1974

I have the set with box at home (one of my fav Technic sets, btw) - I'll go have a look tonite

I'd like to hear what Sinner/MODs/site owners thinks about all this So far, it's been a healthy, sober conversation allthough views are in opposite ends

Yeah, we get the same megablocks in Denmark, Peter Up from to 220VAC to 230VAC, but it's +6% / -10%! Same as allways, sigh .. UK went from 240VAC to 230VAC +10% / - 6% (same as AUS, but you share the same power history (<- bad pun, I know!). So basicly, it's 230VAC/50Hz on half of the planet, 110VAC/60Hz on the other half ('Cept Japan, they got BOTH!) Technically, there have been some regulation though. There are several HVDC (high voltage direct current as you cannot have AC cables, they'll act like a capacitor and a lot power will be lost) links (=undersea cables) between the the european mainland and UK. But since they convert everything (voltage and frequency) it does not matter too much. It's all syncronized in the end But an extreme case would be if someone bought an old tube amplifer from Germany (220VAC) and used it in a poorly regulated place in the UK. Then you could get as much as 15% overvoltage on the heaters and that would surely shorten the tubes life I can see the local 60kV substation from my window and I'm pretty close to 230VAC allways. Wouldn't matter as all my hifi/music/studio gear (and of course LEGO!) is plug into power conditioners anyway. 230VAC here +/- 1% Ok, lesson over! It does not really mater if it's 220/230/240VAC, both the outboard transformer will deal with it and the internal regulation in the 9V controller don't care Back to something more trainy then ... Edit, I just love that EB replaces bvllshit with megablocks, haha

Thanx I've made even better LEGO deals than that. Also picked up another 8366 for 50$ today. Gonna have a nice race with my son this weekend

What country might that be? You have money for LEGO which is #"¤#!! expensive but not 5$ per year for this site?

How do you know that? Got TLG sales numbers? It's just sitting on shelves gathering dust here in Denmark. My people in the sales biz says the same. No kid really wants this. Apart from the motors, it was just regular parts I'm quite sure TLG will _not_ make a fast car with those parts. They have made many RC cars in that last 10 years. They all had special parts, some didn't even have any Technicn/system parts at all And there's a reason for that. LEGO is _not_ high performance RC. Not now, not then, not ever. Just have look at real RC vehicles and you'll find out

Agree, but only in this universe that we (somehwat) understand. I sure would like a ticket (not one-way only please) to some of those other universes. I guess they must be filled with those flying cars from the 70's .. PM machines, making fvck with human minds since 2000BC

What Andy said

I think you got hosed there, mate as I just picked up one locally for £20 Missing the four lightsabers and stickers are peeling, but otherwise mint But what do those flaps on the remote do? Darn, this thing is fast! RC parts does not take up much room (to my surprise), so I think I'll try to make something buggy like (with suspension) without going PF. Should run a bit faster with 9398 wheels

It's not free, nothing is free. This forum is not free. The people who work to make it work do not work for free. Do they get paid? No, they take their dear time to to make EB work. That is not free. They got kids, wifes, boring work and LEGO to build as well, you know Goddamn, I may be and old fart (actually, I'm not as you can guess by my name), but I _hate_ this 'the internet is free' mentality. If this was a physical club would you think it would be 'free'? No, why not? I'm a member (mod and owner as well) of several fora. Some of them have paid membership _only_ That actually really keeps the riff raff out and only attracts really interesting and lasting members (and also interesting, paid forums have MUCH less need of moderation). Not saying this is what should happen here, but I've seen some of the biggest fora (in their speciality) vanish because something better came along. Does not happen to those fora that have a really good hold of key members though Just my 20 year experience on the net Sure, don't want to pay, you can just find another high quality LEGO forum out there. Oh, wait - you can't! I find it amazing that people who spend countless of hours posting and reading cannot find just a few dollars each month to help EB continue. Funny, as it's probably the same people who spends a shitload of money on little plastic bricks made for children every month Ok, my soapbox broke and I'm off to bed I guess I'm in the minority here. Just continue as allways and set up that PayPal account, so I can pay for what I like Cheers, Ole

You don't have a bank account, creditcard or PayPal account? How do you eh, manage life?

Are you sure (yes, I know you're down there!)?. It used to be 240VAC but it's been changed to 230VAC (alllthough mostly only on paper, just like the switch from 220VAC to 230VAC in Denmark) as far as I know? Edit : Apparantly "The Utilities Act 2000" formalized the changeover of Australia to a nominal 230V Supply, I found some official pdfs explaining it Sorry for the OT!

PWM does not regulate neither voltage nor current, it governs the time that power is applied The 9V regulator is just an LM317 Vreg and I believe the old grey 12V transformer is an ever more simple with no actual active regulation The 7898 IR train is also PWM and that predates PF

Really? In some of other fora (not LEGO related) I've been using/modding this has been no problem At least I suggest setting up an official EB PayPal account with a link on the frontpage so you could get donations

I wouldn't mind a paid membership, but I'm not looking for perks. I just think it's fair that I pay for what I use A monthly payment of X dollars would be prefered way of doing it. If you need 6K$ yearly (MY guess, Sinner hasn't told me), I guess X would like 10$ if 50 people are willing to do it. Not entirely unrealistic I think Where do I sign up?

PM answered Cheers, Ole

I like NO ads in my life, they're annoying crap. If EB needs money they know how to contact me

Both Germany and Australia uses 230VAC, no problem. You just need a simple adapter to convert the plug (or cut the old one off if possible)

Nor have I , but they can be an exellent source of parts at heavy discount. I got 20x 9391 at 70% off .. no need to buy tracklinks or small turntables ever

858 is probably the most rare set of all. There a few sets with limited worldwide release like 1924, 1972 and 8847 (those were in a two year span btw, don't know of any other non-regular releases) 1972 was US only but I do remember buying it in Denmark when I was a kid. Just got one again somehat accidently a few weeks ago. It was probably not hard to get in Denmark back then I reckon. I guess nobody (including TLG) knows ... Every other set ever released can be found on BL/ebay etc .. I think Technic sets ('cept that darn 41999) were made in rather significant numbers, meaning hundreds of thousands. Some might be hard to get today on BL/ebay but that is just because people are not willing to sell them

We have many zillions of transistors, yes I've found both .. beam me Fresko

Those are in no way powerfull enough BC547/2Nxxxx (as suggested) is around half a watt, the 2SC/2SAs here are 10 watt. They're not heatsinked and thus must be derated by 'bout 75%. TO-92 transistors don't like working all that hard and the 2SC/SAs types are the proper ones for the job. But they're not critical at all, you could probably run it with BD139/140, but let's keep it original shall we I have some at work. PM me your adress and I'll send you a couple of pairs for you Cheers, Ole

Keep down the PSI or you're gonna pop a tube, brother Pneumatics are nice, but fluid they're not. At least not in the official sets. Theyre are very hard to control. LA's are not. Both have their place, imo

Yeah, I got several from my Blacktron bases (they we're mostly used in Classic Space sets) : It's the 2428 : http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=2428 ' Cheers, Ole Ninja'ed by the one who likes sheep

Yeah, PoP arches in red! TLG should have created a 8 wide window for set as it looks like they'll go 8 wide in the future anyway. But will they make new baseplates to boot? Nice truck, but the trailer looks like something designed ten years ago? Much less sofisticated than the last one .. odd