Williams Crown Edition F7 won't move.

[Rickster]

 I bought a set of Williams Crown Edition F7s.  One works the other does not.  I am trying to decide to return them or keep them.  I assume the old Williams electronic E-units are no longer available.  I am wondering if any of you know if a new Williams electronic E-unit would work with the older Williams engines or there is another electronic E-unit from Weaver or Dallee would work for example?

 

Thank you.

 

Rickster, Mpls., MN

[dwiemer]

Rickster, I am not familiar with your units or the direct question regarding the E-units.  However, I would suggest that you take the shell off of it and make sure that all the wiring is complete.  I have seen and heard a number of stories of folks having problems with wires either being loose, or off completely.  This is regardless to manufacturer.  Given your lack of power to the engine, look at the wires to the pick up rollers, the motor and the E-unit.  You can try using jumper wires and hooking directly up to these different pieces one at a time to see where the problem lies.  I would start at the motor.  Then E-unit, and finally the pickup roller.  For a very little amount of time, you could save yourself the trouble of sending off the unit.

Good Luck,

Dennis

[lionelsoni]

If your e-unit is fried, consider replacing it with an electromechanical one.  They're not perfect; but any problems are sure to be low-tech.

[rtraincollector]

Also you might try contacting Bachmann as I believe they still use the same enuint and in some cases I've heard they still honor williams old gaurentee so you may be able to send it to them and get it fix for what evey they require now was around $35.00 maybe more or less as it usuall depends on the type of engine .

[Rickster]

Good ideas.  Thank you all.

 

Rickster

[phillyreading]

I bought an older Williams F-7 diesel unit and it seems that the on/off switch for the direction unit was messed up, so I replaced the reverse unit with a bridge rectifier. There is a major drawback to this and that is you lose the ability to reverse the engine, for me I didn't care about reverse.

Lee F.

[chemung]

I have a Crown Edition FM Trainmaster,can style motors with out flywheels,that will not do anything,move,lights using CW80,in either wire hookup.Runs well using MTH Z-750

Dave W

Omaha,Neb.

[phillyreading]

Try to jump the switch for the reverse unit control, it is a two wire switch that will allow you to turn the reverse unit on or off. Use an insulated alligotor clip or test wire with insulated alligator clips on it.

 Do not put track power straight to the motors in the Williams engines as they are DC can motors that use a rectifier circuit in the reverse board inside the engine.

You may get power to the light inside the engine regardless if the motor gets power.

I have never had a motor go bad in a Williams engine and I have about nine Williams engines. Usually it has been the reverse switch in the F-7's, or I didn't like the reverse board in the SD-45's, so I took them out and put in a bridge rectifier(6 amp, 120 volt).

Lee F.

[Rickster]

In the end I decided not to mess with them and return them.  But I will keep all of those suggestions for future use.  I like the Williams line and with all you've provided I'll be better positioned in the future in case I run into issues.  From the sounds of it though, they are rare with Williams.

 Thanks again guys!

 

Rick G. Mpls.

[phillyreading]

Rick,

I hope that you can return those Williams F-7 units. Sometimes you get a good buy or a one time only deal because the dealer wants to clear out his old stock and you can not get a refund.

I got a great deals on some Williams engines and passenger cars and the guy that sold them to me was very helpful, he was an independeant Williams dealer before Williams sold out to Bachman. Now you must buy from Bachman or a hobby shop only. My problem with the F-7's has been that the reverse unit wouldn't hold the direction overnight or after ten hours, possibly(don't know for sure) because the capacitor was too small in the reverse board.

Lee F.