Fitting Decoders to the Bachmann class 66

"Mick Bryan" wrote

If they did it using a top quality chip which would work reliably and give quality performance with Lenz and other command centres then I believe they'd be on to a winner, but if their offering meant the thing worked like a dog (as their existing DCC fitted class 25) then forget it.

John.

Reply to
John Turner
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In message , John Turner writes

I'd have thought the obvious thing to do was to make up a small batch of

200-500 or so and offer them for sale at one of the main exhibitions, such as Warley. They could also donate some to the appropriate layouts at the show on the condition that they run them so the public can see and hear how they operate.
Reply to
Jane Sullivan

"Jane Sullivan" wrote

This would be an expensive way of marketing the thing. The sound chip would only be viable if produced by the multi-thousand.

John.

Reply to
John Turner

South West Digital is working on its own sound chip for the UK66 and I don't expect to see any change out of £110.

(kim)

Reply to
kim

"kim" wrote

Me neither, and you won't until the Chinese get involved with their manufacture and start churning them out by the tens of thousand.

I suspect South West Digital turn their decoders out by the tens (or may hundreds) but until the price drops significantly that same price will stop very many enthusiasts from buying.

John.

Reply to
John Turner

Only when fitted in series. When fitted in parallel - as in most models - it acts as an AC attenuator affecting higher frequencies more than lower ones. The exact reverse is true of RF chokes.

(kim)

Reply to
kim

In case anyone with limited electrical knowledge is tempted to try this I should warn them that removing the inductors (or "RF chokes" as I prefer to call them) will also remove the power supply to the motor. The supply path has to be made good again by fitting new wires which is not always straightforward where printed circuit boards are involved.

(kim)

Reply to
kim

I know I said that my last posting was my final say on this subject but Kim's comments has to be addressed. The whole point of removing the C's & L's is to isolate the motor when fitting a decoder. I would not suggest removing any RFI components if the loco was to be used on a DC system, they are there for a purpose! The power for the motor is fed, in total isolation, through the orange and grey wires from the decoder. As to the point of "anyone with limited knowledge etc" someone with limited knowledge should seek guidance on how to proceed before attempting to fit a decoder. Some models are easy to do whilst others can be an absolute 'pig'. One in particular comes to mind is the China made R369A BR 3 Car DMU 110. A ringfield motor is used on this model but on first glance one wonders how the power is fed to the motor as there is only one wire to one of the brushes. It turns out that the left hand, the one without any wires to it, brush is fed via the long self tapping screw picking up the right hand rail power through the body of the motor. To successfully isolate this brush the long screw must be discarded, the self tapping hole re-tapped to 6BA and a non conductive 6BA bolt - I used a nylon one - used to hold in place the brush spring cover. The orange wire can now be connected to the brush terminal. I will now get off my soap box and go and hide in the corner :-).

Chris

Reply to
Chris

"Chris" wrote

As to the point of

Just a further comment on this, all of which is quite correct for that particular era of Hornby Ringfield powered units (locos or dmus) but it is no longer the case with current (Chinese) production models in which both brushes are now electrically isolated from the motor chassis and pick-ups.

Consequently the process identified by Chris is no longer required on

*current* models.

John.

Reply to
John Turner

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