Large Scale Central

Shay Problems

Electronics Power and Sound
#1

Last Tuesday night the JRVP and I were operating Shay no 117 in the newly falling snow. Everything went well it worked fine, I might add this was its first run on rails since the new EVO 3 and Sierra sound install took place. We ran for prolly 45 minutes before we got cold we pulled the Shay into the old shop building (unheated, but under cover) and removed the batteries and took them and the transmitter inside. The next day I fire the loco up and pulled her out of the shed and then I lost power to the motors, both trucks…lights, sound, and RC are still working but no power to the motors. I brought it inside and cracked her open, the connections seem to look ok but still no power to the motors.

Today I suspected there might be a jam in the gears of some sort, so I took the covers off and inspected, all seemd normal, WOW! I got power to the motors! Then after a about 45 sec the trucks slowed and now once again I have no power to the trucks. In removeing the electronics from the tender I did pop one wire loose that caused the sound to quit , but was too tired to get out the diagram to figger out where it goes back (single black wire from the accessory board to the EVO Tony I think!) Could this be part of the problem? the trucks started working after I had rolled her on her side to get the bottoms off the trucks and then quit when I put them back on and rolled her back on her wheels… Any ideas where I might further birddog to isolate this problem?

#2

TOC is the expert on this. I seem to remember that there is a somewhat complex arrangement to conduct power from the rails up into the loco and back down to the motors, and failure points.

Also, this is a 2 or 3 truck shay, and new or old motor blocks?

Maybe we can entice Dave to come on in and give his expertise.

Regards, Greg

#3

Bart,
I know that Dave G. has commented on the reverser link fouling up and jamming on the underside of the cabin. This locks up the drive.

#4

Bart.
I a still away from home. I will be back Thusrday our time and will be in touch when I get back.

#5

OK heres the update…after much wailing and gnashing of teeth…( I really dislike doing lectronics) …I determined that there is a power drop to the motors but from where? Is it the trucks themselves? No…each one runs fine when independantly powered from the bench. Is it the throttle? No…cause I swapped in a spare…and it does the same thing…WTF? When a truck is mounted to the chasis…and independant power is applied it slows and stops. The only think I can figure is something has shorted in that firebox flicker circuit and is causing the problem, so Im istalling new wiring to the motors in the trucks…Film at 11…

#6

Watch the reverse lever, I have found that mine will sometimes too. Put it on the test track and see if that is the problem. When I installed my system, I left nothing inside save the flicker board.

Paul

#7

Bart,
Did you measure what the battery voltage is at the point where it connects to the ESC without the motors running?
Then measure what the battery voltage is with the motors running as they sag.
If there is a difference it means the batteries are failing.
If the battery voltage is constant (or very slightly down) then the ESC is failing.

#8

No eggspurt here, but on the four or five of the 2 and 3 truck shays I have done, I remove EVERYTHING electronic from the trucks, and that goofy brass ring pick-up on the mounts. And all the other guts, except for the lights.
New and bigger wires are soldered directly to the motors, and routed up to the locomotive.

It’s been a couple years now, and they are still running strong.

#9

Well this one has been converted a bit…and been running since 2002 when I decided to upgrade and put sound in it…I’m hardwired to the trucks now…I’m useing a 14.4v Nicad setup and I’m getting just over that at the battery intput. Output to the motors is showing zero…guess its the ESC then eh?

#10

Again, no eggspurt like Tony, but I have found that unless there is a load on the outputs of AW, (Don’t know about your system) there won’t be any current showing. Even if you notch it up with the throttle. Test the motors with a small starter set power supply. Then work backwards to the system. Sorry, I can’t help you much here.

#11

Bart,
Please get the EVO-E3 back to me asap.
I will pay the postage both ways.