EM-1 Problems?

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

Just bought an EM1 today and its acting funny, I need to put it up to 80-100% throttle before it will move and then it takes off like a rocket. in reverse the front headlight flashes like a strobe. I'm running it on DC.

Is that correct behavior or is something wrong?

[ACY]

Remove the decoder first and replace with jumpers and then it should operate normally, if not then you have a problem.

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

is there supposed to be jumper plugs or do i have to hardwire it? if so you know what colors are motor leads, headlight,reverse light, etc

[ACY]

All I know is I put the sound in my EM-1 and it requires 75-80% throttle to move and that is normal. However to figure out if you have an issue if you don't have the sound, you can remove the decoder and install jumpers, there may not be any included but if the locomotive has an 8 pin socket there should be some. I have not tried the loco with just DCC without sound on a DC layout.

[Hunt]

ACY answer about using jumpers is not applicable to the EM-1. This locomotive does not have an 8-pin NMRA DCC socket.

BaltoOhioRRfan,
Need some more info
Did you install a sound module?

What DC power pack are you using? If your power pack provides a Pulse power switch, set to the Off position.   A Pulse power pack will result in erratic and unreliable operation.

If light flashing in a repeating pattern, count the number of times the light flash before the pattern is repeated and let us know.

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

The light just flickers while the engine is in reverse, I can't get her to run at a slow speed without stalling.

I use an MRC 200 Tech 4. I'm thinking about taking out the DCC board and hard wiring everything or swapping it out for a board with an 8 pin plug. anyone know what the wire color code is? (IE is red for motor positive, headlight positive, etc)

[Hunt]

You cannot depend on the wire insulation color to be correct for the wire use for the internal locomotive wiring remaining after you remove the PCB-decoder. You should label each wire's use as you remove it from the circuit board.

[jonathan]

The EM-1 is a power hog.  It does take most of a DC throttle to get it moving.  That is normal.

Also, as stated, there is no spot for jumpers.  You would have to remove the whole PCB and hardwire the pickups.  There is a small board in the locomotive that indicates which wires are headlight, motor, pick up and so on.  Makes it easier to hardwire to the locomotive/tender plugs. Color coding is not helpful, a lot of the wires are black.  The tender PCB is marked well, if you have a magnifying glass.

I have run my EM-1s in DC with sound.  It takes nearly all 14Volts, but it still runs nicely, just not real quick.

Honestly, the locomotive was designed to run well on DCC which is does very, very well.  Creeps like crazy, pulls well, just needs the correct hooter whistle.  Yeah, I'm still a touch miffed about the whistle,  but still a great loco.  I've been running them for a few years now with no problems so far (knock on wood).

Regards,

Jonathan

[electrical whiz kid]

Hooter whistle...
D
SGT C.

[Len]

If you're going to run big sound equiped locos like the EM-1 on DC, I suggest you get a power pack rated for at least 3 amps. Something like the MRC 9500, or Bridgewerks Mini-Magnum 3S. Here's a quick and dirty expanation of why:

DCC is a constant voltage, variable current system. That's why DCC systems put a more or less constant 12V on the track. And the focus in reviews is on the current load capacity of DCC power supplies and boosters, not their voltage output.

DC operation is more of a constant current, variable voltage system. Which is why DC loco reviews tend to focus on how little current they pull under load, and what speed you get at a particular voltage.

DCC and sound equiped locos are current hogs, especially large heavy locos that need more current just to move the loco than a lighter loco, and generally should be operated with power supplies having a current rating higher than most entry level systems.

With smaller DC power packs, raising the track voltage by cranking the throttle almost full is incidental to what's going on. There are major DC voltage drops getting through the decoder. When voltage drops, current goes up, until somewhere around 12VDC (give or take a volt) there's enough current generated for things to start working. Which is why DCC systems generally put out somewhere around a constant 12V to the track.

A side effect of this is to pull enough current from a smaller DC, under 3 amp, power pack to push it near it's upper limit. This causes heating, and can lead to early failure of the power pack that might not be covered by the manufacturers warranty.

Len

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

Should i just replace the DCC board with a PCB bored with an 8 pin plug incase i go to DCC Later on? I do believe i have one from a 4-6-0.

I dont ever plan on putting sound in the engine.

[Len]

Only you can decide whether or not to modify your loco.

The basic questions are, do you plan on operating it with DCC at some point in the future? And are you comfortable doing this kind of modification?

If yes to being comfortable doing this kind of work, and future DCC operation is possible, then you probably want to use a PCB with an 8-pin dummy plug. If not, you're probably better off hardwiring the connections directly.

Whatever anyone else says they might do, you're the one who has to decide.

Len

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

It may see DCC in the future, and at this point i've got some skills at wiring (replaced a PCB board in a Shark Nose, and did other misc wiring work in other engines and board switches)

I just want to know if a PCB board from a 4-8-2 or 4-6-0 would work in an EM1. I cant see why not but electronics can be very finiikey

[Len]

If there's a way to mount a different board, and you know which connections, e.g., motor outputs, track power inputs, lights, etc., are which, then it should work if everything's connected correctly. And a properly wired dummy plug is installed.

Len

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

thanks for the help guys, this weekend i'm going to attempt the swap of boards with a 4-8-2 one. i'm gonna put tape with different colors on the wires to help make it easier to put the old board back in just incase the attempt fails.