N-Scale Tender Issue

[wesselsj]

So I have a couple N-Scale 2-8-0s.  They run fine when the old "non-dcc" ready tenders (the one piece version).  Bought a couple of the new dcc-ready type with the removable bodies and my engines all run sluggish and stop.  Why is this?

[Len]

Even with a 'dummy plug' installed, the circuit board in a DCC ready loco drops the track voltage to some extent. So a slightly higher throttle setting is needed.

If you think it's a problem with your particular tenders, you'll probably do better asking over on the N-scale forum, or calling Bachmann's Service Center.

Len

[RGW]

Are the truck contact tabs making good contact to the brass strips in the tender? Also are the draw-bar contacts tight on the engine post and touching the front tender truck contacts ?

 

[brokemoto]

Make sure that the stiff wires on the drawbar and the contact posts on the locomotive are clean, as well.

[Mike C]

There is a circuit board inside the tender that may be the problem . It looks like you could safely remove it . A screw and cut the two wires should work .

[spookshow]

My experience with those ala carte tenders has been that many of them come with a lot of corrosion (or somesuch) on the various current-conducting metal parts (wheels, axle wipers, internal contact strips, drawbar wires) and require a fair amount of alcohol cleanup before things will run properly. I swear, you'd think they were warehoused under water or something.

Cheers,
-Mark

[plas man]

Mark , its probably the assembly line personal that 'licks' their fingers to pick up the small parts  

its really bad on a lot of the HO stuff - whole rusty finger prints 

[spookshow]

Mark , its probably the assembly line personal that 'licks' their fingers to pick up the small parts  
its really bad on a lot of the HO stuff - whole rusty finger prints 

Eww, that's disgusting - but also probably true, lol.

-Mark

[RGW]

Never thought of clean all of  the contacts. I have been hard wiring my truck tabs to the draw-bar on most of my spectrum tender recently. because I have had some pick up issues with the stock set up. Next time I will try cleaning the brass strips.  Seems that  when I am kitbashing the tender I manage to bend one of  those  brass strips on top of the tender floor and they seem never to work quite right after bending them bacK.

However I love Bachmann spectrum tenders. And have used them on many projects

[wesselsj]

Thanks for all the comments.  I'll try some of these fixes. 

[James in FL]

I wouldn't be so quick to assume the corrosion is the result of the acidic composition of saliva, but I wouldn't rule it out.
I would be more inclined to attribute it to the metallurgical composition (purity) of the parts.
If possible, take Mike C's advice and remove the circuit board, I have done this to all my Spectrum tender upgrades.
Even using the jumper plugs, there is still a lot of voltage required to get it moving. Don't like that.
Use a pencil eraser to clean the contact points if you can, be sure to support the parts so no bending will occur.

Seems that  when I am kitbashing the tender I manage to bend one of  those  brass strips on top of the tender floor and they seem never to work quite right after bending them back.

Jep, I've mangled a few myself.
I have notched a piece of sprue and used some evergreen or plastruct to hold (glue) the strip in position.

[wesselsj]

So I ended up removing the circuit board.  Works fine now!!!!

[gatrhumpy]

The stock Bachmann circuit board has a lot of RF suppression (capacitors) that are required for minimal wireless frequency interruption in Europe. Once you remove the capacitors, you're good to go. Glad it worked.