist to build the shuttle with the broken wires, just to see the model assembled. I realized that the 69 studs long wires lost their isolation at points where they are routed over sharp edges of plates or tech bricks. So I might be wrong about the general poor quality of the wires/isolation of this years and it might be a constructive issue of this Set. At the moment I think it´s a combination of  both reasons!?

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Well I've had several wires from other sets go the same way, with the insulation rotting away leaving bare wires, so I don't think it's an issue with the set.

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Are you talking about the 69 long wires (like also in the barcode truck) or also about shorter ones!

I think the very long ones are prone to breaking if they are bent in different directions and routed over sharp edges! Imagine, back then this was mostly a gift for children. If they played, assemled and disassembled a lot, and/or pulled the wires within the assembled set, that would have cracked the isolation of every wire!

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As a few have commented further up the thread, the seemed to be a change of insulation material for the sets around 1996/7 (shuttle/bar code truck) to the matte/rubbery textured stuff which was particularly bad. I have plenty of earlier wires (shiny finish, like in 1995's control centre II) which are in much better condition.

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I wonder if anyone has tried to find the correct wire on sites like Farnell, Distrilec, Mouser, Digikey etc.
It MUST be available but that will be on spools of 100Mtr, this is neither a problem if a few people buy it and distribute in their countries

Having a vintage electronics repair facility myself I allready disassembled a crumbled wire,
that part is quite easy, now the search for wire.
About the IDC wire that was mentioned, forget it, it's to thick and to stiff. (have that on spools here in my shop)

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ive ordered a good many of these wires, and honestly i would give up on the original wiring entirely. very time the casing starts to go i just cut the wires flush with the 2x2 case and then solder new ones directly to the studs on top. you lose some or all stackability of the connectors but thats not really a big deal considering pf extension wires can do that job perfectly fine. lego needs to remanufacture them for a while just for the great number of us who still have old technic electrical systems and railroad components...

i know this sounds like a somewhat defeatist answer but if it happened once itll happen again. and if youre gonna be marking up the 2x2s anyway to get into them, soldering to the studs isnt really all that scary. just dont leave the iron on them forever of course :P

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