GE Dash 8 Capacitors and inverter removal

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Hi Everyone,
Just Received a nice brand new old store stock GE Dash 8 DCC ready and have read that in the U.S. the caps and maybe called inverters could be removed for better performance. As I checked and lubed this loco and installed a DCC decoder I noticed no caps on the motor as usual ,but on the circuit board. Ran fine on DC  also the dcc decoder was already tested in another loco and was fine. Seems something is affecting the momentum and slow speed performance. Is there info on this board to locate and properly remove the correct noise emission caps and or inverters so I can eliminate the problem. I searched  this site for older post but nothing came up.Thanks

Adam

[rich1998]

On my Bachmann the Caps on the PC board had a C prefix and the Inductors had a L prefix. No idea where you got inverters.
Some inductors look like green resistors. They are ferrite inductors. No resistance. Check the color code on the internet. I also measured them with an inductance meter some years ago. 4.7 microhenry. Some are wire wound. I use to work with tuned circuits many years ago.
Some caps are yellow blobs. Some surface mount. I clip those with a small pair of wire cutters, the small four inch pair. Easy.
My 70 HO ton I think had four or five caps on the motor. A couple steamers hide the caps and inductors under the cab. Saw it in the parts page.
most remove the caps in all the forums I belong to. With good decoders, it does help.
Maybe Bachmann decoders are designed to get around this issue. No idea.

Rich

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Thanks Rich,
I found them by your description. I see they use wire wound inductors . Also found a old post online with similar components on a Bachmann board with the 8 pin plug. Always good to have more then one point of reference to clear out any guesswork . Says the inductors have to be replaced with a wire since they are in the feed circuit to the motor. All good.

Adam

[rich1998]

Some years ago I left the inductors in after removing the caps. The inductors were not an issue with no caps.
The 44 ton and 70 ton, I removed all electronics and put in LokSound micros with speakers. Photos are gone since PB locked up everything.

Rich

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Thanks for the heads up with the inverter. Hate to cut anything on this board if not necessary .Running on DC before the dcc decoder install it acted as though it stored a little energy like a current keeper in a way. Maybe per its Spectrum design. Sometimes the track here does not stay as clean as it should ,where others would stall. This thing just seemed to keep steady and keep going. Amazed this loco has been discontinued and has not showed back up in the standard line like many others have. Great runner and detailing .

Adam

[rich1998]

Here is the scoop on the chokes and capacitors used in Bachmann locos. I and many call them inductors. You have to realize Bachmann sells many DCC locos on the other side of the Pond. The tuned circuit adds nothing to the operation of the loco, DC or DCC. A capacitor and choke make up a tuned circuit for filtering.

https://sites.google.com/site/markgurries/home/technical-discussions/decoder-motor-drive/motor-capacitors/bachmann-engines

Rich

[Trackbump]

Thanks ,Understand the electrical concept of the components cancelling the spikes out ,or electronic noise. Think it is a good idea especially when having sound,cleaner signal the better. Great that there are articles to remedy if there is a issue.


Adam

[rich1998]

Apparently there are devices on the other side of the Pond that can be affected by the DCC pulses. Not on this side of the Pond.

Rich

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So true. They use different voltages over the pond . Different frequency different noise. Noise rules. I live 10 miles  from a major airport. Where are the rules there?


Adam