Hello All. I like to convert my Bachmann EM80C Plasser (HO Scale) fro DC to DCC. Any ideals on how to?
Thanks!
Ron
From what I've been able to find about this model, it was first made in 1980 and was a terribly poor running model. Not worth the cost of a decoder.
There are several You-tube videos about the model, including one that has had DCC installed, but there are also lots of web sites complaining about split drive gears and no replacement parts available from Bachmann.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE3q5-ETGIY
The first thing you need to do is determine whether you think it runs well enough to justify the cost of a decoder -- DCC will not run any better than DC; in fact, it may perform worse on DCC, especially with its "pancake" motor mounted on only one truck and the tiny drive wheels with rubber traction tires.
I recall someone giving us one of those models several years ago, and we wound up throwing it in the trash it was so poorly built.
I found this 1990 diagram.
http://www.hoseeker.net/assemblyexplosionbachmann/bachmannplasserem80cdiagram1990.jpg
Forget simple. The motor has to be disassembled to isolate the two motor contacts.
I have done a Bachmann Plymouth 0-6-0 with pancake motor. The current draw was a little less than 700 ma and the loco ran ok. Pickups on these older Bachmann were not very good. DCC does not like the slightest interruption. The microprocessor resets every time.
Since it is a track cleaning car, might now be an issue for you.
Bachmann does not have any parts either.
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.
Looking at the exploded diagram posted by Rich, methinks this model was made in Jolly Olde England, what with "Tyres" as the spelling for what we here in the U.S. call 'tires'.
Probably was, as the parent company (Plasser) is Austrian, and they make those sort of things for the European railroads.
Funny though, in the parts list on the right, the part for drive wheel with TIRE spells it the US way, while the line item for just the traction TYRES spells it that way. Either whoever Bachmann had convert the sheet to US English missed all the others, or the other way around.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
If the OP ever comes back, Google EM80C
http://www.ho-scaletrains.net/bachmannhoscalelocomotives/id62.html