Problem with my lgb nicki franks

Adam1989

Adam1989

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So I have a lgb nicki franks with a massoth xl decoder in with sound added. It will run for 10 minutes or so fine the it stops all by itself the lights and firebox flicker go out but the sound keeps going, and is responsive to throttle control but the loco won't move then it will start back up all by itself for another 10 minute or so then stop.
 
Sounds like the XL is overheating, and shutting itself down?

Could be lose wiring, but I would doubt it.
 
Hint:
If you are running Massoth, the current is displayed on the Central Station..
 
No I have the basic lgb mts setup it still dose it without the tender connected. Are the two motors the same I could swap the motor out of the tender into loco and see if it still happens.
 
Adam1989 said:
No I have the basic lgb mts setup it still dose it without the tender connected. Are the two motors the same I could swap the motor out of the tender into loco and see if it still happens.
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Can the Loco be run on its own? Might be worth checking to see if the problem still occurs if you can. If problem does not happen without the Tender then that is likely the issue, perhaps!
 
Can I connect the meter into my track power wires or should I bench test it off the track connected straight to the loco
 
dunnyrail said:
Can the Loco be run on its own? Might be worth checking to see if the problem still occurs if you can. If problem does not happen without the Tender then that is likely the issue, perhaps!
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Yes it can already tried that still happens so it would suggest a problem with the loco and not the tender
 
So, just to understand it clearly, the loco has a single XL decoder running both loco and tender motors plus a separate sound module.... and presumably the XL is in the loco (otherwise the loco wouldn't run on its own), with unpluggable power and pickup feeds to the tender?

Jon.
 
Zerogee said:
So, just to understand it clearly, the loco has a single XL decoder running both loco and tender motors plus a separate sound module.... and presumably the XL is in the loco (otherwise the loco wouldn't run on its own), with unpluggable power and pickup feeds to the tender?

Jon.
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Correct
 
Adam1989 said:
Correct
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OK.... as others have said, it really does sound to me like the XL is overheating. As the loco has a separate sound module, that would explain why the sound is unaffected while the motion and lights etc all shut down.
Can you put an ammeter into your power feed to the track (not across the two feed wires, but just into one wire so it is in series with the power feed - I know that should be obvious to you and probably to most other folks on here, but I just mention it for the benefit of anyone else reading this who hasn't learned the basics of electrickery!) and see what it reads (a) with loco and tender running, (b) with loco only.... if you could also make up a dummy plug for the tender to connect its pickup wires to its motor wires, so that you could run the tender on its own (under analogue of course) then you can check the amp draw of the tender motor alone too.

Both motors should be running at round about half an amp each, at most.... if either one is drawing significantly more, then that is most likely to be the source of your problem. If they both seem to be OK, then I would think it's going to be the decoder - thankfully, as you've got the separate sound system, replacing an XL isn't too bank-breaking.

Jon.
 
FYI the sound module is an Uhlenbrock IS4 connected to the XL decoder using the SUSI interface.
 
Adam1989 said:
Do I have this set correctly View attachment 252591
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Now, that's actually a very good question..... should it be on DC amps as shown, or (bearing in mind that DCC output is effectively a very fast AC) should it actually be set to the 10amp mark on the AC Amps scale? I will have to leave answering this to others who know more about it than me, I'd hate to suggest the wrong thing.....

Jon.
 
I'd try it as the image. i'd also repeat after disconnecting, changing to 10A AC and reconnecting to check the previous post
For the benefit of anyone doing this for the first time and may be unsure, one meter wire goes to one track rail, the other to one controller output. The other controller output is wired directly to the other track rail.
 
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Not 100% sure, but I'd go for AC 10 amps as first choice to give the meter a chance of coping with the DCC signal.

When I was regularly running my DCC G scale I did purchase an RRampmeter which is designed for DCC measurements.

RRampMeter Measure DCC Amps and Volts | Products from DCC Specialties.

rramp_2279-500.jpg
 
That meter does not do AC amps, let alone square wave AC...

So, the best thing would be either run loco on DC and see the current drawn (easiest)
OR
Measure the current the DCC system is supplying, with and without the loco (assuming DC power input to the DCC system)
OR
Get the RampMeter pictured above (highly recommended)


Greg
 
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