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Pickups not working

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  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Pa.
  • 3,361 posts
Pickups not working
Posted by DigitalGriffin on Thursday, May 9, 2024 5:19 AM

So I have been having electrical problems with only my RR 2-6-6-6.   I cleaned the wheels and readjusted the bronze phosphor pickups   the pickups wipe the axles.  Connections to decoder seem good.  And there's a total of 17 pickups/wipers!  Yet electrical conductivity is poor.  

 

I'm positive it's the pickups as I don't have any issues with the rest of my fleet.   But I for the life of me can't figure out what's wrong.

 

Would electrical grease on the axles help?

Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions

Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,280 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, May 9, 2024 8:05 AM

That's not the only thing not working.

Laugh

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    March 2011
  • From: Westford MA
  • 505 posts
Posted by Tophias on Saturday, May 11, 2024 7:59 AM

Don, could it be the plug from the tender to the locomotive not seated correctly?

Regards, Chris 

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Posted by PennCentral99 on Saturday, May 11, 2024 8:15 AM

DigitalGriffin

Would electrical grease on the axles help?

Don't see how it could make it worse, Smile, Wink & Grin

I've had success with CRC Electrical Silicone Lubricant.

Terry

Inspired by Addiction

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  • Member since
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Posted by gregc on Saturday, May 11, 2024 12:40 PM

have you tried using an Ohm meter to measure the conductivity between each set of wheels and the corresponding connection on the decoder?

work you way up and down the chain to isolate where there is no connectivity.  is there connectivity between the wheels and pickups, between the pickups and decoder?  

greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Pa.
  • 3,361 posts
Posted by DigitalGriffin on Saturday, May 11, 2024 1:14 PM

Contact between wheels and the wipers is intermittent at best.   Jiggling the wheels side to side sometimes causes a complete circuit signal.   Dielectric Greese didn't help much.  Socket is fine.  I can see the lights go out for the firebox which is directly connected to the wheel picksups (bypassing decoder)

I think the problem is the wheels have their platting worn off.  So conduction isn't that good.   I don't think a keep alive would help much because the conduction IS so poor.  I'm going to see if RR can get me replacements.  

Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions

Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!

  • Member since
    July 2009
  • From: lavale, md
  • 4,677 posts
Posted by gregc on Monday, May 13, 2024 4:15 AM

DigitalGriffin
Dielectric Greese didn't help much

i hadn't heard of dielectric grease before.   i've seen it used in car light sockets to prevent corrosion  i read that it's non-conductive and therefore think this is not a good application for it because these are moving contacts and any grease that gets between the wiper and wheel will impede connectivity.

If anything, i think a conductive grease would be better as it would impede corrosion between use but may accumulate dirt

i thought a metal wiper is self cleaning simply because it is constantly rubbing the surface.

have you tried cleaning the surfaces with alchohol?

greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading

  • Member since
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Posted by wjstix on Monday, May 13, 2024 9:45 AM

I'm guessing "RR" is "Rivarossi"? Anyway, if the wheels are worn you certainly could try replacing them. Rivarossi has changed hands many times so not sure if whoever owns them now would have parts, but I'm sure it wouldn't be that hard to find the same size / type of wheels.

BTW have you looked in the tender? It could be the wire connecting the truck pickups has come unsoldered or something. 

Stix
  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Pa.
  • 3,361 posts
Posted by DigitalGriffin on Monday, May 13, 2024 3:10 PM

I cleaned out the journals, axles, and pickups using 70% alchohol.  It's running better.  I think it's close enough now that a keep alive will do the job from here on out.   The journals were thilthy with greese.  Not sure how that happened.   I'm sure some  Atlas conducta lube will help.   Also solved a problem with it stopping on the turnouts.  Turns out the rear firebox truck had a metal arm that was too low and touching the opposing polatiry points causing a short.

Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions

Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!

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