Too much smoke?

[Huh? What?]

Got the Harbor Models smoke unit installed and wired into the G8 decoder. It may be producing more smoke than I want. However, I currently have it wired into straight 12vdc. Harbor Models suggests wiring in with the motor, which will vary the smoke for the speed of the engine. That's my next step. Everything is working, though.

 

[Huh? What?]

2nd test, with smoke unit wired in with motor...

 

[Ronchatt]

Try a lower voltage and duct the smoke to your exhaust pipe harbor models tell you
in there web site.
Ron

 

[Huh? What?]

The only way to get a lower voltage is to add a resistor, which I may try. It's currently hooked to the motor, which varies the smoke by the engine speed. As far as the exhaust pipe, the dragon skull is the exhaust pipe, so it's ducted to the exhaust pipe already. The problem is that at full voltage, the smoke blows back through the unit and fills the inside of the car.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

I thought perhaps the suggestion was to the smoke stack from the back of the car, a little Y fitting and bit of hose to the back?

Have you calculated your resistor yet? If you are running 12 volts and an amp, and you want to drop say 2 volts, then you would need a 2 ohm resistor, but also a 4 watt one (rule of thumb is to double the calculated wattage)... dropping 2 volts in the resistor should give you 10 volts to the smoker.

(sorry if you already calculated this yourself, no insult intended)

Greg

 

[Huh? What?]

No sweat. I haven't even looked at it yet. Too much else to do today.

 

[PhilP]

I thought perhaps the suggestion was to the smoke stack from the back of the car, a little Y fitting and bit of hose to the back?

Have you calculated your resistor yet? If you are running 12 volts and an amp, and you want to drop say 2 volts, then you would need a 2 ohm resistor, but also a 4 watt one (rule of thumb is to double the calculated wattage)... dropping 2 volts in the resistor should give you 10 volts to the smoker.

(sorry if you already calculated this yourself, no insult intended)

Greg

A 'buck' convertor would be more efficient, but you would loose any variable smoke effect..

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Yes, I bought a few inexpensive ones for like $3 from china (used to charge my Zimo throttles). Adjustable voltage and lcd readout.

Greg

 

[Rhinochugger]

The problem is that at full voltage, the smoke blows back through the unit and fills the inside of the car.

Leading to a shortage of passengers, maybe

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Depends on what kind of smoke, in Washington, Oregon or California it might be different, people clamoring to get aboard!

 

[dunnyrail]

Got the Harbor Models smoke unit installed and wired into the G8 decoder. It may be producing more smoke than I want. However, I currently have it wired into straight 12vdc. Harbor Models suggests wiring in with the motor, which will vary the smoke for the speed of the engine. That's my next step. Everything is working, though.

I think the beast looks better with more smoke, all you now need to do is fit a flame gun inside and you have it cracked!

 

[Railway42]

Use diode's ie. 1N5401 each diode will drop .7 of a volt so using 4 diode's you will drop approx 2.8 volts

 

[PhilP]

Use diode's ie. 1N5401 each diode will drop .7 of a volt so using 4 diode's you will drop approx 2.8 volts

Again, not very efficient, and they will get warm..

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Track power, we don't need no stinkin' efficiency!

(if not recognized, phrase from "Sierra Madre" movie.

 

[Paul M]

Track power, we don't need no stinkin' efficiency!

(if not recognized, phrase from "Sierra Madre" movie.

Now we know what Trump did before he became President

 

[PhilP]

OK, less elegant then?

To keep it simple, 0.7V across each diode (I believe four were mentioned?) and if you are pulling 1 Amp, then 700mW per diode of heat to get rid of..
Though I suppose there is plenty of space in the baggage section??

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Yeah, diodes easiest way, but watts is watts, no matter if you use a resistor, or diodes, the total amount of heat is the same.

(the law of conservation of energy, or the first law of thermodynamics, take your pick).

Greg

 

[Zerogee]

..............(the law of conservation of energy, or the first law of thermodynamics, take your pick).

Greg

Jon.