681 Turbine poor smoker

[ezmike]

Chief, excuse my ignorance but what does OGR (O Gauge Railroading??) stand for and is it a free video clip or one to purchase?

Mike

[Anonymous]

Jim,

       Thanks for your reply.

[Jumijo]

Is pink fiberglass better than yellow?  I know you recommend the pink. 

Jim, the color doesn't matter. Both work the same. 

[Anonymous]

Chief,

         Is pink fiberglass better than yellow?  I know you recommend the pink. 

[ChiefEagles]

Bob is right.  He taught me how to do this in reverse.   I wanted to smoke a dummy diesel.  To prevent too much smoke and burning out the smoke element, we reduced the voltage with these.  I also have used it in several application to reduce voltages.  5 turne dout to be too many for the smoke unit at 18V in command.  3 was the majic number for that.

 

   

[lionelsoni]

I've mentioned this many times before:  You can effectively boost the voltage to the smoke generator by dropping the voltage to the motor (and the headlight if you want).  Making the motor voltage lower than the smoke-generator voltage is the same as making the smoke-generator voltage higher than the motor voltage.

You can do this with a resistor, but getting the right size is tricky.  A better way is to use rectifier diodes, not for rectifying but for their voltage drop.  A convenient way to get diodes for this purpose is to use packaged bridge rectifiers, like the Radio Shack 276-1146 4-ampere 50-volt bridge, and connect the + and - terminals together.  Then connect the other terminals (maybe marked with ~) in series with the motor and any other bridge-rectifier modules you use--but not the smoke generator.  You can use several of these in series if you need to and have room for them.  Each one will lower the motor voltage by a volt or so.  If you find that you need finer adjustment, you can use half of a rectifier module by connecting to the (wired together) + and - pins and either or both of the other two pins.

 

[ChiefEagles]

OGR has a backshop video on this.  Mainly it shows how to bend the "tongue" to make the piston make full travel [bet you can figure that one out].  Rest, follow the suggestion about pink insolation [Mr. Barrett hasn't learned that one yet].  The last one I worked on, I converted to new style heating element [that has plastic top].  Really smokes.  Just make sure the element is touching the pink.  If it chars over time, take it out and put in new [real cheap].   

[ezmike]

thanks guys, now that i think of it, didn't Chief post something about making post war locos smoke better not too long ago. anyway, now i have something to follow.

Mike

[ChiefEagles]

Rob has asked some great questions.  If you answer "yes" to all, your engine will smoke great.  Usually a blocked hole in the "chimney" in bowl of smoke unit.  If wadding in bottom of bowl is chared, remove and put in pink fiberglass insolation [yes that used for houses, steal some from your attic].  Piston must travel to the top of the unit and yet, fall freely to the bottom without coming out of unit.  Good luck.

[ADCX Rob]

You will have to check all the usual suspects.

-Is the element heating up appropriately?

-Is the smoke lever exerting a full stroke on the piston?

-Is the piston moving freely up AND down? 

-Is the cylinder-to-bowl vent clear/unobstructed?

-Is there adequate wadding in the bowl? 

-What smoke medium (pellet/liquid) are you using? 

Using the 2046 as a good working example, you can probably drill down each of these items.  Both locos can be run with the cabs off to compare them side by side.

Rob

[ezmike]

My 2046 smokes like a champ, the 681 barely smokes at all. Any suggestions?