EZ Command Repair Help

[cubbieco]

I managed to buy a bad loco.  It didn't work with the DC power controller it came with but it did work with my EZ Command for a while.

After a while, it stopped working and I smelled smoke from the EZ Command.   It should be under warranty, but I didn't keep the receipt so I think I am SOL.

It burned out a resister.  Resister R20.  I'm not afraid to soldier a new resister in there, but I don't have the values since it burned too much.  So I have two questions:

Is anybody willing to open up their good unit (4 phillips screws, lift off the top) and let me know the values for resister R20?

Does Bachmann have a nominal fee for repair of the EZ Command without a warranty or receipt?  It's not posted.

I've tried calling them but they are busy right now so I thought I'd see what you all have to say about it.

Thanks.

[Jim Banner]

R20 = 47 ohms.

R20 appears to be in series with the base of T7, which probably indicates T7 is shorted (massive internal melt down.)  Check T7 with an ohmmeter.  If, as I suspect, all three connections have low resistances to one another, a new resistor at R20 will fail, possibly causing more damage than already exists.  I do not have a schematic for this unit, and do not have the time to trace the circuit, so I cannot tell you more.

As to the locomotive, may I suggest you either return it, repair it or toss it in the trash.  If it has a decoder in it, the repair might be as easy as turning analogue operation on.  If it has no decoder, I would start looking for an internal short, either in the wiring or in the motor.  In any event, avoid running it with your E-Z Command again until both the E-Z Command and the locomotive are repaired.

[cubbieco]

Do you have any guesses what kind of transister T7 is? (if there is a difference, PNP or NPN??? or something else?) There is fairly low resistance inside the transister and R20 seems to have a normal reading.  I'm going to bring it to my father tonight (he has a digital multimeter) and we'll give it another look.