A friend has a brand new NH I5, test run only & in mint condition. On DCC it runs smoothly in throtle 1.
In all higher throttle positions it surges on every rotation of the drivers to such an extent that it is not useable.
He contacted the maker & was told “too bad”. I am very capable of repairing most things but would like to hear of any one who has had the same problem with an I5.
Marree Mixed
This sounds either unreasonable, incomplete, or untrue. Is the engine out of warranty? What would prompt BLI to type or say, “Too bad?” That has never been their reply to me, and I have returned four locomotives to them in the past six years, including one out of warranty and one of dubious origin, which they agreed to fix as if it were still under warranty.
Be that as it may, it sounds as if you have either driver(s) out of quarter or cogging in a gear, possibly a bent shaft or split gear. I had a BLI J supposedly new, but it had a cogging problem at low speeds. It was diagnosed as a split gear by my decoder installer friend, and BLI agreed to treat it as a new engine under warranty even though I purchased it from an e-seller on that auction site.
BLI will fix any engine for which they have the part(s) for a $41 fee, including parts, labor, and return shipping. It is a bargain if you can’t or won’t do it yourself.
Crandell
Has your friend tried turning off BEMF?
David B
I cannot imagine either BLI or FDTs making such a statement on a inquiry of one of their products,Unlike some they both stand behind their products 100 percent…
I don’t undertsand why the complaint. If it had been a completely brass engine it probably wouldn’t have run at all, so it’s “half” brass and it runs, half way…sounds right to me!!! ;-]
Mark
WGAS
I have a BLI Hybrid I-5, and have since they first came out. It is without a doubt the best running steam engine I have, and that includes 6 NH brass steam and several NH plastic steam models.
The only problem I’ve had with mine is that one time, while running it, the loco just upped and died. The whistle then commenced to “hoot…hoot…hoot…” over and over. I reset it, and all it would do is hoot at me. I sent it back, and BLI fixed it (probably just replaced the chip).
I have not had any mechanical difficulty with my BLI I-5.
Paul A. Cutler III