Do DCC fitted locos start well

"john dolan" wrote

If you buy good quality decoders such as the Lenz Gold or Silver ranges, then my experience suggests that running qualities are often improved by the feedback feature of the decoder. Various functions can also be adjusted which can also help running qualities, including rate of acceleration & deceleration, starting voltage etc.

However, don't expect to turn a sows ear into a silk purse, and there's still a need for clean track & loco wheels along with reliable current collection.

John.

DCC locos start a little better than equivalent DC locos running on smooth DC, because they get full voltage at the motor in pulse width modulation form. You can also buy pulse width modulated controllers for DC control but the DCC fitted loco can still run a fraction better because the wiring between the controller (decoder) and motor is fixed. Your locos shouldn't need pushing with either DC or DCC!

Regarts, Greg.P.

With this sort of problem, it's not likely that the track is at fault. Clean the loco thoroughly, then apply a little contact cleaner-lube to every place where electricity must pass a sliding contact, such as pick-ups, wheel bearings, commutators, bogie mounting pins, etc. Also, replace or bypass such contacts with wires if at all possible. Eg, run a wire from a bogie to a motor brush so the power doesn't have to go through the bogie pin. Lube gears etc properly.

You may also have "rescued" old locos with poor (eg three-pole) motors and/pr 'orrible gears. False economy IMO. These are almost impossible to get to start smoothly, and IMO should either be retired to a display shelf or scrapped. (If you can't bear to part with them, paint 'em to look well rusted, etc, and put them in a scrap yard.)

HTH

Agree with everything said so far, best to get everything working on DC before converting.

Take a dodgy loco and work on it till fixed or proved useless. Then look at others, either apply the same fix or find a new one. Start by connecting a couple of wires from your controller direct to the pickups, if ok then to the wheels - 2 at a time.

Let us know ....

CHeers, Simon

"simon" wrote

I generally work the opposite way to that; initially attaching the wires to the motor brushes (or brush housings) and if the motor works satisfactorily at all controller settings I then use a fibre glass brush to clean the powered wheels whilst they are turning under maximum voltage. It's generally useful at this stage to apply a tiny amount of (I use sewing machine) oil to the motor bearings.

I then progress to cleaning electrical pic-ups and checking for free-movement of axles in their bearings (or more usually) axle-holes.

One particular failing with old Hornby locos- those with pancake motor drives - is dirt accumulating around the axles thus prohibiting the smooth flow of electrical current en-route from wheel to motor. Removing the wheels are thoroughly cleaning the axles then lubricating with small amounts of WD40 usually improves running no end.

John.

How do people rate Peco Electrolube?

MBQ

wrote

It's good stuff, but far too expensive. I buy sewing machine oil from our local Singer shop. I get about ten times the volume for half the price.

John.

If was doing a thorough clean right to basics then yes. But just looking for a fault then if start at pick -ups can see if need to go in and removing wheels plus motor or out and just clean wheels plus pickups. The other thing is that quite often its the pickups that have the problem and can see that straight away.

Cheers, Simon

thats useful to know. saw Peco have repackaged it, did they reprice at the same time. Normally I only clean/oil my own stuff so that volume should last years !

cheers, Simon

"simon" wrote

I think they changed supplier at the same time, so I assume the re-pricing reflects the price they are having to pay. Still think it's too expensive though, especially when there are alternative products available.

John.