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Help me identify black plastic clip on Athearn Ready to Roll

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  • Member since
    August 2013
  • 66 posts
Help me identify black plastic clip on Athearn Ready to Roll
Posted by gigasaurus on Monday, September 2, 2013 2:24 PM

I was working on an Athearn Ready to Roll loco and had removed the black plastic clips that are used to attach the lighting wires to the small circuit board.  Here is a picture of one of them:

Could someone please help me identify what these are called or get a part number so I can order new clips?

My parts table got overturned and they bounced away.

Thank you.

  • Member since
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  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Monday, September 2, 2013 4:39 PM

You can order new clips or pass the bare wire through the hole in the tab and wrap it around or you can solder the wire to the tab.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

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Posted by gigasaurus on Monday, September 2, 2013 4:49 PM

Thanks Jeff.  Do you know what these clips are called so I can order some new ones?

  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: Knoxville, TN
  • 2,055 posts
Posted by farrellaa on Monday, September 2, 2013 5:00 PM

I have a bunch of these in my electrical parts drawer. I will send you a couple if you give my your address. I remove them and solder all my wires when replacing with decoders.

    -Bob

Life is what happens while you are making other plans!

  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: Knoxville, TN
  • 2,055 posts
Posted by farrellaa on Wednesday, September 4, 2013 9:26 AM

I put some in the mail today.

   -Bob

Life is what happens while you are making other plans!

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Posted by gigasaurus on Wednesday, September 4, 2013 1:15 PM

Thanks so much Bob!

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Posted by ba&prr on Wednesday, September 4, 2013 1:52 PM

The problem with these clips is the wire doesn't always contact the tab on the PC board enough. Then you run into issues with the loco stalling running badly. I solder all the wires to the decoders I install.  Joe

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    May 2012
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Posted by NP01 on Friday, September 6, 2013 8:26 AM

Sorry to be repetitive but I want to echo other comments- I had a beautiful new GP15 and I cleaned the track and cleaned the wheels and repeated 15 times. Still the loco stuttered a lot. I got rid of the clips and soldered. Voila. 

I now do not let any clips hang out in my locos. the first time I need to open the shell for any reason I remove e clips and solder. 

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
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Posted by zstripe on Friday, September 6, 2013 8:48 AM

NPO1,

If I may add,,,,,''Amen''..

Cheers,

Frank  Bow

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Weymouth, Ma.
  • 5,199 posts
Posted by bogp40 on Friday, September 6, 2013 9:34 AM

So true, although high amps aren't running through these connections, you may have electrical contact, however, for a solid connection solder is the best insurance.  If using these and from a few removal and install, the "pressure" of the contact is weakened and can fail. If you still use them and the slip fit is a bit loose, retin the wire to add size to gain a better "jam" fit on install. This will usually show troubles after removal or for a decoder install. If installing new or cut wire showing only strands, you really need to tin the wire to ensure good contact.  I would just solder and be done with it..

Modeling B&O- Chessie  Bob K.  www.ssmrc.org

  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: Knoxville, TN
  • 2,055 posts
Posted by farrellaa on Saturday, September 7, 2013 11:43 PM

I think the OP wanted to remove and replace the wires repeatedly for testing purposes and therefore didn't want to solder the connections.

   -Bob

Life is what happens while you are making other plans!

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
  • 7,712 posts
Posted by zstripe on Sunday, September 8, 2013 3:09 AM

Bob,

Good point!!! I had a feeling,,,that is what he wanted them for also...!?

Cheers,

Frank

  • Member since
    August 2013
  • 66 posts
Posted by gigasaurus on Sunday, September 8, 2013 4:05 AM

That is exactly true - Thank you. This train will be a bit of a frankenstein for a while and I'll need to take the top all the way on and off from time to time.

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