How to determine what needs to be repaired?

[Chock]

I have a Bachmann B23-7 (Union Pacific livery), it is pretty new, only a few days in fact and has literally only been run a few times back and forth along one section of track, but yesterday it stalled on my layout, I went over to it and it was smoking (very acrid stuff, made the mistake of giving it a sniff - which is not recommended LOL).

Presumably something fairly essential failed, since it now no longer works. Is there any way to determine what might need replacing to fix it? I presume it is the motor that went up, which is annoying since it is almost brand new, but is there any specific test I can do to confirm this absolutely is the part at fault? I don't want to buy a replacement motor and then find out it was something else that needed to be replaced.

Some additional info - I was using the Bachmann EZ controller with it on '10' to control the loco since that one is not DCC. I do know it says on the info for that controller that leaving a non DCC loco for a long time on the track not running could damage it, although this was mere seconds for the damage to happen, so I presume that was not the issue, but it'd be interesting to know if that actually was the cause of its demise.

Cheers for any help or suggestions - Al

[Doneldon]

Chock-

I was all set to reassure you that your motor was okay until I read the part about the magic smoke and running a DC loco on DCC. Yes, I know the EZ Command instructions say you can do it but it's pretty risky. The motors can get very hot very fast and they'll continue to cook themselves off even when the loco is standing still. I'd try some normal stuff like applying power directly to the loco's wheels and maybe even the motor's terminals but I think your engine may be fried. You might find it best to send it into Bachmann Central Command for rehabilitation. Good luck.

                                                                                                                                                                                     -- D

[RAM]

Bachmann locomotive, Bachmann controller, Bachmann information.  Send it in for repair.

[ACY]

The loco is not covered by warranty because you are running the loco on address 10 at your own risk, because you did explicitly what Bachmann stated not to do in the manual, you voided the warranty. The E-Z Command directs you to not leave a DC loco on DCC track for any extended duration and to monitor the loco and periodically check to make sure it does not overheat or get damaged.

[Doneldon]

Chock-

I don't see anything about leaving the loco on DCC and unattended for a long time; in fact, you stated the loco stalled while you were running it. Accordingly, I'll repeat my suggestion that you ask the boys in Philthadelphia for some help.
                                                                                                                                                               -- D

[ACY]

I don't see anything about leaving the loco on DCC and unattended for a long time; in fact, you stated the loco stalled while you were running it. Accordingly, I'll repeat my suggestion that you ask the boys in Philthadelphia for some help.

Well it is there in black and white and I quote the manual, "Note: When operating an analog locomotive be sure to monitor it closely.  Analog motors are subject to overheating and damage when they are run for long periods of time on DCC systems."
Bachmann could not be much clearer than that.

[Jim Banner]

Chock,
If I read your post correctly, you were running your locomotive, then it stalled.  During the time it took to walk over to it, it started smoking.  That doesn't strike me as sitting for "an extended period of time."  Best bet for finding out if warranty applies is to call the service department.  Neither ACY nor myself can give you a definitive answer as neither of us works for Bachmann.

The problem could be in the motor but it could also be in the lighting/DCC adapter board that I assume your locomotive has.  A 10¢ capacitor that decided to short could cause the same symptoms - stalling followed by smoke.  If you want to eliminate the motor, about the only way to do it is to disconnect the motor and remove it, then test it.  While still connected, there are other components connected across the motor that could short so that finding a short across the motor terminals would not necessarily mean the short was in the motor.  Likewise applying power to a disconnected motor and finding that it does not turn could indicate a bad motor or it could indicate a problem elsewhere in the power train, for example a broken gear, bent connecting rods, or simply a few strands of hair wrapped around and jamming an axle.

If the problem turned out to be in the lighting board, a possible alternative to sending it in for warranty service would be to replace the board with a decoder.  I don't know the cost of shipping in the US but I am going to guess that it is close to the cost of a basic decoder.  And even better, with a decoder installed, you would have no more worries about over heating your locomotive when running it on a DCC track.

Jim

[Chock]

Nothing I did seems to be contravening what it says in the manual for the EZ Command controller although semantics might come into play as it often does with warranties. That will in any case be something of a moot point and it is no big deal really since making all my locos DCC is the plan. Thus I suspect I'll be going for Jim's suggestion and sticking a decoder in it (and that will too be a Bachmann one). Either way it'd be out of warranty soon, since it has always been my intention to repaint it in ex Providence and Worcester colours to represent NYS&W's No 2300, because a UP loco would be a long way from home on my East coast layout! I'm fairly sure repainting the thing would blow out the warranty.

Of course the motor may still need replacing, and probably will, but in the grand scheme of things I suppose that's not the end of the world since I have in fact got a few locos that I picked up second hand which need similar operations, so I guess I'll be getting pretty adept at such surgery. Like most incidents which initially seem bad, it often ends up turning out to be a good thing, as in this case, because it will probably prompt me to get to work on doing DCC conversions, which I'd been kind of putting off! Time to warm up the soldering iron.

I appreciate the suggestions and helpful comments from everyone - thanks people.

PS: Somewhat ironically, two shiny new Bachmann DCC GP-30s that I bought the other day arrived in the post about five minutes ago. Well, actually not that shiny since they are both black, but you know what I mean.

Al

[ACY]

Repainting the locomotive will not void the warranty. But damage incurred while running an Analog loco with a DCC system of address 10 or 0 is as far as I know not covered under the warranty, when I asked about it once that is pretty much what it seemed like they were saying, but you can call them to double check.

[Doneldon]

Chock-

I'd still at least call Bachmann. Even if they tell you the warranty won't be honored they can replace the motor for you. And they might do it under warranty.



ACY-

It's certainly true that the Bachmann instructions say not to leave a locomotive unattended on live DCC tracks. However, and this is a big however, that does not mean that is what Chock did. On the contrary, his post does not say that's what he did. Please don't leave impulsive and sometimes offensively worded posts for people. And when you do answer posts, please read the original carefully and don't confuse what someone said in his post with what Bachmann says in their instructions, as you did here. That just leads to bad information and bad feelings.
                                                                         -- D