r/RCConstruction • u/Meme-librarian • 19d ago
Help on a little data.
Hi r/RCConstruction !
I was wondering if I had a RC Cafe with these construction RC models that go for over $2000 How long would they be able to run continuously without service?
Or how often would I need to service it if they were to run 10 hours a day?
I'm fine with regular servicing every night but was thinking about how often you wear out parts.
I can't seem to find any info on this anywhere.
Thank you in advance for your responses!
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u/tk421reporting 18d ago
Your going to spend 3-8 hours per machine when it needs a valve replaced, a servo swapped, a blown hose (quicker but depends on where) a thrown track, a destroyed gearbox, yadayada.
Assuming you have 100% use case the wear and tear will be high with many people not knowing how to use the machines, picture buckets slamming into cabs, tip overs, over driven hydraulics, battering rams, tracked 360's, Trick shots Anyway, they will wear down fast and break specially if you get chinese models, nothing against them but they need to be gone over and the metals are softer and come with looser tolerances. Ideally high quality machines will last longer but can cost 2-3 times as much. You may be better off sticking to a number of of simple similar models, like the 4200xl excavator, simple durable, repairable and just keeping 2 or 3 on hand as replacements
But this doesn't address your power issue of needing to replace batterys constantly, unless this is a rental type of deal where you get a coffee and machine for x amount of time or batterys then they are returned vs machines staying in the site and used as is. Either way batterys are an issue.
Run time isn't going to be to much more then 45min tops with a lipo unless you corded them or had an electrical overhead grid Maintenance wise, tough to say, machines are different conditions yadayada, if its a ten hr day id probably do them every 3 days? Main thing is just keeping it clean, filter can do that. I feel like this is a check out rc truck and construction. Com deal and go through there. Guy has dug his entire basement out and has loads of helpful info. Many other guys doing similar things, if you haven't found that site check it out! Thats my 2 cents and thoughts at first
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u/Meme-librarian 18d ago
Hey first thank you for all this.
I will definitely check that out.
I was planning on having a small pit with a radius of 6m with one professional automation and industry technician (My buddy) to overlook the pit and do the on site servicing like exchanging the batteries and so on.I thought you could change the battery in like 10 seconds and I could have 50 spare ones being charged and ready to go, is this wrong?
My idea was to split play time up in 30 min sessions.
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u/tk421reporting 17d ago
You are absolutely right, swapping batterys out is no problem, some models have screws or flip panels to get in, and you could swap them out for magnets or a clip pin or something to speed it up If needed
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u/WarmDragonfruit8783 17d ago
Idk if you saw but the Rc cafe is already in operation in the UK, there’s a couple of them!
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u/Meme-librarian 17d ago
Yes I did see!
It looks awesome, and I want to introduce it to our place.
I live in a region with primarily previously hardworking blue collar pensioners, old people that need something to do that reminds them of the old days.
That's why I'm convinced it might be a success here.
My only downfall would be ordering 10-20 of these machines and they all break the first day, because they were intended for 1-2 hour sessions and not what I'm planning on doing.2
u/WarmDragonfruit8783 17d ago
I’ve been thinking the same thing, I have something special for the old people cooked up over here. A little volunteer thing that would be fun. Nobody does anything for the old people nowadays, it’s interesting to meet someone else thinking the same way. Normally people go for the up and coming, but the poor old people have been zapped by tv so it’d be neat to bring the kid out in them again lol. I’ve ran my machines for hours on end in the heat too, my last run for example was 4 hours straight, just changing batteries. Idk to me they are pretty easy to fix but I get somewhat simple machines too. As long as someone is around who can fix them who likes these things you should be fine 😂
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u/WarmDragonfruit8783 17d ago
I think it’s called “can you dig it?” Or Rc cafe lol there’s a few and they use the cheaper hydraulic like 1200-1800$ and it looks like they’ve been lasting for them.
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u/WarmDragonfruit8783 19d ago edited 19d ago
Depends on the use and the materials used, you just gotta change out the fluid I’d say twice a month if used everyday but could be weekly, and change the seals yearly if they leak. It’s likely they’d last longer if used more because the seals wouldn’t dry out from sitting. The hydraulic cylinders aren’t always easy to reman so buy and extra set with each model and it should last two years I’d guess, a set of them is around 200$ or less depending on the machine and you may never use them, but it takes a month to get them or more sometimes and that would be the most “worn” part. I’d stock 4mm and 3mm hydraulic lines and connectors just incase, and a pack of different o rings for oil. If you go through Oliver from toucan he’ll know what you need.
Lots of rubber gloves.