Analogue sound at idle

[nicebutdim]

Hi all. I have a quick question regarding sound but feeling rude at hijacking the other sound threads. I've upgraded my power supply to an Aristocraft Train Engineer, taking some getting used to but really good control system. Now when using my ge 4/4 II I found that when stopped in the station I can leave some power applied, keeping the sound unit running at idle. My question is will this damage the motors or the loco's electronics, as effectively the motors are stalled?
Tim

 

[beavercreek]

Hi Tim
As long as you are using PWC setting on the receiver you will be fine at low settings. This gives full peak but low modulation at low settings and is enough to power lights and sound systems but only enough to very slightly energise the motors

 

[Dieseldonkey]

Hi Tim,

I asked similar questions some time ago. Have a look at this thread for folks advice and opinions.

http://www.gscalecentral.net/tm?high=&m=71428&mpage=1#71479 < Link To http://www.gscalecentral....1428&mpage=1#71479

Hope alls well

David

 

[beavercreek]

The sparking tends to only happen on pretty dirty or uneven track.

 

[dutchelm]

Hi Tim
As long as you are using PWC setting on the receiver you will be fine at low settings. This gives full peak but low modulation at low settings and is enough to power lights and sound systems but only enough to very slightly energise the motors

If you have an LGB loco with any electronics inside do not use PWC under any circumstances or you can say goodbye to the electronics! They do not like it.

 

[Tim Brien]

I have to agree with Mike in that PWC has a long history of damaging LGB circuit boards. apparently it leaves tracking burn marks on the boards so LGB engineers are not fooled if warranty claims are made.

When I used the Train Engineer, I physically locked the Linear/PWC switch in the 'Linear' position to avoid issues with LGB sound boards.

Of cause, some LGB locomotives have start delay circuits to enable standing sounds. Massoth now make an electronic board that simply attaches to the motor block and fits between the motorblock wiring and the rest of the electrics. It is effectively the old LGB retarded start delay circuitry.

 

[Gizzy]

Hi Tim,

I used the ART Train Engineer like this and had no problems with my LGB V51/V52 locos. V52 has an LGB 6500X black box sound unit and V51 an MRC sound decoder.

I also found that you could reverse and control the speed by using the direction keys (arrows) and shunt if you have just enough voltage on the track to keep the sound on. This vid was done when I had the TE unit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGSD45IraEU

However I eventually went to the dark (and noisy) side of MTS for this very reason. Locos idling in the yard with sound always on is a big plus for me!

You could connect a battery/capacitor to your sound unit to keep the sound on? LGB do a rather expensive one available from Dragon as seen here:

http://www.dragon-gscale.co.uk/lgb-65011-sound-unit-power-storage-461-p.asp

Others have used a suitable battery.

One last point. NEVER EVER use PWC on your LGB locos, as it will fry the electronics inside. Tim O'Brien's suggestion of locking the switch to LINEAR is a very good one....

 

[beavercreek]

Hi Tim
As long as you are using PWC setting on the receiver you will be fine at low settings. This gives full peak but low modulation at low settings and is enough to power lights and sound systems but only enough to very slightly energise the motors

If you have an LGB loco with any electronics inside do not use PWC under any circumstances or you can say goodbye to the electronics! They do not like it.

I have run LGB locos with PWC and not had any problems at all (streetcar, mogul, genesis, forney, 0-4-0 deisel).
Of course if there are any MTS or DCC components in the loco then that would be a recipe for disaster. As Gizzy has said ....never use PWC with anything DCC
Perhaps it was older loco non DCC ciruits that were affected??

 

[royale]

No, no damage provided the Train Engineer receiver is ALWAYS switched to LINEAR. As for sparking, I've had my Train Engineers for years, frequently run trains in the dark and have never seen any sparking. If it does occur, it is almost certainly down to either dirty track or wheels, or poorly laid track with poor connections. Locos with pick-up skates cam momentarily flash on the frog on Peco points, in which case just lengthen the frog with some black insulating tape - I've been doing this for years and never had a problem. I usually replace the tape a couple of times a year and I run long trains nearly every day throughout the year.

 

[nicebutdim]

Sorry for the late reply on this thread, for some stupid reason I totally forgot that I even started it (I've been busy lately)
I only use the TE in linear, I had read here before about damage being caused by pwm. I really do like it, the control is excellent and it gives the higher amperage required since the USAT GP9 (and recently a GP7) came to run on the line.
Thanks everyone for your replies, sorry for not replying sooner, dunno whats wrong with my memory recently!
Tim