so using the block on the tender moves the air bubble to near the "output" of the tank. Don't see how not using the block affects filling the tank. Purging gas from the tank and filling more liquid would though, just like my cigar lighters, if you have too much gas in the tank, and you add liquid, the gas becomes so compressed that the pressure blocks more liquid entering... so you fill, and then purge and then fill again.

Greg

I haven't had time to fill the tank, (I never bring an engine back into the house until I have emptied the fuel tank) and with a full Frank S tank, that's a long time to empty it if I get it filled.

[From the article by Kevin O'Connor's article on the Frank S}  "Two of the wood steam up blocks elevate the drive wheels of the engine out of contact with the rails so they can rotate in place and warm up the mechanism while clearing the piston valves and cylinders of condensate and excess steam oil.  This concept can be used of all steam engines.  The third one is placed under the front of the tender which cants the fuel tank up at an angle so the tillage (gas bubble) in the tank is forced forward and there is no chance of passing liquid fuel through the delivery tube and nozzle."

Hopes that helps.

B

So, what was the answer, did you succeed to fill the tank?

For those of use who don't know, what do the wood supports have to do with it?

Thanks, Greg

there one for sale on eBay, $999.00.  Multitude of articles in Steam in the Garden magazine.  I have the manual that came with it.

I haven't run it yet, waiting for free time.

Never thought I would learn vocabulary here, but now I know what succint means. 

Bill,  I would like to know how you make out.  Another Frank S owner in Massachusetts was having problems and found that the butane tank filler valve is not a standard thread.

If Kevin's wood blocks are the answer a number of folks would be happy to know that.

as soon as I saw the article on the Frank S from KO-5, I remembered the wood supports that I made.  Thats probably why I couldn't get the fuel in, wasn't following KO-5's instructions.  I haven't attempted it yet.  It was 93 degrees today with about 75% humidity.  I can't get thrilled about being outside.

Actually I have a couple of Accucraft steamers with the 6v regulator, and on mine, the regulator IC was hidden underneath the motor screwed to part of the chassis... it looked like the wire just ducked under the motor and for the life of me could not figure out where the 6v came from.

Greg

Greg Elmassian said:

I think I'm already helping you on the other forum. Just take that multimeter, set for DC and start measuring...Greg

 

You are and it shall be done, was just wondering if anybody had direct experience of the same issue over here. Not so many electric Accy K-27's in the UK. Multi-meter at the ready, set for volts first, I think I've now worked out the process needed for validating the stuff on the PCB, thanks again for the diagrams. All is clear in my head now. Ohms for later as I still want to chase down a possible short issue, I'm going to pull out the bulbs and wiring for the head/validation lights anyway as there seem to be some future risks the way it's installed right now.

I think I'm already helping you on the other forum. Just take that multimeter, set for DC and start measuring...

Greg

Max;

   Those are NOT "Marker Lights" on the front end.

  They are "Class Lights", or Classification lights.  Green to indicate a second section following, or White, to indicate an extra train, not on the employees' timetable.

     "Marker Lights" are on the caboose, bringing up the rear. (Of the train)

    During daylight hours, flags of the appropriate colours replace the lights.

     I send this note to you, just to enhance your knowledge of the lights and their purpose, on your locomotive, in case you are interested.

  Fred Mills

I have a recently aquired 2nd hand electric Accucraft K-27, it has Sierra Soundtraxx card fitted. I accidently pulled off the smoke box front the other day. When I replaced it the head and marker lights no longer functioned in forward motion but the rear tender mounted light, only, still functions perfectly when the track current is reversed. I checked the wiring on the small circuit board, looks like Accucraft's standard 6v voltage regulator assy', mounted in the smoke box and the only thing amiss was one of the legs on a tall cylindrical object (sorry I have virtualy zero understanding of these things other than simple wiring) on the board had come adrift. I soldered this detached leg back into what appeared to be the correct position on the board. But still no front head/marker light function but reversing light ok. All the wiring to the head and marker lights seems ok with no apparent breaks. Any ideas on what is going on here and what I might need to do to fix ?

I've had some good technical advice on a UK forum I have posted this on but I thought there may be more of you familiar with this loco and experienced this problem here and know a simple solution. It's the odd fact that the reverse light works ok but the head and markers don't that has me scratching my head. Your input and ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Richard Mynderup said:

The rear tender wheel gears on my Bachmann 3-Truck Shay do not want to move.  I was doing a test run this morning and they would run intermittently.  Now it seems not at all.  The engine is wired for RC/Battery and I've opened up the trucks and had a look at the motor and all the wiring seems to be in good shape.  The one thing I've noticed is the horizontal bar spins but the wheels are not...so not sure if something has broken.

I appreciate any advice or direction to go...

Richard

Richard

Two possible problems.

1) as others have pointed out the contacts between the truck and frame can cause problems.  cleaning the contacts helps.  I put stronger springs in and that eliminated the problem.

To check this out remove the truck and connect power to the motor plungers.  If the truck moves the problem is electrical.

2) wiring problem.

I had a trace fry on the main board in the locomotive on one of my 3 truck shays.  If it is an electrical problem I found it easiest to remove one of the front trucks as well as the 3rd truck and then use an ohm meter to figure out where the problem was.

Hope that helps

Stan

Bruce Chandler said:

Richard Mynderup said:

Hey Bruce...still haven't heard back from Dave as of the writing of this post.  Was Dave able to come up with a fix for the bad truck or did you end up replacing it?

Richard

 

Richard,

They were in pretty bad shape.

Fortunately, Dave had some parts and was able to replace them, although they are still plastic - but now MUCH better shape.   

I had thought about getting the metal replacement trucks, but I think they were out of stock at the time (this was a few years ago)

Bruce

Yep the original 2 truck shays with plastic trucks had a lot of failures.

The trucks on the 3 truck shay (and the newer 2 truck shays) have metal trucks.

Stan

Richard Mynderup said:

Hey Bruce...still haven't heard back from Dave as of the writing of this post.  Was Dave able to come up with a fix for the bad truck or did you end up replacing it?

Richard

 

Richard,

They were in pretty bad shape.

Fortunately, Dave had some parts and was able to replace them, although they are still plastic - but now MUCH better shape.   

I had thought about getting the metal replacement trucks, but I think they were out of stock at the time (this was a few years ago)

I am working on another three truck Shay at the moment.

It too has a rear truck power problem.

Be advised that on all the examples I have seen the track pick wires and the motor wires have been mixed up in the cabling.

Note Bachmann have not made life easy as on the rear truck connections above, the Orange and Grey wires are actually track pickups.

The Red and Black are actually the M & M+ wires.

They get corrected in the cabling at the plug so that inside the tender it is the Orange and Grey that do go to the motor.

Check that there are no wires broken at the plug.  That is what I have just found.

If it's wired for battery R/C then the plungers for track power pickup shouldn't be an issue !

Tony - I'm wondering if a shim under the pc board would create a better contact??

Richard

Hey Bruce...still haven't heard back from Dave as of the writing of this post.  Was Dave able to come up with a fix for the bad truck or did you end up replacing it?

Richard

I recently had a brand new three truck Shay doing exactly the same thing.

The problem was the intermittent plunger contacts between the tender wiring and the truck itself.  I didn't fix it as the loco was under new warranty anyway.

The Australian dealer did the work, so I don't know what he did.  The only proper way to fix it would be to hard wire the trucks.

The horizontal drive shaft is driven by the front truck.  It is not mechanically connected to the other trucks.