Need wiring diagram for American Flyer Electromagnetic Crane

[azflyer]

TrainLarry

  Nice crane. Glad to see you got it working. Would like to see a closeup of an original reverse unit for future reference.

Larry

 

 

• I replaced the two sets of fingers on the reverse unit with new ones and reattached the wires as I thought they should be. This maybe where my problem, without an accurate wiring diagram?

• I went ahead and added three new pictures of the reverse unit from 1946- 48, part number XA8731, that came off the 385 electromagnetic crane. There was some interest as how this should be wired (different then I did) because it did not work for me when I bench tested it. The fingers could be wrong also.
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[TrainLarry]

  Nice crane. Glad to see you got it working. Would like to see a closeup of an original reverse unit for future reference.

Larry

[azflyer]

 

This  is the last picture of the underside and the completed restoration of the 583 electromagnetic crane after I did the the final bench testing. I am going to run the crane off a single AF transformer so I can control the speed of the boom swing and the time I energize the magnet using a two button system.

 

I will be adding video and pictures when I get the 583 Electromagnetic Crane set up on my layout some time this next week on my website: http://az-flyer.blogspot.com/p/refurbishment-electromagnetic-crane.html

 

[azflyer]

[/quote]

TrainLarry

  Thanks for the link and the pictures. Seems the reverse unit is an early one built sideways, but it should be wired the same as the later units. Please tell me you cycled the reverse unit between pictures 17 and 18, because the contacts do not line up on the drum as they should.

Referring to your image 0012,  I will attempt to make a wiring diagram for the wires as photographed:

                                                                                             1____Field___

                                                                                             2____Power and one brush

                      __Brush___  3

                       __Power__  4

                      __  Field___  5

Try this and post back your results. If you can take pictures a little farther away from the reverse unit so they are clear, especially of the contacts on the drum, it would be appreciated.

Larry

 

TrainLarry,

 

You could be right in the that the contact fingers are screwed up. I used the larger finger boards and modified them to work as they came off the drums.  I still think I got the wires screwed up on this early version. It is a lot smaller in-size. I read they used these on the early HO American Flyer trains. I will try your latest diagram and try an take some clearer pictures to post. There seems to be alot of interest in these old cranes. I'm going to TCA meeting in the valley tomorrow. A couple of the S-gaugers I know are going to bring in their cranes so we can get some pictures from the underside and trace the wiring for future use on our web page for all to follow. It would be great if someone had the old 1946-48 wiring diagram from A. C. Gilbert. I'll keep looking and asking. It may just show up one day.

 

[azflyer]

 

When all else fails, go with new technology

 

I finally gave up on the 1946 reverse unit and went with new technology. I installed Dallee #400 "E" unit onto the motor and crane drive of the electromagnetic crane. The customer support at Dallee Electronics said it should work just fine following the direction. 

I took some more pictures of this restoration project on my website as it moves forward one step at a time: http://az-flyer.blogspot.com/p/refurbishment-electromagnetic-crane.html

 

[TrainLarry]

  Thanks for the link and the pictures. Seems the reverse unit is an early one built sideways, but it should be wired the same as the later units. Please tell me you cycled the reverse unit between pictures 17 and 18, because the contacts do not line up on the drum as they should.

Referring to your image 0012,  I will attempt to make a wiring diagram for the wires as photographed:

                                                                                             1____Field___

                                                                                             2____Power and one brush

                      __Brush___  3

                       __Power__  4

                      __  Field___  5

Try this and post back your results. If you can take pictures a little farther away from the reverse unit so they are clear, especially of the contacts on the drum, it would be appreciated.

Larry

[azflyer]

TrainLarry

  Let us know what did not work. Did the reverse unit sequence but the motor did not turn? Did the motor run in only one direction? Please be specific to get help.

If you could post pictures of  your crane, various views of the motor, reverse unit, etc., it would be of help to us.

Larry

I took some pictures of the parts from the electromagnetic crane and stared a separate web page for this restoration project on my website at: http://az-flyer.blogspot.com/p/refurbishment-electromagnetic-crane.html

I'm also adding any use full information I can locate on the American Flyer electromagnetic crane.

Anyone have any Pictures, Videos or Diagrams?

