@BFI66 posted:Had the same issue…mine stopped oscillating also….but figured the warranty expired
I think the fuel rods need to be replaced, and those are awfully small even in O scale...
At $100 plus handling and shipping for a total cost of at least $125, I would say this should not be a disposable item. I was thinking about getting this but after four failures on this forum and poor customer service I have changed my mind.
Stan2004 and JPloco, thanks for the information and detail. Members like you make this forum valuable.
I have several Menards buildings and like them a lot. I have a Red OWL store and the blinking light starts making noise after running it for a while. At some point I will probably go in from the bottom and disconnect just that light and then stick an LED in to light the sign.
My experiences with Menards customer service has been exceptional. If you have a store in your area, you can always try bringing your building in with or without a receipt and they will help you. I once had an electrical project that I bought a bunch of stuff for and lost the receipt. After deciding not to do the project, I brought the stuff back in and they gave me store credit for all of it -- 2 years later! I finished my basement, 1/2 of which is my train room, using material (wood, electrical, plumbing) and all bathroom fixtures from Menards. There was never an issue returning or exchanging anything. They even took back a shower stall I ordered online from them because it didn't fit right in my opening -- an exception that the manager kindly approved.
Mike
So sorry for breaking the TOS , I was unaware and Stan2004 and myself were just trying to help Iron Horse get his Menards unit running.
@Bill Sherry posted:So sorry for breaking the TOS , I was unaware…
Link to TOS (see the section titled “Use Of The Forum”).
@Bill Sherry posted:So sorry for breaking the TOS , I was unaware and Stan2004 and myself were just trying to help Iron Horse get his Menards unit running.
It was Fredstrains you were responding to, not me.
I just chimed in on the subject to compliment you and Stan2004 for stepping up to help another forum member and to throw my two cents in on my Menards' customer experience and great buildings.
Ironhorse
@IRON HORSE posted:...
I have several Menards buildings and like them a lot. I have a Red OWL store and the blinking light starts making noise after running it for a while. At some point I will probably go in from the bottom and disconnect just that light and then stick an LED in to light the sign.
....
If by "noise" you mean a high-pitch whine, yup, this has been reported for the Red Owl in previous OGR threads such as:
Menards Red Owl High Pitch whine synced with flashing Owl
There have been deeper dives into the cause in other OGR threads such as:
Could it have been designed so as not to create this whine? Sure. But it is what it is. I am not aware of anyone who has taken the time/effort to modify their electronics for silent-running.
There are several motors for sale on an auction site for $5-10 (plus shipping) which might be candidates for anyone ambitious enough to attempt a DIY repair. Search for "Menards DC motor" and you might find something like this.
They are listed as "Used" and he has many many Menards parts salvaged from buildings. Kind of makes me wonder if he has some bulk deal with Menards to get warranty-returns, open-box-returns, etc. and then dis-assembles and re-sells piece parts.
Along the lines of tracking down an unknown motor (if indeed that is what is broken) and there is no known part number, try searching using a photo of the motor. For example, if using the above photo in Google Images, it finds many motors that look like candidate replacements.
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Fredstrains,
How much would it cost you to return it for repair?
Please call this gentleman and ask him if he could fix your accessory.
Robert Bart
724-736-0488
Perryopolis, PA.
Menards does not perform repairs nor sell parts. Status quo these days. I think all of us would be willing to pay a few more dollars for a more reliable and lasting accessory. I will follow up on your suggestion.
@jim sutter posted:Fredstrains,
How much would it cost you to return it for repair?
Please call this gentleman and ask him if he could fix your accessory.
Robert Bart
724-736-0488
Perryopolis, PA.
Thanks Jim, I will call him!! Let you know what he says!!
FREDSTRAINS
I just bought one of these at 50% off online because it was a display. I thought it was just a hot sale. Turns out the screw attaching the oscillating dome fell off. Unfortunately, the entire housing is glued together -- so there is no way to get inside to reattach the screw on top of the dome. It looks like the only way to get inside is to drill a large hole through the top and then cap it with something. Any suggestions?
Mike
@IRON HORSE posted:I just bought one of these at 50% off online because it was a display. I thought it was just a hot sale. Turns out the screw attaching the oscillating dome fell off. Unfortunately, the entire housing is glued together -- so there is no way to get inside to reattach the screw on top of the dome. It looks like the only way to get inside is to drill a large hole through the top and then cap it with something. Any suggestions?
