Bachman connie ground wire?

[cwwees-az]

Our club was given a consol with a split gear. I bought the replacement brass gear and put it in place. Runs beautiful. When I first ran it, all the lights and Phoenix sound worked perfectly. Track power, for what it's worth. I was asked to replace a missing magnet for the sound pick-up and when I put it back on the track and none of the lights are working. No firebox flicker (it was there before). No directional headlights (worked before). The sound system battery isn't supporting the firebox sounds when it's stopped.

I suspect a grounding wire is disconnected to cause all these at the same time. I can't figure *where* and I'm trying not to remove the boiler to look at connections to the main board, but ... that seems the most likely place.

Any help about complete lighting failure on this engine would be nice.

Charlie - Arizona

 

[Neil Robinson]

If its the model I think it is it would be worth checking all the loco to tender wiring connections.

 

[cwwees-az]

If its the model I think it is it would be worth checking all the loco to tender wiring connections.

Well - the wires go to the connectors. I will check continuity with an ohmmeter, I guess. It's easier than most of my ideas of taking the boiler off to be able to pull the main circuit board after disconnecting the firebox lighting circuit.

Charlie

 

[Paul M]

Have you removed the magnet again to see what happens?

 

[Rhinochugger]

Well - the wires go to the connectors. I will check continuity with an ohmmeter, I guess. It's easier than most of my ideas of taking the boiler off to be able to pull the main circuit board after disconnecting the firebox lighting circuit.

Charlie

I think removing the boiler is likely to be the best way. I don't think I've done it on this loco, as I've only ever had to deal with chassis issues.

 

[mickb]

Disassembly procedure:

1. Roll engine over on fireman’s side, locate forward end of reverse actuating rod under running board where it attaches to the valve gear. Remove slot-head screw. NOT MAGNETIC! Don’t lose it!

2. Roll engine onto it’s wheels. Remove all 4 screws and both smokebox supports (if you try to flex them out of the way, it will scratch the paint).

3. Roll engine over on it’s back.

4. Remove ashpan (4 small screws)

5. Remove 4 screws about in the corners of inside of firebox under ashpan.

6. Remove one screw between cylinders under front truck.

7. Separate boiler from chassis. Pull motor wires down from boiler to reveal in-line plug. You may unplug for complete separation of boiler from chassis.

 

[cwwees-az]

Thanks - I had read elmassian procedure for taking off the boiler - and followed it. I screwed up the courage to do that, extracted the main circuit card, and I find no lose wires. I see no burned-up components. Since all the lights are off - headlights, ash pan, and firebox flicker - I expect the problem to be up on that main board. Further, I guess it's a burned-out regulator? Perhaps something shorted the connection for the rear light in the tender and there's a failed regulator?

Any advice on diagnosing the circuit board? Just go to Bachmann for a replacement?

Charlie

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Do you have a schematic or wiring diagram?

You should have both. Which consolidation is it? (there are 2 different models)

Greg

 

[cwwees-az]

Ohh --- This is the "outside frame generic" consol - 81299. It's not the inside frame model that's intended to be a C-16.

I have a wiring diagram. It's DC - no DCC control board added, but there's a sound card added in the tender, along with reed switches for the chuff, whistle, and bell sounds. Those all work, but the battery for stationary sounds isn't working when track voltage goes to zero. Might be that it's not charging, might be that it's too old and needs to be replaced.

I tested the pins of the connector to the tender that should be lighting the backup light, and I found voltage on it in one direction (about 7.5 to 9 V in my test) and a very small reverse voltage when the engine was set the other direction (-1.5 V or thereabouts). The "chuff" connector works (because there's sound). I presume the track voltage pins of the 4-pin connector are OK, but the engine can run off its own pickup without those leads.

Charlie

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Yes, the "original" consolidation (as labelled on the box), not the newer consolidation the C-19.

So what sound card is in it? Then I can give you advice on the battery... my guess is a Phoenix or Sierra, and probably an old 6v compact gel cell (no longer available).

I would suggest debug any motor / running issues first.
Then the headlights
Then the flicker board
then the sound unit

Greg

 

[cwwees-az]

Thanks for your attention, Greg. Your website tutorial pretty much drove my repairs. The plastic drive gear was busted - now replaced with the brass one. At that point, I took the unit to a club meeting where we ran it on track power. The headlights, flicker, and the Phoenix sound card worked. The battery charged to make the air pump and firebox door noises when track power was removed. Even the whistle and bell sounds worked, despite the reed switches being loose under the tender. All that was in the late fall of 2021.

The directors of the club turned down a low-ball offer on the engine at this point, and I was asked to repair the magnetic pickup on exhaust sync and re-mount the reed switches. When I put it on the track the next time, I find the lights not working and no charge to the battery (a 3-cell NiCd pack labeled "Batteries Plus").

I followed your instructions to remove the boiler and found the motor mount screws were loose - nice fix to have, but not critical. I expected to find a loose ground wire on the main board to the headlights and flicker board - no such luck. Since I read "a voltage" on the connector to the tender, I reckon I need to apply voltage to the light wires in the tender to see if I can make it light. Even if that works, it's not clear how that would address the wiring inside the engine. I'm suspicious that poor mounting allowed some wire to short on the headlight and might have burned out a voltage regulator on the main board - though there were no blackened parts when I had the board out.

Charlie

 

[Greg Elmassian]

there are local "Batteries Plus" shops all over the nation, should be easy to get, if you trouble, let me know.

I'll look at the wiring diagram, perhaps I can provide a debugging plan.

Greg