AZ-Flyer

 

[TrainLarry]

  Let us know what did not work. Did the reverse unit sequence but the motor did not turn? Did the motor run in only one direction? Please be specific to get help.

If you could post pictures of  your crane, various views of the motor, reverse unit, etc., it would be of help to us.

Larry

[joeyj1575]

[azflyer]

I tried wiring the way Trainlarry stated. It didn't work for me, but he could be right. There may be another problem some where else with  my components. I sure would like a digital picture of the bottom side of the electromagnetic crane. Like they say "a picture is worth a thousand words"

Thanks for all the help,

AZ-Flyer

[AF53]

AZ-Flyer - I've been tracking this thread since it started hoping you got an answer, because I don't have one (yet) and most directions are hard to come by. I hope Larry helped. Please let me know how it works out.

Ray 

[TrainLarry]

OK, now that I know what you need, lets see if we can get you going here.

Power to the crane : A wire from the accessory terminal of your transformer goes to one terminal of the pushbutton controller. The other terminal of the controller goes to one connection of the reverse unit coil. Note that one terminal of the reverse unit coil has a jumper to one 'finger' on the top set of contacts. Connect your wire from the controller to the other coil wire, and also to one brush of the motor. Now connect the common post of your transformer to the coil wire with the jumper. The other 'finger' of the top contact goes to one field connection on the motor. The 2 bottom contacts get connected to the other field wire, and the other brush.

Lets try and illustrate this as best we can:

                                          Coil connections:

     o-Common from transformer, with jumper      o-Power from controller, also to 1 motor brush

                                          Upper contacts:

     o-Jumper wire from coil                                       o-Field wire

                                           Lower contacts:

     o-Field wire                                                             o-Motor brush

The electromagnet is connected across the coil wires and is powered up whenever the pushbutton energizes the motor.

Hope this helps.

Larry

[azflyer]

azflyer

Larry,

After talking with other club member of S-Gauge. I found out that I have the 583 with one comtroller button, because it has a reverse unit mounted off to the side of the crane gear drive. 

AZ-Flyer

I can't believe that know one else has a #583 American Flyer Electromagnetic Crane they can look at to give me some idea how the wiring comes together between the reverse unit and the crane drive motor. I am trying to restore this crane back to working condition. Everything is working alone, reverse unit with new fingers, crane drive motor and electromagnet. I just like to have some idea how the wiring comes together.

Can anyone help!

[azflyer]

azflyer

Larry,

After talking with other club member of S-Gauge. I found out that I have the 583 with one comtroller button, because it has a reverse unit mounted off to the side of the crane gear drive. 

AZ-Flyer

I can't believe that know one else has a #583 American Flyer Electromagnetic Crane they can look at to give me some idea how the wiring comes together between the reverse unit and the crane drive motor. I am trying to restore this crane back to working condition. Everything is working alone, reverse unit with new fingers, crane drive motor and electromagnet. I just like to have some idea how the wiring comes together.

Can anyone help!

[azflyer]

Larry,

After talking with other club member of S-Gauge. I found out that I have the 583 with one comtroller button, because it has a reverse unit mounted off to the side of the crane gear drive. 

AZ-Flyer

[azflyer]

TrainLarry

 Do you have the 583 with a 1 button controller, or the 583A with a 2 button controller. I have the American Flyer basic wiring diagram for both. The 583 looks like it has a reverse unit in it.

Larry

I new you would ask that! I have no controler button but it does have reverse unit that is smaller, with the smaller finger board (what a pain). It has two wires coming off the coil assembly of the reverse unit, that I think one might or both go to the magnet?

Thanks,

 

AZ-Flyer

[TrainLarry]

 Do you have the 583 with a 1 button controller, or the 583A with a 2 button controller. I have the American Flyer basic wiring diagram for both. The 583 looks like it has a reverse unit in it.

Larry

[azflyer]

I need wiring diagram for American Flyer Electromagnetic Crane #583. I purchase it at a swap meet in town. It was complete except for the wiring, which was a mess. It was headed for the scape yard. I alway like a challenge. It gives me something to do in my spare time! I have cleaned everything and restored it up to the wiring from the crane drive motor to the switching unit. Also where does the electro magnet wires go to? Digital pictures will work for me. 

Thanks,

AZ-Flyer