Large Scale Central

Fix for Dash 9 Board Problems.

Problem Solving
#1

We been having a lot of problems with some of our Train group guys on there Dash 9’s about there lighting or just motor quite running.

I did some of the sound sys’s yrs ago and some about ready for Batt. changes when we found that after years the darn Soldered joints start failing on the PC boards.

Seem like in this has happen to about 5 or 6 of them and a Job tracing out the bad connections. For those that have never seen the insides of these, we took some photo of what it looks like and looking for the problem is not easy thing.

If you can’t seem to find the problem of a bad cir. just start sweating the joints with new solder until thing start running. Sometime that about the only way to find them.

Most of the problems is we just had to sweat the soldeded joints until we found the bad spots… This one had two bad joints that one was the Batt./Track power switch and others one was bad solder on a plug to the real board on the frame.

After we found all of the problems and replace the Sound Batt. the owner wanted another guy in the cab and dim the over head light down a bit.


We also had a few problems with the swing on the rear coupler and change it to work with our USA and Bachmenn modified couplers with a step down fix. Need this for our 50 and 60’ cars on 10 Dim. stuff.
We used a curtain rood bracket modified that will not bend and using a Bachmann coupler works out great for the up and down of the over hang of the Eng. on some bad tracks.
Some of the guys just use a conversion car in-stead of messing with the Eng. coupler.

Hope this help others with the same problem and really not that hard to get in to but there is a lot of screws to take out… One easy way on taking out the screws is to use a long modeling mag. screwdriver so you can pull out the screw with no problems. When putting them back in, set them in the hole and un-screw the screw until you hear a small click. This way you don’t mess up the threds and then screw them in and don’t over tighten them.
Just a good idea for the next time you have to get in to the eng. again.
Just a note: We know some of your guys leave these Eng’s outside over night or in bad weather. But if you can see what happens to the solder joins I would say no… I one has a change is do want to do that them seal the pc board and plugs with silicone or some kind of a bearer but remember you may have to get back in to them again.

Maybe your remember the Electronics stuff the Army or other servers had, that they sealed the boards with Shellac and what a heck of a time get that stuff off to fix a problem. We sealing them in about the same way with Silicone and is problem for repairs. So take them in if you can to keep them running. Just an Idea … Hope this helps some of you. Noel

#2

Yep AC was noted for having solder issues later in production. I think when they switched to non lead type solder. Later RJD

#3

If you notice, they did do one thing I really like and may do on some other Eng’s. It’s the foot lights on railing run way and the steps. Really show up at night.

#4

Yes that is a nice touch. Wish more manufactures did this to there diesels. Later RJD

#5

You will notice that even though there are holes drilled in the circuit board, that wires are not placed in the hole and then soldered, but the wire just laid on the board and solder dabbed on the joint.

Noel, I know you were “brought up” right, and that you were taught that when soldering, you need to make a good mechanical connection first, than add solder, don’t try to make the solder a mechanical part of the joint.

The soldering is normally pretty bad in Aristo products. Again, my motto for them is: “Clever designs, poorly assembled, no QC”

Greg

#6

Yup. Greg E. that what you have to do. I had to sweat the joint to find the darn bad conection and then found the wires was in the drilled out holes in the board and that was ok, but you have to suck out the old solders and use some good stuff or you will be right back where you started. Probable should of said that on my post of sweating the joints… lol. Yup… Qc bummer.

#7

Yeah, and that new lead free solder is a royal pain to work with.

The new lead free uses a higher temperature.

But! Many manufacturers have not upgraded their circuit board materials and consequently the higher temps have many boards “falling apart” where the copper traces become delaminated, especially if you are trying to desolder something and get all the old crappy ROHS solder out and use nice “LEADED” solder.

Thankfully I have enough genuine Kester leaded solder in all sizes to take me to my grave!

Greg