Bachmann Decapod tender wiring?

[BF&D]

richg1998

I have worked in electronics since 1953 and learned to use the multimeter regardless of wire color. Not that easy for those who have not. I know.

I went to Navy Avionics "A and "B" schools, but served as a helicopter sonar operator aircrewman  -  and by virtue of being in the right kind of aircraft at the wrong time, also as a search and rescue hoist operator-gunner on North SAR and into North Vietnam.  The only piece of electronics I ever fixed was my father's blonde mahogany console Magnavox AM-FM-Record Player   -  power supply filter cap shorted, draining B+ straight to ground - AFTER it went through the power supply choke which was the 15: speaker's field coil  -   no wonder it got hot enough to burn you.  I can work back from the NMRA plug and figure out what's what.  Thanks!

[richg1998]

Bachmann use to sell the connectors with wires attached. I bought a set for the 4-4-0 a few years ago.

Check the Parts page.

I have worked in electronics since 1953 and learned to use the multimeter regardless of wire color. Not that easy for those who have not. I know.

Rich

[cacole]

Several years ago, I purchased a new Bachmann G-scale 2-8-0 Consolidation that was dead on arrival.  Because I was going to convert it to battery power, I decided to open it up and see what the problem may be.

Three wires were not even soldered to the circuit board inside the boiler, and every wire was red.  I sent an email inquiry to Bachmann about a schematic for the wiring, and received a reply that the factory in China had not provided a schematic, and they had received reports of different colors of wire being used on different days of the week, apparently depending on how much wire of a particular color happened to be available on the production line that day.

I removed all 3 circuit boards and wiring that the factory had used, and started from scratch with my own wiring.

[BF&D]

thanks Rich - looks like I'll have to get out the cheapo Harbor Freight mm I've had for years and map the circuit board to the plug. But given Bachmann's refusal to use NMRA color code standards, or any standard of their own even ("every model wired dfferently"), they really have an obligation to put color PDFs of every loco wiring scheme they've ever sent out into the world up on their support site. Sure makes it hard to swap tenders. Gotta some of those mini PC connector strips too, Miniatronics I believe.

[cacole]

Deleted

[richg1998]

Easy, get your multimeter out and trace the seven pins to each connection point. Follow the NMRA diagram for the eight pin connector. I have done that a lot in the past.

Don't see a resistor so I figure a light bulb for the headlight. If you put in a decoder, cut the capacitor.

I have three of these meters.

http://www.trainelectronics.com/Meter_Workshop/index.htm

Rich

 

[BF&D]

Sorry those aren't inline with message;   lost info on how to do that

 

[BF&D]

 

Here are the photo and diagram  -  not clear especially where tender pickup wires go

[richg1998]

BF&D

DCC ready 2-10-0;  wires from 2-pin and 4-pin connectors fractured at solder joints; same for red tender track pickup wire.

If you have a DCC ready Decapod, and a digital camera that will take good closeups, could you take a shot of the connections to both sides of the tender PC board?  I asked about this on the Bachmann Forums some time back; no answer I could use.   A really good annotated drawing would be a good alternative to photos.

 

 

 

One reason you might not have any response at the Bachmann forums is, Bachmann tenders vary in wiring. Been following the forums for some years. Most don't mess with the tenders and one or two who do, might not be around anymore.

 I don't have the Bachmann loco but the Bachmann locos I do have, I see labels at each point of the PC board.

 The two pin is for DCC power from the loco. An ohm meter will tell you which is left and right from the drivers. I have done that.

 The four pin is power to the motor and power to the headlight. Does the headlight a bulb or LED?

 You probably know, Bachmann does not use NMRA wire colors.

 You could post a clear photo of the PC board that might help us.

 Surprised the leads broke loose from the PC board.

 Rich

[zstripe]

BF&D,

I don't know if this will help You out at all, but here is a PDF diagram of the Engine's and Tender, mechanical/wiring. Click on link:

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/H817X-IS001.PDF

Take Care! 

Frank

[BF&D]

DCC ready 2-10-0;  wires from 2-pin and 4-pin connectors fractured at solder joints; same for red tender track pickup wire.

If you have a DCC ready Decapod, and a digital camera that will take good closeups, could you take a shot of the connections to both sides of the tender PC board?  I asked about this on the Bachmann Forums some time back; no answer I could use.   A really good annotated drawing would be a good alternative to photos.