Large Scale Central

LGB 65004 sound question

Electronics Power and Sound
#1

I took a chance on a boxcar with a undisclosed sound system in it and it turns out it is a LGB 65004 euro diesel module. I looked up instructions on line, scrolled to the English part and didn’t have my questions answered. The original owner has this mounted in a euro boxcar with electric pickups to the wheels. There is also a 9volt battery hookup I’m assuming to provide sound when the train is standing. The wiring is pretty simple 2 wires connect both axles, a black and red wire goes from each axle to the sound unit and the 9volt leads also connects to these red and black wires.
I put this unit on a test track and as throttle/voltage is applied the sound gets louder and faster. If the battery is attached the track voltage doesn’t work. Occasionally a euro horn sounds but this cannot be predicted at any voltage.

From the online directions it takes the LGB MTS system to unlock other sounds from this unit. I don’t care to do that. What I would like to do is stick this unit in a USAT diesel. Any tips on how to do this besides hooking up to the wires that pick up the power off track? Can I get the sound to work off the battery and the track voltage?

Thanks for the comments.

#2

The LGB 6500x series of sound units did not use a battery.

These do have a gold capacitor feature (65011) for low voltage and intermittent track power.

Gold caps last for almost forever and I have never had to change them in my 12 year old engines. sound will last for approx. 20 seconds when power is removed.

Original owner must have used the battery due to high cost of the 65011, or the lack of availability of this unit.

I make my own for $25.00 as too many trains needed batteries.

There is a bell and whistle reed sensor input, center lead is common.

And these 6500x units are digital and work on DCC as well as MTS.

PS, get rid of that horrible speaker and use a better one.

#3

Todd
Let me know if you take a road trip to Dans…
I’m down the street 1 mile.

#4

More observations: Something isn’t right with the battery setup that the previous owner had. When the 9volt is plugged in the sound does come on but when the track voltage is increased the sound doesn’t change tempo. With battery unplugged and track power turned on the sound starts just under 5 volts and increases as the voltage is turned up.

Should the battery be hooked up to the same leads as the track power?

Sean I don’t have a trip planned but I would like to see your RR. The track plan you posted looks really good with lots of action.

#5

Hooking a battery to track leads doesn’t sound right. It didn’t sound right when you first posted it, but I thought maybe I misunderstood. Why would I want a 9 volt battery connected to my track? If I reverse direction I could explode the battery. If I run at 24 volts I could overheat the battery and cause it to rupture. No, I do not like that idea at all.

#6

There is a connection on that unit that outputs a low voltage to the storage cap and a return for 'battery) back power. LGB choose a regulator and gold cap for this, but a rechargable battery would work if one has a charging resistor and diode protection circuit.

The socket on the board has 3 pins for this, charge voltage out, power in and a common/ground pin.

Definitely not the track power connection.

#7

Manual for the sound unit.

Also 65011 is the gold cap manual at this same site and many other LGB manuals are available here.

http://www.onlytrains.com/manuals/6500x.pdf

#8

I thought it was a mickey mouse arrangement. That is the trouble when you buy something second hand. I’m going to hook this up to track power and forget the battery. Maybe I should resell this LGB euro diesel sound unit and pickup a different sound system more in line with with an American diesel. These units seem to be going for $150 and up.
Thanks for the info and link Dan.