Large Scale Central

Does anyone recognize this

Electronics Power and Sound
#1

I recently purchased a Bachmann Shay, and it has this sound board mounted in the tender area. I was told that it may be a Phoenix, but a search of their site has turned up nothing that looks like this. Does anyone know what kind of board it is. I need to find a wiring diagram so that I can install an Aristo Revolution control board into it.

The board measures 1 7/8 inches by 2 3/4 inches. It doesn’t show in the pic but there is also a 9 volt rechargeable battery and a variable control (potentiometer) attached. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Ron

#2

Can you get to the bottom of this board? See if it has a part number.

#3

It’s not a Phoenix, Ron.
I don’t recognize it.

#4

Doesn’t look like a Sierra either…

#5

The electrical connectors look just like the items that PH Hobbies liked to use in the 1990’s. I believe the potentiometer is sound volume control.

#6

Thank guys
Mike, there are no marking of any kind on the bottom.
Tim, yes, I also think that the pot is a volume control.

On the large square component in the picture is a sticker that reads:

Shay 12K
12-19-00
A6D0

That is the only markings I can find anywhere.
Supposedly it works, but I haven’t tried it yet.
Ron

#7

It sure looks like one of these (from G. Schreyer’s site)

(http://www.girr.org/girr/tips/tips2/rs3_isolated_sound.jpg)

OEM P.H. Hobbies board, made for Aristo, but it’s close, no cigar. Greg

#8

Greg - It doesn’t match your photo. Different board layout for sure. Did PH Hobbies even last into the age of surface mount? I don’t know.

#9

That’s very interesting the circuit card doesn’t have a part number somewhere on it. I might be dumb, but how would you tell what is was? Especially when it was manufactured and then delivered to whoever. Oh well, you see something new everyday. The sticker to me looks like the programming data that the VLISC chip was loaded with.

#10

Ron, the date on the chip seems to coincide with PH Hobbies units (Dec. 2000). I have the RS3 unit in Greg’s photo and while monophonic it does sound OK to me with its cab talk, horn and bell. I only paid $20 for it new.

#11

Yep, as I said at the end of my post “OEM P.H. Hobbies board, made for Aristo, but it’s close, no cigar.”

looks like it… … there were various versions of the PH stuff, but the other versions I have seen are likewise close, but not the same.

Greg

#12

Thanks for all the input guys
So it looks like this thing is probably pretty old, possibly not compatible with the Revo receiver. It is currently set up to run on track power. I may just try it that way, and then get a new Phoenix when I want to put the Revo in along with a battery set up. I melted one receiver already because I thought I knew what I was doing. Don’t want to do that again, even though aristo repaired it for free.

Ron

#13

That is a PH Hobbies for sure. Purchased a reefer from ebay with one in it. Worked great, but then on day pufff! I couldn’t find any info about what happened to PH Hobbies and how to fix them. Went with a Phoenix to replace it.

#14

To add to the pleadings for documentation, I sure could use the pinouts on this PH Hobbies board:

(http://www.elmassian.com/images/stories/electronics/ph_hobbies/ph_hobbies_2.jpg)

Thanks, Greg

#15

Have fun. They all seem to go “pffftttttt!”, then into the circular file. I used to have dozens of them, hoping parts would help someone, somewhere, threw most of them out 3-4 years ago. They are all different. Seems Paul Housey changed circuit board designs annually.
Sound was never up to Sierra or Phoenix, some of the later ones had “announcements” built in for specific manufacturers to use, and you couldn’t turn it off. The rotating volume control as a problem to access, the batteries are impossible to get (I had any number built up from button cells like shown in blue shrink).
Best bet is to not waste your time, the battery will need replacement, the board will fail.
Granted, there are some folks who will probably say their PH never failed, origiginal 1995 battery still works, well, good for you.
Some had fixed whistle and bell, like the old LGB boards, no real-time, worthless.