Hey guys…I have a 6466wx tender that i am trying to test. I have a test track hooked upto a new 80 watt transformer and when i press the whistle button i can hear the buzz at the track change tone and it seems the relay tries to pick up but its like the coil does not have enough umph to engage the contacts…when i finger the contacts the whistle works fine but when i release it the contacts do not disengage and i see blue sparks at the contacts when the whistle is running . Feels like the coil is slightly magnetized…I have the transformer U post going to #2 on the CTC and the A post going to #1…I am wondering if the newer transformers do not work well with post-war engines and i need a TW or LW type transformer to make it work…any help appreciated…this is my 1st attempt at trying to restore post-war equipment…I have all the repair books available…Thanks
If your using the new CW-80 Lionel transformer, try reversing the leads at the track.
Roger
Reversing the leads will make no difference whatsoever. Try lowering the track voltage if this is a CW… the DC signal strength falls off at higher throttle settings on this transformer.
The blue sparks issue is a different matter. Clean the contacts with CRC QD or other contact cleaner.
Clean out the fan vanes & whistle chambers with needle nose pliers & compressed air - there are often spiders/webs/nests & lots of pet hair & carpet fibers in there.
Clean & lube the whistle motor(oil the top AND bottom armature shaft bushings/bearings - the bottom is a real bear but can be reached with a needle oiler through two of the three armature poles) - clean the brushes(replace if worn down) & brush tubes. Use synthetic oil and let it work in to the bushings/bearings.
Rob
Would a post-war transformer work better for me like a TW or LW rather than the new CW i am presently using??
Not really.
Get the whistle working well first before introducing another variable.
Rob
I am not familar with modern era transformers. Postwar transformers often require a load to generate enough DC bias to activate the whistle relay. If modern era transformers work the same way, then putting a few light bulbs, wired in parallel with the tender, may do the trick. LED’s will not work, they don’t draw enough current.
The CW80 produces its whistle-blowing DC by asymmetrically varying the turn-on times of the positive and negative half-cycles of the AC waveforms. This will not be affected by loading the transformer.
I have the whistle working pretty well but like i said it seems like the relay is not getting enough juice to pick up…i can hear it try to but it seems like it is just not enough even at lower voltages on the transformer…do i need to have the engine on the track with the tender when testing it or should the tender work fine on the track all by its self?