Ok, so I have been having trouble with one of my SD40-2's. I took it to a hobby shop not far from me when their rep from athearn would be there to look at it. He said it had a bad motor, so i ordered a new one. I installed the motor in the correct way (I think) everything hooked up like it should, pressed track power and... nothing. no lights no movement, nothing. I am looking for some help from anyone asap.
Hello all,
DC or DCC?
This will help with the answer.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
I take by the heading on your post, this a RTR loco, in the yellow box? or an older blue box model?
If it is the RTR, it should have the circuit board attached to the top of the motor. Are you sure you put the motor leads in the correct spot?
Did you make sure that the clips on the bottom of the board actually clipped on to the top of the motor?
Did you put the track pick-up wires on the right tabs?
Not knowing what your system is, DC or DCC, are you sure the track power is on?
Mike.
My You Tube
mbinsewiNot knowing what your system is, DC or DCC, are you sure the track power is on?
Exactly! Thank you!!
Where is the OP???
Hope this helps.
Sorry for late response, the loco has a dcc plug on it with the jumper installed. the motor came with the ground wire on the top of the loco so i moved it to the bottom based on the setup of the old motor. I have double checked each connection to the circuit board. applying track power does nothing, but i am leaning in the direction of a bad board. if a put power directly to the motor it works fine.
jjdamnit Hello all, mbinsewi Not knowing what your system is, DC or DCC, are you sure the track power is on? Exactly! Thank you!! Where is the OP??? Hope this helps.
mbinsewi Not knowing what your system is, DC or DCC, are you sure the track power is on?
I'm not quite understanding the "motor came with the ground wire on top of the loco, so I moved it to the bottom based on the setup of the old motor" part. Is the new motor direct from Athearn? Did it come with a new board, like the Genisis replacement motors do?
A bad board is not that uncommon. Replacements, on Athearn's web site are $16.98.
http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATHG63868
Please keep us posted on your fix, and pictures if you can.
Was this loco running on your DCC pike before you took it to the service technician?
Gunnernuke"...the loco is dcc ready with the jumper plug installed."
I apologize if I don't understand "...the jumper plug installed."
If the loco is "DCC Ready" it needs a DCC decoder. The printed circuit board (PCB) mounted above the motor is not a decoder.
Are you saying that there is a wiring harness from the 8-pin Natioinal Model Railroad Association (NMRA) socket on the PCP to a decoder or are you saying that there is only the 8-pin plug in the socket on the PCB?
When you took this loco to the service technician did you specify that you were running this "DCC Ready" loco on a DCC pike?
When I upgrade DC locomotives to DCC, if there is a PCB I remove it and directly hardwire the decoder. I do this after electronically isolating the frame from the motor if needed.
While performing this I also upgrade the incandescent bulbs to LEDs.
Please let us know on your progress.
GunnernukeThe layout is DCC the loco is dcc ready with the jumper plug installed. If i put power directly to the motor it works. but I am starting to lean at the control board being bad.
maxmanIt would also be helpful if you answered questions as directly as possible. You said that the layout is DCC. You also said that there is a jumper plug installed. If there is a jumper plug installed then there is not a DCC decoder. DCC ready in this case means that it is ready to have a decoder installed. It doesn't mean that the loco is ready to go on DCC. And if there is not a DCC decoder the loco will not run on the DCC layout.
You said that the layout is DCC. You also said that there is a jumper plug installed. If there is a jumper plug installed then there is not a DCC decoder. DCC ready in this case means that it is ready to have a decoder installed. It doesn't mean that the loco is ready to go on DCC. And if there is not a DCC decoder the loco will not run on the DCC layout.
Exactly!
Thank you!!