I have a 681 and the e-unit will ring / hum when I am using the engine. If I switch it to forward only it stops. It sounds more like a ringing noise when it is runnung.
Any ideas??
I also have a B&O railsounds box car that will shut down after about 4 or 5 min of run time.
Any ideas on that?
Tks,
Kev.
The E-unit will make small humm or buzzing sound when not locked into forward or reverse, that is normal. If it makes too much noise it may need to be serviced with a little oil on the solenoid shaft(never spray the E-unit with WD-40 or any spray can stuff as you will destroy the small wheel inside the E-unit that has to turn), but if it still works don’t worry about it.
Another thing I thought of, what transformer are you using with your 681? Postwar or modern? If it is a modern transformer like the CW-80, your transformer could be partly to blame as well.
It is an RW that should be no problem and seems fine witheverything else.
I will try the shaft lub and see if it helps. This is ringing is so loud you can hear it over the engine when it is pulling around the table.
Tks,
Kev.
Some e-units are just louder than others–don’t know why. One fix I have seen recommended is to remove the e-unit and give the end of the horizontal shaft a good rap with a ball-peen hammer, to stake the whole thing together a little more tightly. Have never tried it myself, tho. What causes the noise is vibration emanating from the e-unit solenoid. When the e-unit is locked into one direction, the solenoid is not energized, and so there is no vibration. Vibration is inescapable when running on AC. It is possible to power only the solenoid (not the whole engine) with DC current by using a bridge rectifier or a diode and a capacitor, which I did on one particularly noisy engine (silenced it completely). There was a thread on that topic a while back with a lot of good info.
Really? I have always been told never to put any lube on the solenoid shaft, since it will collect dust and lead to jamming.
I would recommend that you NOT lube the E unit solenoid. It is not going to make it quiet.
Yep. Oil or any other wet lubricant is just going to attract dust and dirt. Also, it may migrate, and really make a mess out of your reversing unit.
E-units do not require any lubrication.
Well Toooo late guys!
I put a drop of oil on the solenoid shaft and when the shell is off it is very quiet. When I put the shell on it is loud so the sound must be resonating through the shell?? This engine is amazingly clean and nice inside. It can’t have much run time from looking at it. Maybe I will stuff some foam in there. Still don’t know what is up with the B&O railsound boxcar.
Tks,
Kev
.
Did the drop of oil help the e unit noise. I have a Southern GP 7 that does the same exact thing did foam in the shell help any?
Black Diamond,
I cleaned the oil off and just left it as it is. I think it is the nature of the beast. [:)]
It’s not that difficult to power it with DC, and that will solve the issue of it making noise. A simple 1N4003 diode and a 470uf 35V capacitor to power the coil and it’ll be silent.
Which one goes first (connected to the power) the diode or the capacitor?
The diode anode (the end without the band) goes to power, the cathode (the end with the band) connects to the E-Unit coil. The 470uf cap connects with the positive to the cathode and coil connection, the negative end to frame ground (outer tracks).
Note: Do NOT run the motor through the diode, the diode just powers the coil of the E-Unit. The motor connection goes before the diode.
10-4, thanks!