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Offline JohnBear  
#1 Posted : 28 March 2023 03:55:59(UTC)
JohnBear

United States   
Joined: 21/03/2023(UTC)
Posts: 4
Location: Utah, Salt Lake City
I swapped my N scale equipment for some Z scale to build a much layout (I am downsizing). Got a non-working Marklin 8875 BR216 loco with 3 pole motor as part of the swap. A quick check found a broken motor brush. So I ordered a new set of brushes (89881) from HobbyLinc that arrived today. I noticed both brushes had a LARGE gob of solder on the exterior side of the carbon brush that holds the carbon in place.

When I inserted the first brush I had to press a bit to insert it - AND the carbon just popped right off!

I then opened the housing to see why, and I used the other brush to check the fit. Turns out the large solder blob with the carbon on the other side WAS TOO BIG to even fit in the available armature space!

As I was CAREFULLY trying to cut off some of the excess solder from the large blob - That carbon brush then fell off! ARRGggHHhh!

I'll now have to order another brush set (with specific instructions that I don't want any brushes with Big Solder blobs!). Meanwhile I'll try to see the can be re-soldered somehow (but I doubt it).

Be Warned - If you get new brushes with big solder blobs, check to make sure will actually fit right.


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Offline Zme  
#2 Posted : 28 March 2023 19:35:06(UTC)
Zme

United States   
Joined: 02/10/2013(UTC)
Posts: 760
Location: West Texas
Hello. Hope you are well. An 8875 is a great locomotive, you should be happy with it once you get it working correctly.

I had the same issue with “new brushes”. The coal was just pressed into the hole. It seems some of these were sold which are defective. To solve the problem, the brushes released later were soldered to the copper arm. They just did not get yours fastened correctly. Bad luck.

Very frustrating. I inspected a few more sets and discovered another which was defective.

If you still have all the parts you can solder the coal yourself it is really not very difficult, trying this is a solution, unless of course you can get a replacement from your vendor. I think Hobbylinc is a good place.

I had mine in stock for a time, so did not seek help from my vendor.

Take good care.

Dwight

Offline JohnBear  
#3 Posted : 28 March 2023 21:14:13(UTC)
JohnBear

United States   
Joined: 21/03/2023(UTC)
Posts: 4
Location: Utah, Salt Lake City
Dwight - Thanks for the feedback. I did want to post the issue mainly to alert others to a potential problem (too much solder to fit in the hole!). I have since ordered 2 replacement brush sets (a spare just in case).

Does anyone have tips on precisely how to "solder the coal" to the brush. I am an experienced electronics tech/solderer with good temp controlled soldering tools - BUT I have never "soldered coal" before.

JohnBear
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Zme
Offline kiwiAlan  
#4 Posted : 28 March 2023 22:15:22(UTC)
kiwiAlan

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC)
Posts: 8,082
Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
Originally Posted by: JohnBear Go to Quoted Post
Dwight - Thanks for the feedback. I did want to post the issue mainly to alert others to a potential problem (too much solder to fit in the hole!). I have since ordered 2 replacement brush sets (a spare just in case).

Does anyone have tips on precisely how to "solder the coal" to the brush. I am an experienced electronics tech/solderer with good temp controlled soldering tools - BUT I have never "soldered coal" before.

JohnBear


You won't be able to solder directly to the carbon. It needs a plating of copper on the area to be soldered.
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Zme
Offline Zme  
#5 Posted : 28 March 2023 23:04:47(UTC)
Zme

United States   
Joined: 02/10/2013(UTC)
Posts: 760
Location: West Texas
Hi. I think I pressed the coal back into the hole and then piled a bunch of solder around it to prevent it from coming off again. When finished, I still did not have confidence in it, but it worked.

Take good care.

Dwight
Offline husafreak  
#6 Posted : 31 March 2023 20:54:41(UTC)
husafreak

United States   
Joined: 09/04/2019(UTC)
Posts: 557
Location: California, Bay Area
I have gotten “bad” brushes with too much solder also, my vendor replaced them. I have also gotten brushes where the “coal” was detached but in the bag. On that one I pressed it in place and put a tiny bit of solder, high temp micro point iron, very quickly, yes I believe the solder is just to reinforce the joint.
Offline JohnBear  
#7 Posted : 31 March 2023 22:00:43(UTC)
JohnBear

United States   
Joined: 21/03/2023(UTC)
Posts: 4
Location: Utah, Salt Lake City
Thanks to you all for the tips! I'll likely attempt to repair the broken brushes this weekend and report back if I have any success. I have ordered some low temp solder paste I want to try, as well as some new 63/37 low temp rosin core solder.
Offline Zme  
#8 Posted : 01 April 2023 04:27:15(UTC)
Zme

United States   
Joined: 02/10/2013(UTC)
Posts: 760
Location: West Texas
Hello hope you are well.

Since one coal has come off, you might want to drop a bit of solder on the other one also, just to ensure it doesn’t come off later and to keep a balance to the pair.

Take good care.

Dwight
Offline Bryan  
#9 Posted : 05 April 2023 14:05:27(UTC)
Bryan

Australia   
Joined: 08/09/2010(UTC)
Posts: 209
Location: Bowral, NSW, Australia
Dear All

I thought the 89881 brush was for the 5 pole armature and not the 3 pole armature. Was not the the brush 8988 for the 3 pole, no longer made. Maybe wrong.

Best regards
David
Offline Zme  
#10 Posted : 05 April 2023 16:42:09(UTC)
Zme

United States   
Joined: 02/10/2013(UTC)
Posts: 760
Location: West Texas
Hello. Hope you are well.

The 89881 brushes are designed to work with both three and five pole motors. The 8988, only works with the three pole.

I have never had them side by side to see the difference, so I don't know what could make one work for both but the other only works on one. I suspect the 8988 would be difficult to find now and are in short supply just about everywhere.

Take good care.

Dwight
Offline JohnBear  
#11 Posted : 05 April 2023 17:32:31(UTC)
JohnBear

United States   
Joined: 21/03/2023(UTC)
Posts: 4
Location: Utah, Salt Lake City
David - Easy to understand why it can be confusing - The numbers are almost the same:

Original Version
3-pole motor (no cap.) #261920
Brushes #8988 - Discontinued (substitute - #89881 All versions)

Second Version
3-pole motor (with cap.) #264440
Brushes #8989 - Discontinued (substitute - #89891)

Third Version
5-pole motor (with cap.) #211903
Brushes #89891

It would have been nice if Marklin could have made the last digit a 3 or a 5 to represent the proper motor it should be paired with. But that would make this hobby to easy.- And fewer brushes would get sold.
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Zme
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