H&M Clipper

[Derek Clark]

Gaugemasters come with a lifetime guarantee.

That is good to know.

[B.Meldon]

As far as I know gaugemaster have always had a lifetime guarantee on their controllers.
Even older controllers are covered, provided the components are available.

I can well recall back in the 1980's before we changed to KPC's sending one after another back for repair, the most common fault was a dirty track on the speed control variable resister. This can easily be tested by turning the control up and down with no loco on the track. If the led flashes as the control is turned then it is dirty and needs to be sent back. (Very much like a noisy volume control on an old radio.)
There was never any quibble from gaugemaster and each one only cost us the postage to them.
But this happened so often at exhibitions we ended up having to take a spare controller with us to swap out when needed!
The KPS's were far more reliable, but eventually suffered from the same issue, but only after about 10 years or more use!

[WALLSHIRTS]

I've been using a Gaugemaster W for years and never had any trouble with it.
Mal.

[Hugh Norwood]

... the most common fault was a dirty track on the speed control variable resister. ...

This is not surprising; moving parts often fail before non-moving parts, and the potentiometer gets a lot of use (and consider that inside is a wire wiper moving across what is essentially a film of carbon printed onto a substrate). (Newer ones use conductive plastic rather than carbon). I would guess that the next thing to fail might well be the direction switch...

[B.Meldon]

... the most common fault was a dirty track on the speed control variable resister. ...

This is not surprising; moving parts often fail before non-moving parts, and the potentiometer gets a lot of use (and consider that inside is a wire wiper moving across what is essentially a film of carbon printed onto a substrate). (Newer ones use conductive plastic rather than carbon). I would guess that the next thing to fail might well be the direction switch...

I agree.
As mentioned the KPC's eventualy developed the same fault.
In these KPC's it was the damping silicone grease from the central piviot in the pot getting onto the carbon track that caused the problem.
When each one failed like this I just took them apart, disaseembled the pot, cleaned the carbon track and the contacts and put them back together again. None that I have repaired have caused problems again yet!
Obviously I have no idea if it was the same in the old Gaugemaster controllers as we just sent them back.
All are pannel mount controllers, the gaugemaster ones were the feedback type, and the KPC's full feedback.