55 ton shay

[dlb]

I have tried to add a phoenix sound card as per the instructions
on their site.  Analog operation. I don't seem to have any luck getting the chuff's to work.
I connected the two blue wires in the bunker. no responce.
The card is working but no cuffing.

Any suggestions?

thanks,
David

[Mike M]

I have installed several You have to go intothe small bunker and connect the chuff wires to the main cicuit board They are not hooked up from the factory
Mike

[dlb]

I did connect the two blue wires to the speaker wires (red &white) in the bunker to transfer them to the orange & green in the tender, as per the Phoenix instructions.  The card is ok.  I have installed dozens
Of Phoenix cards before.  Just never in a bachmanm unit.  I though I read somewhere that some time
The sensor on these units need to be cleaned.  I am not even sure where it is.  I cannot see the blue wires or sensor on the engine documentation.

David

[Mike M]

There is no speaker in the engine the blue wires are for the chuff
Mike

[dlb]

Sorry. I guess you have not read the instruction sheet on the phoenix site.
You connect the two blue (chuff) wires to the two speaker wires red and white
in the bunker.  that extends the chuff wires to the tender.
then you install the phoenix card and speaker in the tender and connect the chuff wires. My belief is that there is something wrong with the chuff sensor.

David

[Mike M]

I did several the way I said and all is working fine no problems
Mike

[Loco Bill Canelos]

I have done many installs, but I have never seen one where the chuff sensor is hooked up to the speaker,

The chuff sensor wires must go to the correct terminals on the board, not the speaker.

[dlb]

I must be explaining this poorly.  Every thing is connected where it should be.
You are only using the wires labeled speaker red and white in the bunker cutting them from the board and
Connecting them to the blue chuff wires and going to the tender and connecting the two speaker wires
Orange and green to the chug terminals. These instructions are posted on the Phoenix site.

David

Has anyone had trouble with the sensor?
Where is it and how do I get to it?

[Mike M]

go back to your third truck and trace the orange and white wire to where they come into the main board that is where you connect the blue wires
Mike

[dlb]

I have connected all the wires as per the Phoenix sheets.
The blue wires are connected to the Phoenix board and it does not work.
That is why I think there may be a problem with the sensor.
Do you know where the sensor is located?
The sensor and blue wires are not shown on the bachmanm sheets.
David

[Mike M]

the sensor is in the top of the 3 cyliders a wire is connected on the back of the cylider assembly

Mike

[dlb]

Thanks Mike.  I will take a look and if it looks like too much trouble I will set the
Card to auto only.  The fellow who owns it will be running analog.

David 

[dlb]

Problem fixed.  I have not seen a set up like this before. Pretty basic.
I even see it on the drawing now that I know what it looks like.
I was right the sensor was defective. Once I re soldered the blue wires to the copper
Strips and realigned the 3 sets of points. (1 set had been stuck closed) all
Seems to work fine. Just my luck to get one with stuck points.

Thanks for you help,
David