Mike
Pry the glued top panel out- it's just hot glue. I've been in ours and repaired it, not a big deal. You can be careful yet forceful enough to get inside.
@Andrew B. posted:Pry the glued top panel out- it's just hot glue. I've been in ours and repaired it, not a big deal. You can be careful yet forceful enough to get inside.
Andrew,
I will try that. Thanks for reaching out.
Mike
@IRON HORSE posted:Andrew,
I will try that. Thanks for reaching out.
Mike
It's going to seem like it will break. There is, underneath, some black paper (like a construction paper weight), and it may tear some, but when the panel lays back in, between the light and the fact it'll lay in the same spot, that won't be visible.
The screw is right there, and the motor is also accessible. The motor is the same RF-300C family of motors Lionel uses in many of their accessories today. They're available on the auction site and Amazon for like $2.50 to $5.00 per motor.
Andrew,
I took your advice and it worked. I used a screwdriver and the glue popped. Once that happened, the top dyed brown plexiglass lifted right out. I was able to put the screw in and it works great. Thanks for your help! Thanks also for the replacement parts tip.
Mike
Wow, that’s great for you guys!! Meanwhile I gave mine away & ordered a new one !! Bummer !
I wonder who the core set of target customers is for this particular product. Given its cost, I would have thought that it would be serious train folks like the people on this Board. And, I think I speak for all of us in saying that we would gladly pay 50% more for any accessory if it was a quality- built item that would last without any problems for years to come. I would also think that for upper middle-class Dad's who are buying this for their kids at Christmas or for birthday's, they would gladly pay the extra price too.
So, why does Menard's continuously lean into cheap and unreliable designs and materials? I mean really, how hard is it to use metal gears instead of plastic gears, etc. Anybody, rich or poor, who buys one of these accessories and then sees it conk out within a year or so is likely to never buy an accessory from Menard's again. I certainly wouldn't. Don't they get that?
And, what do the kids think of Menard products, when they see this toy just stop working on their layout after a short time. I can tell you what they think, . . . they are really disappointed. Does Menards think that in 10 years, these kids will buy these types of products from Menards? No, they will just be saying, "I remember when my Dad bought me one of these for about $150 on my birthday, and it conked out a year or so later."
Or, perhaps I am wrong, and the target group of customers for this product are actually folks who are looking to buy something cool that day for their kids or layout, and don't really care about the fact that it will be inoperative in a year or so?
I wonder, does the fact that Menard's only makes limited runs of these accessories, and then heavily advertises them, indicate that they are selling these as impulse purchase items at a price point, and they know that they are not going to be able to sell them in any quantity two or three years down the road, when news gets out about their reliability? Make it cheap, sell it quick, and then get out? Is that the business strategy? I just don't know.
My hope is: Menards, please charge more, and built for quality and longevity.
Any thoughts on this?
Mannyrock
And here I was thinking the reactor was having a meltdown 
While it would be great if everything lasted more than a year, can you think of anything that has more than a 1 year warranty these days?
I have a similar (I think) problem with the Menard's "Vetter Sash" building. First, let me say it is a terrific structure, large and very detailed. My problem is that like the gyrating part of the power plant, the window fans have stopped rotating. I believe that the motor still runs whenever there is power to the building, but no spin on the fan blades. Does anyone know whether the fans run on a gear which may have broken or on a drive belt which may have fallen off of a pulley? Can the problem be repaired? If so, with what and what is the best way in with the least probable damage to the building?
Thanks for your help.
Joe S.
CBO,
Yea, I understand exactly what you are saying. But would you pay $150.00 for a table lamp, if other folks were telling you that it will fail in 1 to 2 years?
I have a few Bachman by Williams conventional engines that I paid $145 for brand new, which may be far more complex than the accessory under discussion, and I have run them pretty hard for 3 years, without any problems. They only had a one- year warranty, and I wouldn't be surprised if I get 10 years out of them.
I guess it all depends on where one draws the price line for something that is fun but likely to fail in a short time. For me, $100 plus is over the limit.
Thanks for your comments.
