LGB Smoke Machine Question

[jcgisel]

Well the smoke machine in my Bachmann 4-6-0 went out and I decided to install the 18v smoke machine from LGB into it. Easy install, but the smoke barely wisps out of it. I hooked it up just like the old bachmann machine to the switch in the front. Any suggestions on improving the smoke output. It is not even noticable coming out.

Thanks

[GearDrivenSteam]

I'd start by measuring the voltage going to the smoke unit. I'd just bet it's lower than 18V. Having said that, I don't mess with smoke units. They never look prototypical, and the residue can get all over everything, not to mention the smoke juice itself. Lord knows that stuff is hard to get off. It's a magnet for dust and dirt, too. But hey, to each his own. It's your railroad, and if you want smoke, go for it! I still bet the voltage is lower on the Bachmann and therefore not letting the smoke unit from the LGB function right. There may even be a resistor in line somewhere.

[two tone]

Hi there, I think you will find Bachmann smoke units use 12v to be sure ring your Bachmann service department. They should have the answer if not any good repar agent will be able to tell you

[Curmudgeon]

Often you will find 12v regulators in the control boards.

4-6-0's generally do not have them.

That said, most 12v regulator (7812's) in Bachmann control boards put out less, like 9v, even with more than adequate input voltage.

18V units work for me when customers insist, but that's feeding 14.4v of battery into them.

 

TOC

[hoofe116]

Curmudgeon:

Have you ever measured the resistance of one of those smoke units? I'm assuming (having not seen one yet) that they're a coil of thin nichrome wire that works like a minature toaster. About like the old Lionel ones. I want to put smoke units in everything (I'm tired of life ) (No, actually I have a roof jack where the layout will go to suck the smoke out). And the heat/ac in season--ever noticed, in life, there're drawbacks everywhere you look?

Anyway, I'm thinking of building my own and powering the stationary units with something other than batteries. The engines, well, might not use 'em much. Bacon grease ought to smoke real good, and smell great. The occasional chimney fire would look ever so realistic, don't you think?

If I had the resistance value and the gauge of the wire, I'd be fixed right up, yes I would.

Les W.

[Mr_Ash]

I was thinking.... what if you like removed the smoke unit and put a little plastic cup/bin down in there then just popped the front off to load up some dry ice in the cup, slap the front back on and pour a little water down the stack

Also been wondering would installing a spark arrestor help with the messy smoke fluid?

[piercedan]

I think you will find that the Lionel is a 14-16 volt unit and the LGB is 18 volt and both come from the same manufacturer  Seuthe.  My LGB units have tubes of smoke with the Seuthe label on them.

 The color of the leads tell the voltage.

 Yellow/brown is 18 volt

 Black/white os 5 volt and I use these with a 5 volt regulator and rectifier to get great smoke from track powered engines. 

  

[GearDrivenSteam]

Just set the thing on fire. It'll smoke like a big dawg then.

[hoofe116]

Just set the thing on fire. It'll smoke like a big dawg then.

Simplicity. Elegant simplicity.

Les W.