Toys back from the dead, a cautionary tale

[Stomski]

With Generations Select Star Convoy coming, I decided to revisit my G1+Reissues box. Having had some issues with leaking batteries on various bits of equipment over the years I feared the worst and my fears were well founded.

The list of casualties so far is-

Star Convoy Reissue - 4/4AA batteries all leaked, even into the plastic insert. The conveyor belt section can be detached without unscrewing and can be disassembled relatively easily. Fortunately, after opening and examination the leak didn't get into the motor itself, but had taken out a battery cable. There is some corrosion on the battery connection springs and of the front axle, but this is surface level only. Extensive cleanup with lemon juice and cleaning with WD40 has heeded semi decent results, but the cable will need to be replaced. Will report back after I have made more progress.

Galvatron Reissue - 1/2AAA battery minor leaked. Small amount of lemon juice cleaned up and he's back to spouting angry Japanese nonsense and lights flashing.

G2 Megatron - 2/2AA batteries leaked. Didn't appear to get out of the battery compartment so a quick clean and scrape of the battery connectors which had some surface level corrosion on them and he's back referring to himself in the third person *rolls on the floor for driving sounds*

More to come as I go through various boxes from the garage and loft.

What toys have you brought back to life?

[Llama God]

None. I lack the digital dexterity to do so, so it's just as well that in most cases I've remembered to remove the batteries before storing. In most cases...

[The Doctor]

I always forget to remove batteries so I probably have some Now Dead Toys.

-Ralph

[Stomski]

I am systematically checking my toys. Tonight - the Masterpiece display cabinet.

MP-01 - 2/2xLR44 minor leakage, simple clean up required
MP-05 - 2/2xLR44 leakage, may need to dissasemble
MP-08 - 2/2xLR44 minor leakage, but LED still functional, clean up required

Then we get onto newer figures, which didn't come with batteries.
MP-29 - 0/2xLR44 0/2AAA - never inserted batteries, safe!
MP-36 - 0/2LR44 never inserted batteries, safe!
MP-43 - 0/2LR44 never inserted batteries, safe!

I don't think there were any other electronics in other Masterpieces were there? MPM-01 Starscream did, but that's in my movie toys box as it's the 2010 Leader version rather than the MPM version so he'll be checked another day.

[Pinwig]

I ought to pay more attention to this kind of thing. I do try to make sure I remove batteries when toys go into storage but it's easy to forget. The electrics in the Animated Magnus I bought new/sealed at TFN don't work pressing the try me button. I need to open that one up to see if it's just that the batteries have died, being 12 years old, or whether something's leaked.

Do the little button batteries like the ones you get in watches leak? There are loads of those in 3p toys.

[Stomski]

Yes, as found in normal MP above.

[Pinwig]

Ugh. That'll be a huge job just to work out which toys have batteries in.

[Stomski]

Tonight's adventure - Beast Machines Box #1

Supreme Cheetor - 0/2AA out of charge, but still ok. Replaced batteries and lights an sound sound still function.
Nightscream - 1/2LR44 extremely very minor leakage, cleanup as a precaution.
Jetstorm - 2/2LR44 very minor leakage, cleanup as a precaution
RiD Air Attack Optimus Primal - 1/3AAA severe leakage! I'm going to need to conduct more in depth investigations and take this bad boy apart. There are a lot of parts hinged with electronics so it'll be a delicate job for another day.

BONUS! Generations Reissue Trypticon - Checked the box, doesn't come with batteries. Safe!

[Stomski]

The box of "Cool Japanese Stuff" holds many exciting treasures... From Disney Transformers Buzz Lightyear, to Sports Label Nike shoes, Cloud Megatron/Starscream, Beast Wars 2/Neo leaders and who knows what else. None of these have batteries in, but there are a few worries... Device Label and those ROTF Remote Control doohickeys that were never used for a game of Headmaster football at TFNation as planned that one year.

Device Label Soundwave - 1/1xAAA minor leakage, simple clean up required
Robo-Q ROTF Remote Control Bumblebee - Built in L-ION Battery - UNKNOWN! (Handset - 0/4xAA - Batteries not included)
Robo-Q ROTF Remote Control Optimus Prime - Built in L-ION Battery - UNKNOWN! (Handset - 0/4xAA - Batteries not included)

[Stomski]

Oct 3, 2019 21:04:05 GMT Stomski said:

Nightscream - 1/2LR44 extremely very minor leakage, cleanup as a precaution.

