Need help with Bachmann 4-6-0

[jcopilot]

I have low-drivered, small tender ten-wheeler. I know that Bachmann is notorious for not being consistent with their wire colors and I've been told by Tony's Train Exchange that the best way to install a micro-Tsunami with a speaker is to remove the PC board and solder the decoder wires directly to the model's wires. This means I need to know which wire is which.
Rather than guessing at the colors, maybe someone who knows could identify the solder connections on the PC board. For example, there are connections labeled 'IN/R' and 'IN/L'. I'm fairly certain these are the leads from the wheels and track. It's the other four connections that I'm unsure of.

There are two on the same edge of the board as 'IN/R' and 'IN/L', they are labeled '1' and '2'. Then there are two along the adjacent edge that appear to have no label.

Could '1' and '2' be the motor leads and the unmarked connections the headlight? Since the headlight is an LED, do I need to solder a resistor in that line? Could I desolder one of the resistors on the PC board and use it?

If you have the time, can you describe how to remove the boiler? And how easy it is? The exploded drawing is of little help.

Thanks for any and all help,

jcopilot

[richg1998]

I removed the PC board as there is not much room for the zmicro-Tsunmai and speaker. I solder spliced the leads and put 1/16 inch shrink tubing over the leads.The first photo shows also the loco with the loco upside down. The connections to the loco are the same for my Spectrum 4-4-0.

I put a 1,000 ohm in series with the white wire going to the yellow lead on the harness. The blue wire from the decoder will go to the brown wire in the harness.

 Note: I used a ohm meter to verify the connections. Your colors "might" be different. I added pickups on the tender marked by the red wires.

The red is the right rail pickup and the black the left rail pickup. Make sure you hook up correctly to the tender pcikups.

I modified my 4-6-0 this way.

I have a PDF file I can PM you concening someones sound install in the 4-6-0.

Rich

 

[richg1998]

Most important, do not yank on the connector wires to remove the connectors. Us a jewelers screwdriver to gently pry the connectors up.

Here are photos on removing the boiler from the running gear. Be careful for the various pipes.

 

Here is a photo of my 4-4-0 and the 4-6-0 is the same.

The LED shines forward into a prism which defects the light straight up to a second prism which defects the light forward.

I did see your question in the Bachmann forums.

Rich

[Alantrains]

Richg,

Is there a need to remove the locomotive boiler? I just wondered why you showed how to remove it when the decoder fits in the tender. Also can you give more details on the tender pickups you installed please.

I assume the 1K resistors for the LED headlight can go in the tender too or is there a diode board in the boiler? 

cheers 

[jcopilot]

Rich,

Thanks so much for your replies, they are just what I needed. I appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions. What made you use a 1000 ohm resistor in the headlight wiring? I think the ones on the PC board are 4.7 ohms. This part is still a mystery to me, why the big jump from 4.7 to 1000 ohms.

Alan,

Removing the boiler isn't necessary to install a decoder or speaker, but the LED is in there and I'm considering replacing the blue/white LED with a yellow one. I removed 5 screws, not counting the two to remove the cab, and the boiler still wouldn't budge. Now I'll try Rich's method.

Jcopilot

[jcopilot]

Rich,

I almost forgot. "I have a PDF file I can PM you concening someones sound install in the 4-6-0."
Yes, please, send that to me. I'd like to see it.

thanks,

Jcopilot

[richg1998]

No need to remove the boiler. I did it to show people how to remove it because the question will come up. Someone will blow the LED.

The resistor is in series with the wires in the tender. There was not enough room in the tender for the PC board, speaker and Micro-Tsunami  decoder. Bachmann sound  does it because their decoder is part of the PC board with LED resistor.

Here is a top photo of the installation. It is a very tight fit.

If you blow up the photo, the resistor is in a bundle just to the right of the decoder.

If you use the 1 inch round speaker that is in the PDF I sent, you will have a little more room as the round speaker is thinner than the oval speaker. The problem is, you have to drill holes in the frame.

Rich

[richg1998]

Rich,

Thanks so much for your replies, they are just what I needed. I appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions. What made you use a 1000 ohm resistor in the headlight wiring? I think the ones on the PC board are 4.7 ohms. This part is still a mystery to me, why the big jump from 4.7 to 1000 ohms.


Jcopilot

You measured incorrectly. You will blow the LED with that value, hence the need to show how to remove the boiler.

Here is a link to a lot of DCC info. Put the link in your Favorites folder. Read the part on Lights for DCC � Incandescent or LEDs

http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/nswmn/index.htm

 Rich

[jcopilot]

Rich,

I had found two websites that allow you to simply identify the color stripes and it will calculate the value of the resistor. Apparently I mistook 'orange' for 'gold' in the 3rd stripe. With gold in the 3rd stripe, it calculates to 4.7 ohms. With orange, it calculates to 47K ohms, big difference.

The link you gave me shows there is no 'gold' in the 3rd stripe.

OK, so now I think a 1/4 watt, 1K ohm resistor is what I need.

Thanks again, Rich, you've been a tremendous help,

Jcopilot

[richg1998]

Richg,

Is there a need to remove the locomotive boiler? I just wondered why you showed how to remove it when the decoder fits in the tender. Also can you give more details on the tender pickups you installed please?

cheers 

Here is a link to installing more pickups in the tender.

[url]http://minkystrains.org/

Select Click here to discuss motive power.  Scroll down and select, Click here to put electrical wipers on those tender trucks.

I have done this on my older Bachmann steamers and both Spectrum locos.

The new Roundhouse steamers come with All Tender Wheel pickups. I bought and have installed these in my older MDC steamers.  

Above all, make sure you have a ohm meter to do continuity checks. Some people attempt DCC installs without a volt/ohm meter and smoke the decoder or LED. If you hit an LED with 12 volts and no resistor, the LED will let go a very loud pop. Been there,l done that. The decoder will just gas you.

Rich 

[Alantrains]

Jcopilet, can you send me the pdf file too please.

I have both the low and hi boiler versions of the 4-6-0 and would like to sound equip them both.

thanks

Alan J

bampa (at) bigpond (dot) com