Volvo L350F (42030) Modifications for looks and playability

[Kiwi Claire]

I managed to pick up a new 42030 a while ago (I know, probably not everyone's favourite model) with the intention of making a nice, fun, playable model for my young niece and nephew (5 and 7). My devious motive was to see if I could entice them into Lego Technic with something cool-looking and easy to play with....

So I went all out to make thing a little bit special for them. Modifications include an SBrick, clutch gears (for protection when being played with by young kids), a custom fabricated led lighting system, and a reconfigured rear end to accommodate led lights. The original looks of the rear of the 42030, particularly the rear fender section, never really appealed to me, and don't look at all like the real L350F. So I set about improving things a little. I also needed a little extra length to accommodate an extra PF lead plugged on top of the original on the battery box. A bunch of random bits from bricklink were ordered, and I had a bit of a muck around to see if I could make something up.. And here is the result, I think it looks kinda badass, and helps to set off the rest of the model a bit. The kids love it too! They buzz about how they can control something in real-life via a smartphone screen lol.. Plus they are really like the lights. A late addition is a rough and ready lithium ion battery pack I've rigged up to get a bit more current and battery life, as well feeling bad  about chewing through disposable AA's... There are two 2800 mAh 18650 cells in series. The was a lot of modifying of a second battery box, and a bit of re-wire, however it uses the original over current protection circuit. I have also added a voltage control (switch mode) board to bump the voltage up from 7-8 volts to 10 volts, which can't be seen in the pic. 

So the model isn't one for lego purists, but the kids sure have a great time with it! :) 

 

^L-ion 18650 battery box^

Edited January 19, 2019 by Kiwi Claire
Photo link malfunction

[Kiwi Claire]

My apologies, I had some photo malfunctions, fixed now :)

[TeamThrifty]

16 hours ago, Kiwi Claire said:

I know, probably not everyone's favourite model

I really like this model when it came out, maybe i was in the minority?!! Nice to see it getting some love!!

The led's interest me, (i'm no purist... pure sinner when it comes to 3rd party bits), lego light seem bloody expensive. Any info on what you used would be interesting

[M_longer]

16 hours ago, Kiwi Claire said:

clutch gears (for protection when being played with by young kids)

Uhm, you are aware that there are internal clutches inside each linear actuator? That trtrtrttr means that it has worked :)
 

[ukbajadave]

Nice work, the modifications to the rear are much more like the real thing. I have 42030 currently built on display and you have inspired me to try something similar.

Also, congratulations on being photobuckets remaining user 

[SuperChiefer84]

Nice work I love my 42030!

[Berthil]

Volvo logo on the back is upside down.

[brickless_kiwi]

5 hours ago, Berthil said:

Volvo logo on the back is upside down.

well we are just past the land of down under so the logo would feel right at home being upside down.

[grum64]

9 hours ago, brickless_kiwi said:

well we are just past the land of down under so the logo would feel right at home being upside down.

  

[MangaNOID]

On 1/19/2019 at 1:33 PM, Kiwi Claire said:

There are two 2800 mAh 18650 cells in series. The was a lot of modifying of a second battery box, and a bit of re-wire, however it uses the original over current protection circuit. I have also added a voltage control (switch mode) board to bump the voltage up from 7-8 volts to 10 volts, which can't be seen in the pic. 

I wish I was an electronics guru to be able to do this sort of stuff. nice work!

[Kiwi Claire]

On 1/20/2019 at 10:43 AM, TeamThrifty said:

I really like this model when it came out, maybe i was in the minority?!! Nice to see it getting some love!!

The led's interest me, (i'm no purist... pure sinner when it comes to 3rd party bits), lego light seem bloody expensive. Any info on what you used would be interesting

Hiya! I'm not sure, I think I got the impression that it was all motors and and linear actuators (no gearboxes or anything "interesting"), so it wasn't cool, but I think it's cool, and I'm glad you do too! My niece and nephew think it's awsome also lol.

I just bought a bunch of 3 mm leds in the brightness and colour which I wanted (eg https://www.jaycar.co.nz/red-3mm-led-1500mcd-round-clear/p/ZD0102 ) and resistors to suit each given an approx 9 volt power supply, a hobby electronics shop should tell you which ones you need for a given led and power source voltage. I also bought some rainbow ribbon cable as a source of wire, all the different colours help you keep a track of your loom, and some small heatshrink etc. Consumables required include solder and a few small cable ties (for the out rigger lights). I also used these https://www.jaycar.co.nz/2-way-lighting-connector/p/HM3197 where the lighting looms meet the Lego power functions cable, they're great as you can rewire or change things as many times as you like, they're almost like a Lego piece in a was (also made of ABS I think lol). 

