kim
retired at last
.......back, harmonics when smoke switched on.
I bought a 2-6-0 camelback from Darren at TopSlots before xmas and found that as soon as the smoke unit is switched on the digi board in the tender starts 'singing', I think it is called harmonics. Anyway, cleaned a circuit of track and ran the loco and everytime it hit a bad contact the 'singing' started again. Told Darren about this and he contacted Piko who told him they have had a 'few' locomotives (I think this should read 'lots') with this problem and it would probably need a new board.
Because the 'singing' started when the loco hit a bad contact it's not a million mile jump to work out that the pick up needs extending from the loco to the tender so this was done a couple of days ago and tested today with success, the 'singing' is heard when the smoke is first switched on and that was it, loco ran over points, rail crossings and the odd dodgy joint without any problems at all.
There is a very clear wiring diagram in the loco instructions showing the 24v feed from the loco pick ups and it's an easy task to strip a bit of insulation and solder new cables in to pick up power from the back bogie, I used Piko ball bearing pick up wheels for this - I know the ins and outs of using these but they do work for me on several other loco's without problems! The wiring diagram also shows that a power buffer can be fitted but this involves soldering on the board itself, something I'm not comfortable with, but I suspect more than one would be needed. The tender is actually fitted with metal wheelsets, the same as fitted to the coaches but the bogie on the tender is different and will not take the brass pick up strip that the coaches use and it appears that Piko don't do a strip to fit the tender bogie.
Darren has been onto Gaugemaster, main agents, about this and he tells me they are taking this up with Piko so prehaps we may get a new brass strip to make the fix a cheap one.
Anyway, my Piko mogul enjoys a sing song as well so..............
I bought a 2-6-0 camelback from Darren at TopSlots before xmas and found that as soon as the smoke unit is switched on the digi board in the tender starts 'singing', I think it is called harmonics. Anyway, cleaned a circuit of track and ran the loco and everytime it hit a bad contact the 'singing' started again. Told Darren about this and he contacted Piko who told him they have had a 'few' locomotives (I think this should read 'lots') with this problem and it would probably need a new board.
Because the 'singing' started when the loco hit a bad contact it's not a million mile jump to work out that the pick up needs extending from the loco to the tender so this was done a couple of days ago and tested today with success, the 'singing' is heard when the smoke is first switched on and that was it, loco ran over points, rail crossings and the odd dodgy joint without any problems at all.
There is a very clear wiring diagram in the loco instructions showing the 24v feed from the loco pick ups and it's an easy task to strip a bit of insulation and solder new cables in to pick up power from the back bogie, I used Piko ball bearing pick up wheels for this - I know the ins and outs of using these but they do work for me on several other loco's without problems! The wiring diagram also shows that a power buffer can be fitted but this involves soldering on the board itself, something I'm not comfortable with, but I suspect more than one would be needed. The tender is actually fitted with metal wheelsets, the same as fitted to the coaches but the bogie on the tender is different and will not take the brass pick up strip that the coaches use and it appears that Piko don't do a strip to fit the tender bogie.
Darren has been onto Gaugemaster, main agents, about this and he tells me they are taking this up with Piko so prehaps we may get a new brass strip to make the fix a cheap one.
Anyway, my Piko mogul enjoys a sing song as well so..............
