May be something as simple as a wiper that's gotten dirty or a wire disconnected. My Great Northern BLI Mike is one of my more reliable runners.
Again, thank you for all the answers.
I will take it apart in the next few days and see what I can find.
Ken
I hate Rust
Ken.
Eliminate the spring pickups and contact points and run a wire from the truck pickup to the decoder. A clear clean path instead of contacts and springs is the best alternative.
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!
cudaken Come on, some one must have a idea besides Simon. Ken
Come on, some one must have a idea besides Simon.
Ken, what was Simon's suggestion? He didn't say.
Also, why not just send it back to BLI and let them figure it out?
Rich
Alton Junction
G The tender should pick up power, it did for years. Before I pull the board I will double check the wipers and the axles again. It should be something simple, the board did not have any burnt spots on top that I saw.
I am guessing there are copper strips on the floor of the tender that the springs pick up power from. I hope they are just dirty.
Thanks for the answers so far.
Did you check continuity with a meter from the tender wheels all the way to the decoder?
I'm assuming the tender is supposed to have electrical pick-up........or does it not and you want to add pick-up?
Make sure you have a complete, uninterrupted electrical path from the wheels of the tender to the decoder. Even though you cleaned the contacts with cleaner there may not be continuity.
-G-
Ken, somewhat answered this in the diner. Also sent you a PM.
Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum
My older HO sound of power BLI Heavy Mike has no power pick up from the tender. I bought the engine new I guess 6 years ago or so. I side line it a few years ago and today I broke her out to see if we can find the problem. Decoders is a QSI for those that want all the details.
With it be a shorter wheel base engine it stalls when going across diamonds, some turnouts and when it hits a small dip. I did test it today and will run when I touch the wires to the engine wheels it runs. Then I tested the tender wheels and no power pick up and engine does not run.
I opened the tender and it looks like the trucks transfers the power from the chassis to the PC board by springs mounted to the chassis and then to the board. I sprayed electrical cleaner as best as I could (with out taking the board off) to clean the contact points, all so cleaned the wipers for the trucks and cleaned the wheels and axles. Still no power pick up.
Any ideas what to look at next? I am not afraid to take it apart.
I will post the other questions after I get power to the tender. Improving the sound quality and pulling power is point less if it stalls all the time!
Thanks for the coming answer folks.