As for the leds, once you file off a small ridge around the base of the plastic lamp section, they fit inside of a Technic pin, if you get it just riht they actually click in like another bit of lego. Aside from that it's all about chopping wires to the right length etc, soldering, and applying heat shrink. It takes a surprising amound of time, but it's quite satisfying. I'll definitely do it again for another model, I might have a go at making some flasher circuits too next time. As for the leds, I suggest that you buy the colour you want your final light to be,even if they will shine through a coloured tile etc, they just seem to look better, expecially if there is any light leakage. 

Anyway, have a go, it's fun! : ) And I think you'll be able illuminate things which wouldn't be possible with the lego lighting, as an extra bonus, plus other colours, brightness, etc. etc 

 

On 1/20/2019 at 11:01 AM, M_longer said:

Uhm, you are aware that there are internal clutches inside each linear actuator? That trtrtrttr means that it has worked :)
 

Yes I am, but they sound a little bit harsh, and possibly fast wearing to me..? I'm not sure how they operate though. The kids often just forget to take their finger off the control at the end of the arm/bucket's movement, so clutches get a real work out lol, I didn't want to be stressingm so I put in the gears :) I do have to re-synch the twin arm linear actuators occasionally due to the clutch gears though lol.. 

 

On 1/20/2019 at 11:06 AM, ukbajadave said:

Nice work, the modifications to the rear are much more like the real thing. I have 42030 currently built on display and you have inspired me to try something similar.

Also, congratulations on being photobuckets remaining user 

Wow, thanks! I had a good look at the actual machine, but took some considerable poetic licence lol, just how it worked out with the parts I managed to get, but I'm happy :) I think TLG left a lot of scope for aesthetic refinement with this machine (thanks guys), especially with the rear... Good luck! I'd definitely be interested to see what you come up with!

Ha! The last time I really go into internet forums was like back in 2006 or so, so my legacy photohosting has followed me lol! What do all the cool kids use now? :)

On 1/20/2019 at 3:18 PM, SuperChiefer84 said:

Nice work I love my 42030!

Thanks! I think it's a great model too, so wish it was around when I was like 10 lol

[Kiwi Claire]

On 1/20/2019 at 4:53 PM, Berthil said:

Volvo logo on the back is upside down.

Lol, great spotting! I think the door come off/been pulled to bits a few times with kids checking out the fan and motor etc lol, so it may have been put back together shabbily my me. I am pretty anal about any stickers I apply though (generally a sticker minimalist) so I'm pretty sure it would have been the right way up at some point lol.

On 1/20/2019 at 10:32 PM, brickless_kiwi said:

well we are just past the land of down under so the logo would feel right at home being upside down.

Ha! Fellow Kiwi! chur cuzzie :D

On 1/21/2019 at 7:43 AM, grum64 said:

  

 

On 1/21/2019 at 4:26 PM, MangaNOID said:

I wish I was an electronics guru to be able to do this sort of stuff. nice work!

Hi! Thank you :) Its not super tricky, and I'm definitely no guru, I just bout the board off ebay for like $6, its even adjustable, with a digital display! :) I bet you could learn pretty much everything you would need to do basic stuff like this by watching youtube, the future is amazing lol! The hard part with the batttery box thing was just trying to cut the box enough that I could fit the 18650's without it being too weak and falling to bits.  Anyway if you're interested in hobby electrical stuff then I would seriously recommend watching youtube videos about small electrical projects, and then fill in any blanks you might have via other resources if need be. I learnt how to pick locks last year from watching youtube lol! Its crazy.

[M_longer]

31 minutes ago, Kiwi Claire said:

The kids often just forget to take their finger off the control at the end of the arm/bucket's movement, so clutches get a real work out lol, I didn't want to be stressingm so I put in the gears :) I do have to re-synch the twin arm linear actuators occasionally due to the clutch gears though lol.. 

I had this loader:

Being operated only by random kids by two days at exhibition and nothing really bad happened :)

g]

[Kiwi Claire]

 

Quote

10 hours ago, M_longer said:

 Being operated only by random kids by two days at exhibition and nothing really bad happened :)

 

That is so cool!! What an amazing recreation, well done :) The kids look pretty buzzed too lol. That's a really interesting combination of construction styles also  :) Well I might just remove those clutch gears then, we'll get a bit more arm movement speed back too :) Thanks for the advice.

Edited January 22, 2019 by Kiwi Claire

[M_longer]

32 minutes ago, Kiwi Claire said:

Thanks for the advice.

These actuators were used in numerous sets with motors, and there were no white clutch geras used, for best example - 42030 right from the box.

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Great lights system

[TeamThrifty]

On 1/19/2019 at 10:01 PM, M_longer said:

Uhm, you are aware that there are internal clutches inside each linear actuator?

