Kadee couplers trippel headed PK's DC = Short?

[cudaken]

 I have seen some postings about this but never read the details because it was not my problem. It is now I think.

 Have 4 PK 2000's BL2's, was running hork hooks and quad head not a problem.  MRC 9500 was pulling around 1 amp with a 60 car drag. I finaly up dated all my cars with Kadees and started with the engines.

 First BL2, no problem, second doubled headed ran great and pulled 1/2 amp. Added a nother one, pegged 3 amp's plus. Hum must be a short or needs to be cleaned. Took the 4th BL2 same thing. Pulled all on them, cleaned and lubed and ran great. Lashed 3 together, over load again!

 Ran 2 doubled headed, then added the 3rd one by it self and a 20 car drag. 3/4 of a amp and all ran fine.

 Is the fix E-Z couplers with springs?

                          Cuda Ken  

[gmcrail]

It's not a "dead" short, or you'd stop everything.  Probably going through the knuckle springs (though I'd think they'd lighting up with that much current flowing through them).  I'd recommend switching to one of the couplers Kadee makes with plastic shanks.  Check out their web site, or the Walthers catalog, and you should find a conversion chart which will list your BL2's.

[Eriediamond]

From your discription, I'd say the couplers is not the exact problem here, just part of it. If two loco's coupled together run fine but shorts out when the third is added, try turning the third one around, it should work now. The metal chassis the couplers are attached to are part of the loco's electrical circuit. Two loco's chassis's are picking up "+" from one rail the third loco's chassis is picking up "-" from the other rail. When coupled the current flows through the couplers. Have I made sense here? Ken

[nfmisso]

Ken;

If you are usng Kadee #5, change to #28 or #38. 

http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/page25a.htm

If you are already using a 20 9r 30 series coupler, it is something else.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

.If you are usng Kadee #5, change to #28 or #38. 

A coupler with a plastic shank will solve your problem.

What's happening is that your locos have metal coupler pads on a metal chassis. Add a metal coupler with a metal shank and you have a short circuit taking place as soon as 2 or more locos are connected together. As long as all the locos are facing one direction, it shouldn't be a problem but if 1 or more are facing in the oppisite direction, the two chassis are going to short through the couplers. Replacing these with a Kadee coupler with a plastic shank will rectify the problem. Plastic doesn't conduct electricity hence the locos won't short each other out.

[jbloch]

Check the Kadee website, they have a conversion list to let you know which conversion you need for your particular loco, i.e. which spec. 20 or 30 series conversion is needed.

Jim 

[Eriediamond]

.If you are usng Kadee #5, change to #28 or #38. 

A coupler with a plastic shank will solve your problem.

What's happening is that your locos have metal coupler pads on a metal chassis. Add a metal coupler with a metal shank and you have a short circuit taking place as soon as 2 or more locos are connected together. As long as all the locos are facing one direction, it shouldn't be a problem but if 1 or more are facing in the oppisite direction, the two chassis are going to short through the couplers. Replacing these with a Kadee coupler with a plastic shank will rectify the problem. Plastic doesn't conduct electricity hence the locos won't short each other out.

Thanks nfmisso and jeffrey. Sometimes I know what I'm trying to say but it doesn't come out right. Ken

 

[cudaken]

 Yep Jeff you hit the BL2 on the head. All facing the same way and pulling 1 Amp and a 40 car drag. Was trying to run some backwards. New iteam to ask K-10 Trains about.

 

                     Cuda Ken, shorting out again. 

[TomDiehl]

 Yep Jeff you hit the BL2 on the head. All facing the same way and pulling 1 Amp and a 40 car drag. Was trying to run some backwards. New iteam to ask K-10 Trains about.

 

                     Cuda Ken, shorting out again. 

Or is it possible to mount the Kadee #5's in the Kadee plastic box? This will insulate the coupler from the frame and eliminate the problem.

[cudaken]

 I would have to do some big time work to do that Tom. New couplers will be the easy fix.

 

                                            Ken

[dinwitty]

 I would have to do some big time work to do that Tom. New couplers will be the easy fix.

 

                                            Ken

the plastic shanks I dunno about strength, the plastic shank is the easy fix,

however I have changed to the plastic box, yes more work but you may be more pleased.