Converting Bachman Plus to DCC

[jeffe82095]

I am making the change from DC to DCC.  Can the Bachman Plus F7's be converted to DCC?

[Jim Banner]

Any locomotive can be converted to DCC.  Some are harder than others.  A few are much harder.  The Plus series of locomotives predate DCC so they will require more than just plugging in a decoder.  You will have to cut and solder wires and insulate these joints (use shrink tubing.)

As always, make sure the locomotive runs well on dc before you start.
Use an ammeter to measure the motor stall current at 12 volts by holding the motor shaft or flywheel stationary for a few moments.
Use this current measurement to help in selecting a decoder.
Isolate the motor from the wheels and make sure they really are isolated by using an ohmmeter or a battery and test light.  (You are not allowed to cry over a burned up decoder if you did not perform this test.)
Follow the wiring diagram that comes with the decoder.

If you do not already have one, consider buying a volt-ohm-amp meter.  These will help you measure motor currents, lamp currents, various voltages, and the resistance between wheels and motor.  Digital ones can be had for around $15 or even less on sale.

[mac_daddy]

Great info, Jim. Do you know if there is some sort of DC to DCC conversion checklist? I saw a basic one in the latest Garden Railway mag. But I was thinking along the lines of someone finding a garage sale gem and then deciding to modernize it.

[Nigel]

Can the Bachman Plus F7's be converted to DCC?

Yes; see:
http://home.neo.rr.com/mrwithdcc/f7app.html
The article is a little old, and thus the decoder selection is two plus generations out of date.  For basic functionality, Bachmann's wired decoder 44913 or 44914 (3 pack or 44913)
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/catalog/?function=detail&id=1464
will work fine. 

There other decoders with greater sophistication avaliable from other companies - see your dealer.

[r.cprmier]

Nigel;
I have experienced a broken wire right at the entrance of the male plug on one of my Bachmann 2-6-6-2s.  I had previously assumed (dangerous) that it would be easy to find a replacement Molex type insert, crimp it onto the wire and reinsert it into the plug body-I was wrong.   It is NOT easy...
Have you experienced this occurance, and if so, what did you do to remedy it?  My thought at this point, short of hard-wiring the whole, is to try tp get a presoldered conductor into the plug, and "cold-solder" it to the existing brass.  Probably a fool's errand.

Rich

[woody]

I bought a Bachmann Plus F7 second-hand from a Model Rail show here in the UK yesterday. It ran very well on DC so I fitted a Bachmann 36-553 BEMF decoder and it now runs even better. The model uses the chassis as an earth return which I don't like much. So, I removed the sliding pickups on the one side that connect with the chassis and soldered some wires to the pickups so that all pickup connections are now fully wired. Then, when I soldered the decoder wires to the motor, I used insulating tape on the inside of the chassis where the one brush connection is made in dc. I also replaced the light bulb with an LED. There's plenty of room for the decoder so I attached it to the chassis at the rear. The whole conversion took about 2 hours and is a bit fiddly but well worth the effort.

[WoundedBear]

http://www.bachmann.co.uk/pdfs/3-function_decoder.pdf

Mr. B'Mann.....any chance of these becoming available in North America, and would they be compatible with the EZC, or are these Dynamis only?

Sid

[the Bach-man]

Dear Sid,
I'm not sure what or when these items will be available, but when I hear, I'll let you know.
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[jsmvmd]

Dear Jim, et al:

Would you advise getting a decoder tester from Tony's or other, to pre-test your decoder before installation?  I read that somewhere else, I think, but not being a DCC guy just yet, I don't remember it being mentioned on this forum.

Best Wishes,

Jack