I can relate to the no reply situation. I am still waiting for a response on the digital decoder for the turntable. Mine failed to work right out of the box, so I fixed it myself and it works every time now.

I don't see a problem with the smoke generator running out of fluid and damaging the decoder. It is best to turn off the function which controls the smoke generator when the smoke generator runs out of fluid.

Typically the smoke generator is connected to function 1 which is independent of the front running lights.

I also have seen where a relay was used in order to provide more power to the smoke unit than what the decoder possibly could in order to get a better production of smoke. The decoder would activate the relay which supplied power directly from the track to the smoke unit.

If you decide to use a smoke unit make sure you get the one designed for digital as it will handle the constant higher voltage on the track.

Also I found it helpful to use a syringe with a long narrow needle to fill the smoke unit. This allowed me to fill the smoke unit faster with little to no spillage of the smoke fluid onto the locomotive.

Regards
Maxi

Question 2: Can it subsequently harm the decoder function port (6080, 6090 or newer ones) when the smoke generator ran dry?

Yes esspecially when the decoder has already seen a lot of years.
I have more then 10 locs with a smoke generator. I have two our three locs by which this function F1 on the decoder is broken.

You never got an answer?Did you expected to get an answer?

I haven't had a problem with an empty smoke generator (yet). I drive most of them directly from the decoder. The only one I have installed a relay in is my BR53 that has two smoke generators whcih would certainly overload the decoder, so I have a relay for that one.

Hans, Ron,

Nice to hear good responses as well.

As a follow up on the above listed discussion, I had a closer look at my locs. Almost all of them are 6080 equipped machines, either bought with the decoder or self equipped, with only 1 function. This one is, as can be expected, connected to the front and rear lights. So any smoke generator has to be mounted parallel to the front lights. Well, looking at the above listed messages, I might as well not do this since it will not be possible to switch the generator off without turning the lights off as well. It would not be a problem if a dry generator is safe, but I do not want to run the risk. Period.
One other loc is a fireless "dampfspeicher" steamloc, so a smoke generator........
My only one with a smoke generator already mounted in is the above mentioned 37885, which has a separate F1 function. This one is safe as far as I can see, as long as I do not run the generator dry.
Well, this is what my steamloc collection is looking like and will continue to look like. Thanks all for your answers.

Just a small remark: You know what wonders/bothers me? Neither in the loc booklets, nor in the big M* digital "Einstieg" book, and nor in the instruction that comes with the smoke generator, does M* give any warning against baking the smoke generator dry.....

Regards,

Hans

Paul: First off, my BR53 is a 3102 I converted with a 60901 kit several years ago. I used a 24v mini-relay intended for PC board mounting. I mounted it with double sided tape in the tender with the contacts up. I attached the F1 lead and the Function Common (orange) to the coil of the relay, track power to the base switched contact and the smoke generators to the switched contact. I used an OEG PCJ-124D3MH relay. I use the same type of installation on the trains I have converted to power the coach lights from the engine. I use a relay in the lok switched with a function, and Viessmann current conducting couplers. I have found that later decoders, such as the LokSound, have a lower voltage on the function output. In those cases, I use a 12v relay (OEG PCJ-112D3MH).

Hi Hans,

While reorganizing my desk [xx(],I came across a Märklin Insider news with a reference to your question # 1.
One smokegenerator in particular was mentioned ,the Seuthe nr. 10 which is vulnerable to damage when running dry.The Seuthe nr. 10 has the same dimensions as the Märklin 7226.

Well this may not be a complete answer to your question but at least an indication that harm can be done especially with the more sensitive smoke generators like the Seuthe nr. 10.

Best regards
Guus