Time to see if I can find the problem, here is a short run down. (there is a pun)
( About a month ago, one of my Proto 2000 F-3 stopped running. It had a Digitrax DH 163 (go figure it was a more expanse one) and I ran the 4 F-3 MU a lot! As with most of my engines well over 200 hours. As it was giving up the ghost, it would move, stop, move, stop till the point it would short out the DCC system. Installed a new DH 123 and it done the same thing, move, stop, move, stop. It took a whole 45 seconds to fail)
I opened the shell, and ever thing looks normal, no wires hang off or blacken. First thing I am going to check is to make sure wheel set is in gauge, so axles ends are not coming in contact with each other. Open the trucks and pull the truck wires and make sure there is bare spots ground against the chassis. Next, check motor to see what amps it is pulling. If all looks good, I am going to test run it with out a decoder (going to install a Athearn DC plug from a RTR model) to see what amps the motor pulls with the engine assembled. I used the stock wiring harness that came with the model.
Guess the harness pins could be bad?
What other test would you folks run?
If it is a bad motor (I am leaning toward the axles or trucks myself) does any one have the number for Walther's repair department?
Thanks for the coming answers.
Ken
I hate Rust
Check the wiring to the trucks. These models and the newer Athearn RTR have those stupid slip-on clips holding the wire to the contact strip on the trucks. Sometimes those clips slip off or become loose, and the wire doesn't make good contact. You will probably have to remove the trucks to solder the wire to the contact strip, and then solder the other end of the wire to the circuit board after reassembly.
Clean the wheels.
Since the loco is tripping the booster I would say something is shorted. Perhaps the lower motor clip or wire has rubbed through to the chassis? Pop the decoder out and put a jumper plug in and diagnose with DC. Disconnect the motor wires at the motor and check the amp draw. If all is good than a new motor is what is needed.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
Found the problem, motor is the problem. Hot wired the motor in the Chassis, saw a wisp of smoke (no decoder). Pulled the motor and test ran it on DC, ran, then I stalled the motor. Let go of the flywheel and motor would not turn. Gave the flywheel a spin and motor ran. Stalled motor again, same thing.
Either time for a new motor or get a pull starter like a lawn motor.
Thanks for the answer. Hum, Randy you mad at me?
Cuda Ken
Mad? Naaaa. There were already good ideas posted so I didn;t add noise. Sounds like one of the windings in the motor burned. Initially it may have melted some of the insualtion and reduced the resistence of that winding (increasing current) so with every revolution of the motor,t he decoder was seeing a current spike possibly above the rating - so eventually, poof goes the decoder. It could have been that way for a long time actually. Time for a new motor. But also check to make sure there is no binding in the rest of the mechanism - that sort of thing could cause the motor damage in the first place.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
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