Mannyrock
@Mannyrock posted:I wonder who the core set of target customers is for this particular product. Given its cost, I would have thought that it would be serious train folks like the people on this Board. And, I think I speak for all of us in saying that we would gladly pay 50% more for any accessory if it was a quality- built item that would last without any problems for years to come. I would also think that for upper middle-class Dad's who are buying this for their kids at Christmas or for birthday's, they would gladly pay the extra price too.
So, why does Menard's continuously lean into cheap and unreliable designs and materials? I mean really, how hard is it to use metal gears instead of plastic gears, etc. Anybody, rich or poor, who buys one of these accessories and then sees it conk out within a year or so is likely to never buy an accessory from Menard's again. I certainly wouldn't. Don't they get that?
And, what do the kids think of Menard products, when they see this toy just stop working on their layout after a short time. I can tell you what they think, . . . they are really disappointed. Does Menards think that in 10 years, these kids will buy these types of products from Menards? No, they will just be saying, "I remember when my Dad bought me one of these for about $150 on my birthday, and it conked out a year or so later."
Or, perhaps I am wrong, and the target group of customers for this product are actually folks who are looking to buy something cool that day for their kids or layout, and don't really care about the fact that it will be inoperative in a year or so?
I wonder, does the fact that Menard's only makes limited runs of these accessories, and then heavily advertises them, indicate that they are selling these as impulse purchase items at a price point, and they know that they are not going to be able to sell them in any quantity two or three years down the road, when news gets out about their reliability? Make it cheap, sell it quick, and then get out? Is that the business strategy? I just don't know.
My hope is: Menards, please charge more, and built for quality and longevity.
Any thoughts on this?
Mannyrock
And from my perspective why would anyone like/buy this structure since it is nothing like a real Nuclear power station/plant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ron
I'm not going to pretend I know Menards' product strategy. However, I'm pretty sure they don't intend to build products that only last a short while. I'm sure a part of their decisions are driven by price. Too high and they either will not sell or people would complain openly about it. I have several of their buildings and I bought them because they are innovative and completely different structures than what's available from others. The basic structures are built well, out of MDF and/or heavy plastics or resins. If a motor fails or an LED fails, with help from fellow Forum members like Stan2004 here, there are inexpensive technical solutions. This Nuclear facility, though not prototypical, is FUN. It lit up my train room like a disco last night. That's FUN giving it a full nuclear vibe, even though I'm not a fan of disco music. I first saw this building featured on a layout on last year's L.O.T.S. convention and I've wanted it since.
Mike
@IRON HORSE posted:If a motor fails or an LED fails, with help from fellow Forum members like Stan2004 here, there are inexpensive technical solutions.
Stan is no longer a member here.
@Mannyrock posted:I wonder who the core set of target customers is for this particular product. Given its cost, I would have thought that it would be serious train folks like the people on this Board. And, I think I speak for all of us in saying that we would gladly pay 50% more for any accessory if it was a quality- built item that would last without any problems for years to come. I would also think that for upper middle-class Dad's who are buying this for their kids at Christmas or for birthday's, they would gladly pay the extra price too.
So, why does Menard's continuously lean into cheap and unreliable designs and materials? I mean really, how hard is it to use metal gears instead of plastic gears, etc. Anybody, rich or poor, who buys one of these accessories and then sees it conk out within a year or so is likely to never buy an accessory from Menard's again. I certainly wouldn't. Don't they get that?
And, what do the kids think of Menard products, when they see this toy just stop working on their layout after a short time. I can tell you what they think, . . . they are really disappointed. Does Menards think that in 10 years, these kids will buy these types of products from Menards? No, they will just be saying, "I remember when my Dad bought me one of these for about $150 on my birthday, and it conked out a year or so later."
Or, perhaps I am wrong, and the target group of customers for this product are actually folks who are looking to buy something cool that day for their kids or layout, and don't really care about the fact that it will be inoperative in a year or so?
I wonder, does the fact that Menard's only makes limited runs of these accessories, and then heavily advertises them, indicate that they are selling these as impulse purchase items at a price point, and they know that they are not going to be able to sell them in any quantity two or three years down the road, when news gets out about their reliability? Make it cheap, sell it quick, and then get out? Is that the business strategy? I just don't know.
My hope is: Menards, please charge more, and built for quality and longevity.
Any thoughts on this?
