Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Athearn Genesis Loco running problem

1841 views
8 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    October 2007
  • From: underhill vt
  • 104 posts
Posted by fisker76 on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 5:03 PM

Tsunami decoders can get very warm with out any untoward damage. The decoder will either flash the headlight or the light on the circuit board warning of overheating if there is a problem. Run it.

Erik Fiske

I couldn't fix your brakes, so I made your horn louder

  • Member since
    April 2004
  • From: Ontario Canada
  • 3,574 posts
Posted by Mark R. on Tuesday, June 4, 2013 9:12 AM

Tsunami decoders do run quite warm as the processor runs at a very high clock rate. The Tsunami Micro borders on hot and quite often requires and external heat sink to prevent thermal shut-down.

I don't think you have anything to worry about. If it gets too hot, it has its own internal thermal protection. Unless your engine keeps shutting down for no apparent reason, then you are ok.

Mark.

¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 602 posts
Posted by NP01 on Tuesday, June 4, 2013 8:34 AM

It's a factory decoder. Why would it just start to do this?

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
  • 7,712 posts
Posted by zstripe on Tuesday, June 4, 2013 3:29 AM

NPO1,

Now you have me wondering,if your motor,is drawing too much current and maxing out your decoder,output??

Cheers,

Frank

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 602 posts
Posted by NP01 on Tuesday, June 4, 2013 3:03 AM

I do think I put back together ok, but I am going to check for wire pinching again. Warm means definitely noticeable compared to other engines ... But all others I have are larger, except a Genesis MP15. I just noticed the warming, and it is at the top side of the shell where the decoder is. I will check lights as well. 

  • Member since
    October 2005
  • From: Detroit, Michigan
  • 2,284 posts
Posted by Soo Line fan on Monday, June 3, 2013 9:05 AM

Is it put back together right? Anything rubbing or binding? Drive train lubricated?

Jim

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
  • 7,712 posts
Posted by zstripe on Monday, June 3, 2013 8:53 AM

NP,

All electric motors get warm from running,,,how warm is warm??Hot,now that's a problem,drawing too much current and you would be able to smell it.. If there was a problem with the wiring,it would not run..

Cheers,

Frank

  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Phoenix, AZ
  • 693 posts
Posted by woodone on Monday, June 3, 2013 8:44 AM

Decoders do get warm, so do motors. Is it getting warmer that it did before? Or did you notice?

If it is running and all of the lights are working OK I would say that  you are good to go!   

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 602 posts
Athearn Genesis Loco running problem
Posted by NP01 on Monday, June 3, 2013 8:28 AM

I have an Relatively new (1 year) Athearn Genesis GP15-1 that was a great runner. Then it started to stall everywhere. I cleaned all the track painstakingly and also the wheels. My other B-B loco that was also having trouble is no fixed, but the Genesis problem remained. 

So, I opened the shell up finally and found that the connection of wires to the Tsunami was loose. I removed the stock "black boxes" that hold the wires in the holes and soldered them. Voila!

Well, now I ran this loco for a while and it's getting warm ... I don't know if this is related to soldering or not, but I just noticed the warming. Well, the loco is back in the sheds on an unpowered track. 

What might be the matter?

NP. 

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!