Noooo... Finally got around to cleaning these and made the mistake of picking Nightscream by the leg. The hip flap that covers the robot head in bat mode is on a very small rotation joint and it snapped. Oh well, terrible figure as it was. I look forward to putting him back in the box and forgetting about it for another 15 years.

[Stomski]

Oct 1, 2019 21:05:49 GMT Stomski said:

Star Convoy Reissue - 4/4AA batteries all leaked, even into the plastic insert. The conveyor belt section can be detached without unscrewing and can be disassembled relatively easily. Fortunately, after opening and examination the leak didn't get into the motor itself, but had taken out a battery cable. There is some corrosion on the battery connection springs and of the front axle, but this is surface level only. Extensive cleanup with lemon juice and cleaning with WD40 has heeded semi decent results, but the cable will need to be replaced. Will report back after I have made more progress.

It's ALIIIIVE!!!!!

Took longer than I thought. Had to do further cleanup and the connection of another cable needed to be resoldered.

After all this time, I had also forgotten how to put it back together. There are 2 little black tubes which I think act as rollers for the tracks on the underside... here's hoping!

[Stomski]

Hrmm. After the clean up on Air Attack Optimus Primal, once I press his chest, the wooshing noise WON'T STOP! OK, if I push his head down, the voice clips play, but then it instantly starts up again...

WooooooRghghgWooooooRghghgWooooooRghghgWooooooRghghgWooooooRghghgWooooooRghghgWooooooRghghgWooooooRghghgWooooooRghghgWooooooRghghgWooooooRghghgWooooooRghghg...

edit: OK - the TFWiki states-

Doing so "turns on" his electronics with a metallic shrieking noise, and the toy proceeds to hum constantly while the chest glows with a red LED. The electronics will eventually "turn off" if the toy is left idle

So maybe I should just leave it longer.

[Llama God]

It should do. It's been about an hour now, according to the Hub's reckoning, so has it, or are you driven to rage..?

[Philip Ayres]

Phil is tired and read the title as "Torys back from the dead, a cautionary tale" and was very scared.

[Stomski]

I haven't tested it, the noise is way too annoying. Batteries removed for my sanity.

[The Doctor]

Nov 24, 2020 13:50:21 GMT Philip Ayres said:

Phil is tired and read the title as "Torys back from the dead, a cautionary tale" and was very scared.

And yet, whenever I read about Air Attack Primal all I can think of is Cullen's Story.

-Ralph

[Philip Ayres]

As do we all

[Stomski]

Do remind me. Surely it can't compare to Ultimate BB or RiD UM?

[Philip Ayres]

It involves the toy being stored under John's bed.....

[Stomski]

Nov 26, 2020 23:23:20 GMT Philip Ayres said:

It involves the toy being stored under John's bed.....

Are we sure it was AA-Primal and not one of the other "toys" that were under there?

After further testing, mine does indeed shut up after some time. I would have preferred to completely disassemble for a thorough clean, but the screws were very stiff and I've had too many bad experiences with cheap screws being stripped.

[Philip Ayres]

Nov 27, 2020 11:52:54 GMT Stomski said:

Nov 26, 2020 23:23:20 GMT Philip Ayres said:

It involves the toy being stored under John's bed.....

Are we sure it was AA-Primal and not one of the other "toys" that were under there?

Oh yes. The story sticks in the mind.

[The Doctor]

It was 100% Primal.

-Ralph

[The Doctor]

ARGH!

I threw out the bag the Fall of Cybetron Wreckers had lived in when moving house. I forgot to check the figures. Now I see that Impactor's harpoon is missing! I must have thrown it out!!!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

-Ralph

[Stomski]

Finally processing more old toys. This week, animated.

Leader Bulkhead. Batteries leaked. Need to give it a clean. Looks to have leaked into the window, may need to do a complete disassembly.

Voyager Starscream. Legs and hand keep popping off. Not much to be done here.

Voyager Optimus Prime. Auto transform gimmick totally kaput. Needs further investigation, may need to disassemble. Edit: after transforming with proper care, this seems ok.

Deluxe Ironhide. One very stiff shoulder. Can live with it.

Not got to the other Leaders yet, I suspect Megatron and Ultra Magnus suffered similar fates to Bulkhead. Edit: Megatron fine, batteries ok! UM sadly a mess. Will require a good clean up.

[Stomski]

Animated Blitzwing in surgery for his assembly error on the arms.

The report on TfWiki of the soft plastic helmet becoming sticky has fortunately been avoided.

[Stomski]

Dark of the Moon Autobot Ark. Wasn't stored with batteries, but lights work, sound doesn't.

Not sure if I ever put batteries in it new, so may have always been broken.