Mannyrock
We've put over 850 hours over the course of six years on ours with a single repair (the motor replacement). Actually, the hours are probably more like a thousand because the circuit it was previously on is always-on when the layout is powered (when we're doing repairs/updates/construction).
In fact, all the Menards accessories we run at the Train Garden have been significantly more reliable than the K-Line and Lionel accessories we have had.
Under pretty extreme conditions, it has proven a level of reliability I'd kill to have from more expensive Lionel items.
@PRRronbh posted:And from my perspective why would anyone like/buy this structure since it is nothing like a real Nuclear power station/plant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ron
Because not everyone is looking to build a scale model of reality. Believe it or not, but some people can allow imagination/fantasy to contribute to their fun. For us with a public Christmas display, the lights contribute to the whimsy of the season. Trust me, nobody would show up to a Christmas display if we were building it to resemble actual muddy, grimy, dirty, restricted railroad rights of way.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:Stan is no longer a member here.
GRJ,
I am sorry to hear that. Like you, he's a really smart dude and has helped me a ton resolving technical issues over the years.
Mike
Update on the menards dc motor in the nuclear power plant. The plant is a PITA to open up but be gentle and pry carefully. Look at the location of the tabs in the pictures above and DON'T PRY WHERE TABs ARE LOCATED!!! Consider a putty knife and also use a utility knife where you can reach to slice the paper bottom that is glued to the structure. On to the motor discussion.....
Relative to motors that work. We know the Menard power supply is 4.5 volts.
After much searching, I bought this one to try even though the 6v voltage was a bit high. Fortunately, it runs fine at 5.8 volts and has a nice slow rotation. I am a bit worried about the leds but there is no simple way to add a single extra resistor. One thing I found out is that the drive shaft and final gear on these motors come off with removing three screws on the face and you can switch the drive shaft for the original one. this drive shaft in the screen capture is longer than the original, so I switched the one that was on the dead original motor. BTW, the speed is great. One of the things that may kill these motors is that it appears they drag on the surface below. I added a small washer to reduce the friction and raise the dome slightly off the floor of the reactor. this also is a good safety practice to reduce radiation.
Don't you hate when this happens? I just found these that are rated to start at 3 volts so they would probably be perfect for 4.5 volts. I assume they would be slower than 18rpm at this low voltage. I may blow $6.64 and try one? Once again, if you buy one you can trade your dead motor shaft and housing (the white part) with what comes on this new one- an easy switch and you can add a bit of vaseline lube too.
Here is a video of the final product- one has the light from the phone and one has no ambient light. You have to cut off the lights to appreciate these things!
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Hokie,
I recently bought the second motor that you show in your pictures. I am using it on my model hangman's scaffold, to pull the victim up and down when a train goes by. (I use 6 volt dc motion detectors, that are made for installing on windows to trigger an alarm if someone moves them.)
Having had not any experience with these cheap little motors, I just wonder how long they will last. It will be a total pain and failure if they just burn out from occasional use 6 months from now.
I guess we will both find out!
(Go Cavaliers!)
Mannyrock
@Fredstrains posted:Wow, that’s great for you guys!! Meanwhile I gave mine away & ordered a new one !! Bummer !
Well it's been over a year (A few weeks to be sure) and my "Second One" lost some lights !! It's getting exprnsive replacing these all the time! No REPLIES from MENARDS regarduing this!!!
FREDSTRAINS
@Fredstrains posted:Well it's been over a year (A few weeks to be sure) and my "Second One" lost some lights !! It's getting exprnsive replacing these all the time! No REPLIES from MENARDS regarduing this!!!
FREDSTRAINS
Fred,
A few questions and thoughts,
Are you powering this at 4.5 volts using a decent power supply? This might impact the failure issues you have.
have you considered trying a repair? All the electric components in the nuclear plant can be bought for $10-12. These small dc motors seem to be the standard for hobby projects so I don't think we can hang them on Menard. Plus, for Led repair you could use a led motherboard like @Rod Stewart produces for passenger car lighting.
Might be fun since I think a lifetime warranty and a repair center may not have been in the Menard business plan at this price point.
My email is in my profile if you want to trade a dead one for a good one. These are too cool to pitch!
Paul,
Will try to EMail you regarding this!!
FREDSTRAINS (EMAIL in my PROFILE as well)
