Today I bought the Seuthe model 117 smoke generator for my HO layout. I fit it into the smokestack of a building. Wired it up, then filled with liquid for smoke. I used the bottle that came with it.
Directions are pretty non existant and the guy that sold it to me told me to use the syringe and needle to fill up the metal tube in the center of the pot. Well, I tried that but no way was i gonna get the fluid in there but I think some got in anyway. THEN i realized the tube is the steam pipe, and heats the liquid in the resevoir. So I filled the resevoir and turned on the switch and… nothing.
Did I ruin it before I began? I de-installed and dumped the fluid. not sure if any made its way to the bottom of the tube but if it did will i ever get it to work?
Should I try to soak it out of the pipe by using a thread as a wick?
I left the switch on for about 3 minutes and nothing happened, should I have waited longer?
I don’t know much about these things. They generate nasty stuff that is hard on the lungs, hard to get off the track. That said, you’ve probably not ruined it. I was under the impression you let it heat briefly (10 second) then drop in some smoke fluid.
Looks like I was wrong about that, but I doubt that would cause your problems either.
From the link it looks like you probably overfilled it. The reservoir is basically just the open stack, but there’s a central heater tube in it. You probably filled it so high that it lapped over the top of the tube, thus blocking the correct tube circulation that makes the smoke. Looks like it siphons in somehow, then is heated on the inside of the tube, then rises from there to pass out the stack.
After letting things drain/dry out, try just a small amount of fluid in the stack, trying to pour it down one side. Then fire things up and it should puff some smoke. Good luck.
Seuthe smoke generators are a pretty simple contraption - just a reservoir with a heater tube in the middle, which draws the smoke fluid by capillary action. If you overfill the reservoir, the smoke generator does not work. There is a simple remedy to it. Take a piece of kitchen tissue and turn the loco upside down over it to empty the reservoir. Put the loco back on the track and run it for a moment. After heating up, the smoke generator will puff out a little cloud of smoke and start to work.
When filling the reservoir again, make sure just to put only a drop or two into it.
There could also be an electrical problem. Check the resistance of the unit with an Ohm-meter. It should read something but not read open or shorted. Read from the two wires without being connected to your power source. Actually disconnect it and not just turn the power off when making the reading.
I am terrible with electricity and though I own a nice electrical meter, I dont know how to use it.
BUt, I cannot get this thng to work. I have emptied fluid, put 2-3 drops in, hooked to AC and to DC cause im not sure what it should really be, but started with AC. This one is rated at 16v but my power is rated at 17v AC and I think 14 DC v so now I wonder if I dont have enough juice to heat it up in the first place.
I have a new one now to connect. Rated at 50Ma. Can I just hook this up to the accessories post on my DC controller or do I need to reduce amps going to the smoke unit?
Should be able to just hook it up to the accessory output. You’ll want to put a switch in the circuit as well, you probably won’t want smoke all the time, plus powering them up when dry will burn them out.