13 hours ago, Kiwi Claire said:

Yes I am, but they sound a little bit harsh, and possibly fast wearing to me..? I'm not sure how they operate though.

I agree... are there definitely clutches in there? It sounds like the teeth jumping to me. I've never taken one apart, sure somebody has, but if thats a clutch its nasty....

Update.. there is a clutch, link below. Image explains the harsh noise. Good to know!

http://www.technicbricks.com/2008/08/tbs-techreview-05-technic-pf-linear.html

[iLego]

@Kiwi Claire Wonderful mods of the set. It's always fun to do a bit more than the original set. And you have done such a neat job ... even the cable tie matches the Lego yellow perfectly !

@TeamThrifty Thanks for the link to the LA description. Its very informative and interesting.

[Kiwi Claire]

On 1/23/2019 at 10:56 AM, LEGO Train 12 Volts said:

Great lights system

Thanks! It was fun to do and I'm looking forward to doing some fancier versions in the future too :)

 

On 1/23/2019 at 11:29 AM, TeamThrifty said:

I agree... are there definitely clutches in there? It sounds like the teeth jumping to me. I've never taken one apart, sure somebody has, but if thats a clutch its nasty....

Update.. there is a clutch, link below. Image explains the harsh noise. Good to know!

http://www.technicbricks.com/2008/08/tbs-techreview-05-technic-pf-linear.html

That is some excellent info! Thank you so much. It actually makes think I might retain the clutch gears for a while yet, as I'm not sure the LA clutching mechanism is quite as benign as the white clutch gears, I'll have a think about it... :) Information is power!

22 hours ago, iLego said:

@Kiwi Claire Wonderful mods of the set. It's always fun to do a bit more than the original set. And you have done such a neat job ... even the cable tie matches the Lego yellow perfectly !

@TeamThrifty Thanks for the link to the LA description. Its very informative and interesting.

Thank you, lol, I wish I'd straightened it out though, and generally checked the model out a bit more carefully before photographing it, I literally just pinched it off the kids for a while to take a few snaps while they were having lunch lol. But yes, I had a container of multicoloured cable ties so it would have been a shame not to... although with the way the Technic team design things these days, I probably should have actually used someblue or red cable ties instead lol... ;)

[JonathanM]

@Kiwi Claire Did you manage to get the voltage board into the battery box profile in addition to the 18650's? I always figured it was too tight for both, but have been wondering about using some smaller lipos instead. How large is the voltage board you used?

Thanks!

[Kiwi Claire]

Just now, JonathanM said:

@Kiwi Claire Did you manage to get the voltage board into the battery box profile in addition to the 18650's? I always figured it was too tight for both, but have been wondering about using some smaller lipos instead. How large is the voltage board you used?

Thanks!

I did get it to fit, only just though. I was originally going to try and squeeze in 3 18650's, and use a similar sized step-down board, but I couldn't get 3 in without completely destroying the structural integrity of the original PF battery box, although 3 would theoretically fit within the profile of the box. I used this item to step the voltage up: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/EYEWINK-LTC1871-100W-6A-DC-Power-Source-Step-Up-Converter-DC-DC-3-5V-30V-5v/32812716509.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.73484c4d9oqLHa

I think a nifty project would be to design a modified PF battery box in AuctoCad, or similar, which can accomodate 3 18650's, plus a standard voltage step up board, which could be 3D printed. Maybe you could even get a run of them moulded. People could just add standard battery spring contacts and wire it up themselves, you could sell it as a kit or something. It might be quite popular, who knows. It wouldn't cost much, as the batteries would be supplied by the user etc. I just wish I had the skills! (hint hint, nudge nudge to any clever folk out there..). I think it weirdly serendipitous that these items fit so snuggly within the footprint of the standard PF battery box, it would be a shame not make the most of that fact..lol

[Lipko]

 

On ‎1‎/‎22‎/‎2019 at 10:01 AM, M_longer said:

Being operated only by random kids by two days at exhibition and nothing really bad happened :)

I also exhibited a model of mine and let kids play with it for hours and some of them let it click for several seconds and even left the model there this way (interestingly even most of the smallest kids realised they have to stop), and I did notice that the LAs' clutches engage a bit earlier than in case of fresh LAs. My model had two operated simulteanously which amplified the problem a bit (one of the LAs clicked earlier so they got unsynchronized and needed to be synchonized a few occasions during the exhibition).

Anyways, combining the white clutch gears with the LA is not a very good idea as the white clutch's engaging torque is quite random so you can't match it with the LA's torque. With one you get a significantly reduced power with another one you might get LA clicking instead. And also the white gears loose clutch power more quickly.

Edited January 24, 2019 by Lipko

[pkueting]

@KiwiClaire: Concerning clutch gears (for protection when being played with by young kids): Do you have any instructions and a parts list?

Thanks in Advance!