RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

I just opened my Haya Chieftain. After the usual examination, grease, oil, smoke fluid, etc., I tried it. Everything worked, turret, tracks, various lights, machine guns, sounds, even the barrel flash and smoke five times. I shut the tank down for a few minutes after that test. When I put the tank back on, the barrel would flash, but no smoke. Suddenly, there was an acrid smell. Uh-oh! Reopening the tank, I found the smoker for the barrel hotter than heck. Here's a photo:
The (tungsten?) heating element seems fine, wound wire between the two poles. There is a cloth (?) sleeve wrapped around the wound wire that looks scorched, and there was some scorching on the cotton wad, which was nonetheless still moist from smoke fluid. Does the heating element appear OK? What kind of cotton is used inside? Could I just scrounge the cotton out of a surplus HengLong/Taigen/Torro exhaust smoke that I have on hand? Any other advice? In ten years, I have not burned out a smoker (I am quite cautious and durn lucky).

Hello Mr.professor, sorry about your smoking room? it is black, but this may be due to the fact that it is heated normally in use, have you tried with a multimeter? (Ohm position) if there is continuity ?
To check, it is possible to turn on the power (a few seconds) to see if reddened, also possible by soaking in oil. Personally I think that cotton from HL or Taigen is completely compatible, otherwise for the continuity measurement? if you have other smokers the same? measure the resistance to compare with this one, the smaller the wire, the greater the R (Ohm) will be, I don't know if it will help? I hope so

Herr Doc,
I have had success in the past by Frankenstein-ing parts of a few other Smokers together to make one functioning Unit. (Pershing comes to mind as well as the Panther G) Sounds like your Smoker setup is a good deal more complex. It may be worth it to just replace it after testing the plug from the MFU for good solder connectivity.
regards
Painless

I agree with Jofaur86: I am so accustomed to checking continuity or voltage that it had not occurred to me to check for resistance in the coil. PainlessWolf, since you have had good luck doing so, I,too, will try cannibalizing the cotton out of one of the few HengLong/Taigen smokers I have in the "spare parts and broken hearts" boxes. There is also an odd problem with the electronics. The right hand "Sound" setting capacity talks to me and works fine (those with a Haya Chieftain will know what I mean), but left hand "Functions" setting capacity worked just fine only once, but will no longer talk to me or work. I have contacted Andrew Haya for suggestions on that odd problem. More anon...