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RailPro => RailPro Specific Help & Discussion => Topic started by: ON28 on March 02, 2021, 10:40:05 AM

Title: RP's hard case module design
Post by: ON28 on March 02, 2021, 10:40:05 AM

Seeing as how space for decoders is at a premium in new diesels from Scale Trains, Rapido, etc., and not all of us want to grind out the weight:

--Is Ring considering abandoning/changing the module hard case for heatshrink?

--Can I remove the hard case, warranty be damned, and realize space savings?

Thanking you in advance for your thoughtful views.

Title: Re: RP's hard case module design
Post by: William Brillinger on March 02, 2021, 12:24:27 PM

Yes, you can remove the case. Yes, bye bye warranty.
Be sure to protect the electronics with Kapton Tape.

Title: Re: RP's hard case module design
Post by: Tom on March 02, 2021, 05:53:00 PM

Any comments about how to remove the case without damaging innards?  And can one apply his own large size heatshrink from a kit bought to get heatshrink for 32GA wire?

Title: Re: RP's hard case module design
Post by: faithie999 on March 02, 2021, 06:25:45 PM

not sure about the thermal conductivity of heat shrink vs the plastic housing, but "a friend of mine" told me that you can slice the paper label with an xacto knife along the lines between the top and bottom of the plastic cover and then the cover will come right apart.

Title: Re: RP's hard case module design
Post by: William Brillinger on March 02, 2021, 06:27:49 PM

No need to slice the label, you can just peel it around to open it. The shell will come right off.

I would not apply heat to the module.

Title: Re: RP's hard case module design
Post by: faithie999 on March 02, 2021, 06:40:24 PM

my comment about thermal conductivity was about the use of heat shrink to replace the plastic housing.  what I was getting at was whether the module might overheat if shrink wrap is used.  I know that you recommend Kapton if the housing is not used.

Title: Re: RP's hard case module design
Post by: William Brillinger on March 02, 2021, 06:53:00 PM

I would not apply heat shrink to the module. You need heat to shrink it and I recommend against that.
A very thin heat shrink material will probably not cause a thermal problem itself. I would avoid the thicker ones.

Title: Re: RP's hard case module design
Post by: Alan on March 02, 2021, 07:29:40 PM

The module is packed wall-to-wall in the case. You gain only the thickness of the case nothing more. Heat shrink wall thickness will be nearly the thickness of the case. You gain nothing or very little.

Kapton tape is very thin. At least the tape I have is. A single wrap of Kapton adds little thickness.

Plastic is a poor heat conductor. Neither the original case nor a slug of heat shrink will be any good at dissipating heat.

Title: Re: RP's hard case module design
Post by: ON28 on March 02, 2021, 10:11:00 PM

Thanks for the info, I'll take it under advisement.