Modifying K-27 to a pulsed smoker

[Heinz D]

Hi

I got a brand new K-27 a Zimo DCC Sound-Decoder MX690V with the genuine K-27 Sound Project and a Pro Line pulsed smoke generator from train-li-usa.com.

Now I'm looking inside the tender and on the wiring diagramm from Bachmann. I have 11 wires between tender and engine. 2 of them I'll not needing. There are the wires for the IR chuff-trigger. There are only 2 chuffs per revolution and the Zimo Sound Decoder has an internal trigger which works perfect.

Has somebody an experience to open the K-27 for picking up the wires for the trigger to use with the pulsed smoker.

I'm thankfull for every good information.

Heinz

PS  I recorded the sound for this Zimo project from the 463 befor the gear was brocken.

[Udo]

Hello Heinz,
I have an ESU LOKSOUND XL and a Massoth pulsed generator in one of my K27s.
All the original electronic equipment has been removed.
Now the Decoder is placed in the fire box (a lot of space there after removal).
The original triggers also have been cut off.
I replaced them by two Hall sensors at the second drive axle, which I blocked for side movement.
One of the Hall sensors is for the decoder, the other one for the smoke unit.
I also relocated the inbuilt ventilator and made it switchable via the decoder.
So it blows in the direction to the smoke box.
The smoke unit has a small pipe and there is also another bigger one just under the hole for the stack. So you have something like a suction pump over the smoke unit (double walled pipe, with the outside pipe downside open).
This prevents the ventilator for just blowing the smoke to anywhere...
I use the ventilator also as a "blower".
Looks very nice...
By the way, to the tender, there is only the connection for power pick up, lights and speaker left.
Udo

[Heinz D]

Hi Udo,
mostly by an LGB engine I cut all the wiring out, because it's made to simple inside. Bachmann engines of the last years are much better wired, and I miss only one wire for the smoker fan from the decoder inside the tender to the engine.
I do not need any external trigger using the Zimo decoder. The internal trigger works perfect to the revolution of the driver and the smoke fan is driven from the trigger out of the Zimo decoder.
I'm using a tube between the smoke output and the smoke stake. One this way the smoke is leaving through the stake and stay not inside the boiler.
I'm thinking to cut the trigger wires away of the IR modules and using for the Smokefan.
I'm intersting to get some experiences and informations what is important to open the engine for access to this parts. Do you have some informations for me?
Most important for me is the using of a genuine protoype sound and not a generic one like ESU is doing.
Heinz

[StanAmes]

Perhaps I can help.

If you need an  extra wire from the tender to the locomotive I would recommend using one of the triggers for the chuff.

The K27 has a sensor in each cylinder to provide you a choice for  chuffs of either 2 or 4 chuffs per revolution

The selection is in the tender which requires the output for both sensors to go to the tender.  If you want 4 chuffs and also one extra wire simply make the chuff connection in the locomotive which will free up one of the chuff wires.

Decoder + and decoder ground are also easy to get to in the locomotive.

Hope that helps.

Stan Ames

[Udo]

Hello Heinz,
I understand, that you don't want use the inbuilt triggers. Otherwise, the hint of Stan is very helpfull.
But, if you don' want the triggers, you can remove all the Bachmann electrics, so you have space enough for the decoder, and may be even for the speaker in the firebox. And the cables to the tender will reduce to a minimum (2 for power Pick up, 2 for the back light).
The inbuilt ventilator you can even make switchable like I did.
By the way, to remove the complete boiler including the cab is very easy and well described in the Bachmann manual.
But don't forget to remove the boiler supports on the front ! (not shown in the description!).

Udo