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Offline swisslocofan  
#1 Posted : 19 October 2018 19:39:32(UTC)
swisslocofan

United States   
Joined: 19/10/2018(UTC)
Posts: 7
Location: California, San Diego
Hi Everyone

I'm new to this forum, so my sincere thanks to all forum members for allowing me to submit my question:

I have a Swiss "Elefant" C 5/6 loco I purchased last year. It's running nicely with all the mfx functions, EXCEPT the steam generator is not working properly. It doesn't produce any steam - just a tiny little bit once in a while. I took the loco body off and powered the steam generator by itself directly with the track voltage and it works well. I checked all the power contacts inside the loco and everything is clean. When I turn on the steam function (the steam generator in the assembled loco) I checked and verified the power consumption (0.1A) is on/off. The heater is working.

My suspicion is that the steam generator's heat is drawn away by the loco body (the upper part of the steam generator is in the metal chimney shaft of the loco body) and therefore the steam fluid has a hard time reaching the vaporization temperature.

I ordered some Faller steam fluid (currently using the Marklin fluid) to see if that will make a difference. The Marklin steam fluid I'm using on all my other steam engines woks well. However, as you may know, the steam generator of the C 5/6 is unique and different from all my other steam generators.

Is anyone experiencing the same problem? Any suggestions about what I can do?
My sincere thanks for your kind assistance.

tom
Offline jvuye  
#2 Posted : 19 October 2018 23:39:26(UTC)
jvuye

Belgium   
Joined: 01/03/2008(UTC)
Posts: 2,881
Location: South Western France
Originally Posted by: swisslocofan Go to Quoted Post
Hi Everyone

I'm new to this forum, so my sincere thanks to all forum members for allowing me to submit my question:

I have a Swiss "Elefant" C 5/6 loco I purchased last year. It's running nicely with all the mfx functions, EXCEPT the steam generator is not working properly. It doesn't produce any steam - just a tiny little bit once in a while. I took the loco body off and powered the steam generator by itself directly with the track voltage and it works well. I checked all the power contacts inside the loco and everything is clean. When I turn on the steam function (the steam generator in the assembled loco) I checked and verified the power consumption (0.1A) is on/off. The heater is working.

My suspicion is that the steam generator's heat is drawn away by the loco body (the upper part of the steam generator is in the metal chimney shaft of the loco body) and therefore the steam fluid has a hard time reaching the vaporization temperature.

I ordered some Faller steam fluid (currently using the Marklin fluid) to see if that will make a difference. The Marklin steam fluid I'm using on all my other steam engines woks well. However, as you may know, the steam generator of the C 5/6 is unique and different from all my other steam generators.

Is anyone experiencing the same problem? Any suggestions about what I can do?
My sincere thanks for your kind assistance.

tom


The key here is to feed the generator with a small seringe, and no more than 0.2 ml at the time.
More and it'll choke.
Jacques Vuye aka Dr.Eisenbahn
Once a vandal, learned to be better and had great success!
Offline swisslocofan  
#3 Posted : 20 October 2018 05:50:46(UTC)
swisslocofan

United States   
Joined: 19/10/2018(UTC)
Posts: 7
Location: California, San Diego
thank you for your reply. I did limit the fluid to less than 0.2ml with a Syringe.
Offline skeeterbuck  
#4 Posted : 05 December 2018 14:03:01(UTC)
skeeterbuck

United States   
Joined: 15/12/2015(UTC)
Posts: 523
Location: Maryland, Baltimore
When you say, "However, as you may know, the steam generator of the C 5/6 is unique and different from all my other steam generators." what exactly is different?

Isn't it just a Seuthe #20 unit?

You may want to try another unit as sometimes some just seem to work better than others. Also, their may be a CV setting in the decoder that is limiting the voltage to the unit. Is it on AUX 1? Use a VOM to check the voltage to see if it's getting enough to really operate the unit.

Good luck!

p.s. I'm rather sure that it's NOT the type of fluid you're using. The Märklin fluid is just repackaged Seuthe fluid.

Here's a video showing the smoke unit in action. (starts a 5:30)

Does your's smoke this well?

Offline ktsolias  
#5 Posted : 05 December 2018 17:22:59(UTC)
ktsolias

Greece   
Joined: 01/05/2016(UTC)
Posts: 609
Location: Athens
Hi TOm

If you are using CS3 check the function F1. If is -MODE: "smoke generator" you must know that automatically cuts the voltage to 50%.
Turn it back to "dimmer".
Also put -DIMMER: 255 (if it is lower)
If this does not work then delinquently is a hard a hardware probleme.
Have in mind that the smoke generators are not all working the same (Marklin or Seuthe are the same).

Costas

Offline swisslocofan  
#6 Posted : 06 December 2018 06:31:45(UTC)
swisslocofan

United States   
Joined: 19/10/2018(UTC)
Posts: 7
Location: California, San Diego
Originally Posted by: skeeterbuck Go to Quoted Post
When you say, "However, as you may know, the steam generator of the C 5/6 is unique and different from all my other steam generators." what exactly is different?

Isn't it just a Seuthe #20 unit?

You may want to try another unit as sometimes some just seem to work better than others. Also, their may be a CV setting in the decoder that is limiting the voltage to the unit. Is it on AUX 1? Use a VOM to check the voltage to see if it's getting enough to really operate the unit.

Good luck!

p.s. I'm rather sure that it's NOT the type of fluid you're using. The Märklin fluid is just repackaged Seuthe fluid.

Here's a video showing the smoke unit in action. (starts a 5:30)

Does your's smoke this well?



thanks for your comments. Bottom line: I had to replace it with a new smoke generator; now it works beautifully. Seuthe's smoke generators, I have been told, have a wide spec (resistance varies, therefore current consumption...but the decoder has also a current limiter which makes it frustrating because that will inhibit the generator to get enough current/power to boil the steam fluid). Things are even more complicated as the resistance is temperature dependent. My lesson learned: if there is not enough smoke, try out another generator and hope for the best. Dr. Eisenbahn recommended to use a relay that's being switched on/off by the decoder, but with the current fed directly from the track. The "malfunctioning" smoke generator actually worked well if powered directly from the track. One thing I also confirmed and experimented with: AC and DC voltage produce the exact amount of steam (measured in 1V steps from 14V to 18V); this means the R is resistance only (no LC characteristics).

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