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Capacitors on Bachmann Locos?

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  • Member since
    June 2009
  • From: QLD, Australia
  • 1,111 posts
Capacitors on Bachmann Locos?
Posted by tbdanny on Sunday, January 22, 2012 7:08 PM

Hi all,

I've currently got three Bachmann SG HO scale locomotives in my roster, with a fourth on the way:

- 2-8-0 DCC on board

- 2-6-0 DCC/sound on board

- 4-6-0 DCC/sound on board

- 0-6-0T DCC on board

I don't want to have to open these locomotives unless absolutely necessary, so I was wondering if any of these models have the motor RF supression capacitors which affect DCC performance?

Also, if someone out there has the 0-6-0 (mine's still on the way), how easy would it be to install sound in?

Cheers,

tbdanny

The Location: Forests of the Pacific Northwest, Oregon
The Year: 1948
The Scale: On30
The Blog: http://bvlcorr.tumblr.com

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Sunday, January 22, 2012 7:59 PM

 I would think they all do, being as they are all new enough to come with DCC and/or sound. The question always is, where - sometimes they are on the motor itself, sometimes on the circuit board in the tender.

                     --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Western, MA
  • 8,571 posts
Posted by richg1998 on Sunday, January 22, 2012 8:37 PM

The locos with a PC board usually have yellow leaded caps or SMD caps.

On PC boards, the capacitor label will have a C for a prefix.

My 70 ton had the PC board but the leaded caps on the motor leads.

44 ton had leaded caps on the PC board.

My 4-6-0 with Tsunami on board has SMD caps on the PC board.

Bachmann changes their designs quite a lot.

No idea about the sound value series.

If you think your loco runs fine, leave the caps in place.

I see some who experience issues with better quality decoders that have BEMF and some who seem to think their loco runs fine. Go figure.

Rich

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

  • Member since
    April 2005
  • 2,314 posts
Posted by don7 on Sunday, January 22, 2012 8:58 PM

If the Bachmann DCC decoder is factory installed then leave the capacitors, however, should you want to replace the Bachmann decoder with another DCC decoder such as digitrax I recommend you cut out the capacitors. I have had erratic running with the capacitors left in after installing a Digitrax decoder, removed the capacitors and all is fine.

As to the Bachmann factory installed sound engines there is no reason for you to cut the capacitors, however should you want to replace the Bachmann sound decoder then you probably would want to cut the capacitors.

I have upgraded a number of bachmann DCC on board engines by replacing with Digitrax decoders and cut the capacitors. In the case of DCC ready, then yes be all means cut the capacitors when you install a non Bachmann decoder.

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