Hi! I just changed out the encoder ring on my Lionel Legacy E6 Atlantic. It starts and the wheels spin for about 15 seconds and then the red light on my transformer comes on and the wheels on the locomotive stop. Any ideas on how to correct this? Thanks! Brad.
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Check the spacing and connections on the sensor reading the ‘encoder ring’. We had a thread on a locomotive with a bad encoder ring a few months ago – what made you replace your ring, and how did you do it?
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Hi! Thanks for the advice. I checked the spacing on the encoder ring and it seems okay. The red light goes on with the transformer as soon as I apply power and the motor doesn’t work. There is obviously a short circuit somewhere. I suspect that the motor might be contacting the frame shorting out the locomotive. I think I will apply more tape to the bottom of the motor and see what happens. Thanks! Brad
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You might start by isolating the motor and board from the chassis and connecting them to track power with jumpers (e.g. alligator clips to the rails). That will isolate the speed feedback (from the encoder and detector through the feedback circuit) from any inadvertent short or ground fault. When you have the motor running smoothly and responding to ‘throttle changes’, THEN is the time to break out the Kapton…
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Hi! Woke, I isolated the motor and board and the transformer no longer shorts out , the motor works great, but I don’t think I am getting a tmcc signal. The motor should only run when I move the cab 1L throttle ( it is moving when I move the transformer handle). Any suggestions on how to fix a tmcc signal. I guess I should check the antenna where it enters the board through the jst connectors? Maybe also check where it connects to the handrails? Thanks! Brad
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There are others here who are better authorities on effective TMCC reception. My understanding is that it’s similar in principle to the PRR inductive system, with the RF on the outside rail(s) and the antenna picking up the field at a distance. The timing uses the 120Hz incidence of ‘zero crossings’ of the AC waveform to ‘listen’ for the RF modulation.
I’d test the motor control by using a temporary long wire parallel to active track, to verify that the RF is present and correctly being controlled by the board. Then work through getting the antenna setup via the handrail robust.
From what I understand, you need good conductivity at medium RF in the antenna connection, which implies that one or both handrails are insulated from the shell. My understanding is that you want a good, bright, well-fluxed solder joint between the handrail metal (on the inside of the shell) and the wire lead that goes to the board – this would be a nifty use of resistance soldering if you can get the equipment for it. I’d use something like CRC 2-26 on the connector, and look carefully to be sure the solder or traces on the socket itself aren’t damaged or corroded – you might be able to reflow if they are.
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