TCS T1 Decoder in Playmobil motor block

[ntpntpntp]

Prompted by Jason's recent thread about trying a TCS T1 decoder, here's an installation I carried out today on a Plamobil Maintenance loco. The method used is applicable to all the old track-powered Playmobil locos which all use the same motor block.

First you need to remove the block from the model, it simply unclips from the body at each end of the block.

 

[ntpntpntp]

Remove two screws on the bottom of the block...

...and prize open the clips on each side to open the block.

 

[ntpntpntp]

There isn't enough room inside the sealed part of the block to fit the TCS T1 decoder, but it will sit in the space with one of the weights, if you remove a section from the weight with a hacksaw.

 

[ntpntpntp]

One side of the motor is connected to the wheel contact strip via a supressor. This needs to be unsoldered from the motor and removed.

<edit>Actually, not sure if this is a supressor as it's in series with the motor not in parallel across the motor connections? Maybe it's some type of safety current trip or something? Oh well, I'll continue to call it a supressor for now. </edit>

Note that I've marked "T" for top on the motor: this is something I always try to do when disassembling stuff, to remind me which way round it should go back!

 

[ntpntpntp]

Drill a hole where the suppressor used to be, to allow the decoder wires to pass through into the block.

 

[ntpntpntp]

Pass the decoder wires through the hole from the weight-space into the block and wire up.

Assuming NMRA standard colours, then red and black go to the wheel contact strips, orange and grey go to the motor.

Note: You'll need to bend or remove part of the contact strip that used to bear directly on the motor connection - the black wire in the case of my installation shown here.

 

[ntpntpntp]

Plug in the decoder, and insert it into the space next to the weight. I tucked the white/yellow/blue wires (lighting and function common) underneath as there's no lighting on the loco (yet - that's a project for another day!)

 

[ntpntpntp]

Refit the bottom plate of the block, be careful to ensure that the skate springs engage properly with the contact strips. Don't forget the screws!
Test the block on DC first, make sure it runs the same direction as your other locos. If you've wired up as per the colours in my photos, it should be correct.
Program and test the block on DCC. Note that you'll probably have to set the decoder to reverse direction, this is because large scale locos wired to LGB standards run the opposite direction to NMRA standard. (I think this is one of the bits on CV29, I just use JMRI DecoderPro to do all my programming)

Done!

Hope you find it useful, folks.

 

[PhilP]

Your suppressor look like a ferrite bead round a coil (inductor). - Still used for suppression.
Good, clear, simple instructions, thank you.

Phil.

 

[stockers]

I risked one of these in a stainz - worked for about 80 seconds then the smoke came out.:thumbdown:
Well - I was pushing my luck but we have to try these things!