Sourcing Bachmann Tender DCC Circuit Boards

[Garybear2]

The answer to my previously posed question appears to be a change of circuit boards in the Vandy tender I wish to use with my Bachmann 2-10-2.   I find many references to the task of swapping circuit boards, but no information on the sourcing of these circuit boards.   Can I buy them from Bachmann?  I cannot even find a source for some of the tenders that come with the 2-10-2.    Thank you!

[SteamGene]

Remove the circuit board from your 2-10-2's tender.  Place it in a designated place.  Remove the circuit board from the tender you wish to have behind your 2-10-2.  Place it somewhere else.  Take the 2-10-2 circuit board and install it in the new tender.  Do the same for the other circuit board in the other tender. 
Gene

[Garybear2]

Sorry SG, I don't care to retire the original tender w/doghouse, but use it occasionally with the 2-10-2 in a different role.  I desire to affordibly obtain AN ADDITIONAL circuit board. Thanks.

[SteamGene]

Then go Rich's route and hard wire the extra tender. 
Gene

[Atlantic Central]

Gary,

There is another answer to the tender compatiblity issue. I have posted it on here a number of times - it is a little long, but it does answer most questions about the factory circuit boards. I do it this way because I do not care for hacked up stuff rattling around in tenders AND because I do not use DCC.

For DCC I agree with Rich, I would simply remove the existing board and use the plugs to hard wire a decoder.

BUT to make the existing board in the new tender work with your loco, read the following:

Tender Swap â€" Bachmann medium Vanderbilt oil tender (Item #89905) with 63” driver 10 wheeler (Item #82307)

Initial test using jumpers provided with the tender â€" dead short, no operation.

Original plan â€" move 10 wheeler circuit board into new tender. This proved unworkable for several reasons, 10 wheeler circuit board too large and wires too short to fit into Vanderbilt tender without major modifications to both the tender and the circuit board.

New plan â€" can existing circuit board from Vanderbilt tender be rewired to work with 10 wheeler. A simple examination of both circuit boards revealed that while different, they both have the same basic connections, so the problem must lie in pin assignments in the connectors.

Tracing wires and a few simple checks revealed that the two wire connector simply brings the loco pickups to the circuit board. Reversing the wires on one end of the two wire jumper corrected this. Now the loco runs but in the wrong direction.

Two of the wires on the four wire plug are the motor leads. Reversing them gave us correct operational direction.

This only left the front headlight. The circuit board in the Vanderbilt tender is for the 2-8-0 which has 12 volt lamps for lighting. The 10 wheeler uses LED’s, this is the main reason the circuit board is different. Rather than trying to modify the circuit, I simply replaced the loco headlight LED with a 12 volt lamp.

Additionally I added weight to the Vanderbilt tender bringing it weight to about 5 oz. and replaced all couplers with genuine Kadee #148 on both the loco front and tender.

Result â€" loco now converted, runs well with original 10 wheeler draw bar and looks great. 

This issue seems to be tied to what tender cam with what loco in the first place. I do not have all of the Bachmann spectrum locos, but from what I have seen, read and experienced, the following may be a good beginning of a compatibility chart:

Light Mountain & Consolidation will work with all of the "medium" tenders.

Heavy Mountain and 2-6-6-2 will work with the long coal tender, hicken tender and long vandy tender

Russian shares same tender with some 10 wheelers, so I am guessing they share the same circuit board.

The 10 wheeler is really a wild card here because it comes with three different tenders, depending on roadname. Some have the low, small "pre 1900" looking tender, some have the small tender from the Russian and one has the same tender as the consolidation, but obviously with a different circuit board.

But again, I think most of these differences are just the pin assignments and the type of headlight.


Sheldon

[Stephen D. Richards]

Garybear2, 
           have you  called Bachmann Service yet?  Gene and Sheldon can give more advice on model railroading than I ever could.  However, I have purchased circuit boards directly from Bachmann.  They may not have what you need any longer, but it couldn't hurt to try!  If not, then Sheldon or Gene's advise is best.  By the way, spend your nickel and call Bachmann Service, ask for Bridget.  Be ready with a part number, etc.  Hope that helps,  Stephen