I have searched everywhere to find which button on the controller I need to use to switch on/off a smoke generator, with no luck.
I am using an eMotion XL decoder in an LGB 23851 which also has an LGB European Steam Sound box. All the various sounds are activated by buttons 1 through 6. Button 8 is sound on/off and 9 is for the lights. That leaves 7. Is that the one?
Mike - The first place to start on understanding the features and operation of an LGB locomotive is to consult its LGB User Guide. According to it, your LGB 23851 locomotive has a factory-installed On-board DCC Decoder without sound. It suggests installing a Massoth S Sound Decoder (sound only, no motor control) to provide sound. But someone could have added some other sound decoder, or changed out the entired DCC system to something else if you're not the original owner. The User Guide also lists the On-board DCC decoder's Register of CVs, their functions, the range of values, and the factory-default settings. The Guide states:
"This model has a four-way power control switch mounted inside the cab (Fig. 1, 2): Position 0: All power off Position 1: Power to lights and smoke generator Position 2: Power to motors, lights and smoke generator Position 3: same as Position 2 (factory pre-set) Attention: Do not connect this model to other loco models with different starting characteristics. This can damage the internal gearing. Multi-Train System The model is equipped with a factory-installed onboard decoder for the LGB Multi-Train System. It can be used without modifications on analog or digital layouts. For operation with the Multi-Train System, the model is programmed to loco address 03. For information on programming the loco address, see the instructions for various MTS components."
"When operating with the Multi-Train System, you can control the loco’s functions remotely. Press the lighting button (“9” with remotes) to turn the loco lights on or off. Press the function buttons to control the following functions: 5: Flickering firebox off/on
7: Smoke generator off/on With a Loco Remote or Universal Remote, press the numbered loco function buttons. For example, to turn off the flickering firebox, press button “5” on the Loco Remote or Universal Remote. curves or on grades."
So if your smoker is not working using F7, as already mentioned by another responder, your 5v. smoker could be defective. Pull it out of the smoke stack, there should be sufficient slack in the wires, and you'll have to cut off the smoker to access the wires to test the voltage output with a multimeter. If you're getting 5 - 6 volts, then the smoker is defective and then solder on a new replacement smoker (use heat shrink around your solder joints, or liquid electrical tape). Of course, if you're not getting any voltage, the decoder could be faulty, or someone changed the F Key setting, etc. If you can't figure it out by placing your locomotive on a DCC programming track or using a PC Programming Module, you'll have to disassemble the locomotive to sort all that out.
