Joined: 12/11/2004(UTC)
Posts: 548
Location: Maryland, USA
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Hi all,
I have a class 18.4 express steam locomotive from set 29855 (2 engine starter set with 6021 controller), unfortunately, it has stopped burning oil/ smoking. It came with a smoker unit that I installed several years ago and worked fine.
Upon lifting the body shell I can see the botton of the smoking unit has a wire and the chassis has a metal tab that presses against the smoking unit wire. I presume upon hitting the F1 button that an electrical connection via the tab and heat is generated in the smoke generator (no heat from the tab is my guess). There appears to be a good connection between tab and wire.
Externally, when I press my finger on the tip of top of the funnel there is no heat. There used to be.
This suggests I have contact but no heat. There could be several causes like decoder (all other functions work fine), dirt (smoking oil is in the chamber) or the smoke generator is broken etc.
What can I do to trouble shoot this? In terms of tools all I have is my screwdrivers, skin (testing thermal properties adn sometime electricity...ouch) and the 6021.
Any help appreciated...
thank you
John
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 Joined: 03/01/2003(UTC) Posts: 5,181 Location: Southern New Jersey, USA
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John: I have had problems with aligning the smoke unit wire to the tab on my 18, also, but if it was working and you had done nothing, it is probably not that. if you do not feel heat, then it is not a clog or dirt within the unit. One of two thing are probably the cause...the unit has burned out (more likely) or the F1 decoder circuit has burned out (less likely) If you have been running it with the smoke unit activated for a long time, it has probably burned out. It is an easy replacement. |
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Joined: 12/11/2004(UTC)
Posts: 548
Location: Maryland, USA
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Hi Ron,
Whne I let the kids drive F1 can be on for awhile. So that is a likely scenario.
Replacement it is. And glad that is easy. So I order a new unit. How do I get the old one out? If my memory is right it was inserted into the funnel so I do not push up I have to pull it out. But it is pretty well lodged in there. Is it just a bit of brute force trying not to scratch the outside of the funnel?
John
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Joined: 03/01/2003(UTC) Posts: 5,181 Location: Southern New Jersey, USA
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Take the body off and push up from the bottom. The new one will go in from the top
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Joined: 12/11/2004(UTC)
Posts: 548
Location: Maryland, USA
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Great, thanks Ron. I will give it a try.
Thank you
John
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Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,445
Location: DE-NW
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Quote:[size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote:Originally posted by rschaffr
<br />Take the body off and push up from the bottom. The new one will go in from the top With that loco it works the other way around: the big end of the smoke generator is inside the loco, so you have to pull downwards; the new one will then be pushed up (turn the wire to give good contact with the tab). |
Regards Tom --- "In all of the gauges, we particularly emphasize a high level of quality, the best possible fidelity to the prototype, and absolute precision. You will see that in all of our products." (from Märklin New Items Brochure 2015, page 1) ROFLBTCUTS  |
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Joined: 03/01/2003(UTC) Posts: 5,181 Location: Southern New Jersey, USA
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Ah. Thought it wa the same as my 18.
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Joined: 12/11/2004(UTC)
Posts: 548
Location: Maryland, USA
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Got it. I pulled the bulbous end down and out. thanks to both of you for your help.
So is the replacement a Seuthe or a Marklin?
John
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Joined: 03/01/2003(UTC) Posts: 5,181 Location: Southern New Jersey, USA
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I think I was thinking of another lok. Yes, the 18 has the really narrow stack.
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 Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC) Posts: 18,771 Location: New Zealand
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Check the Marklin catalogue that has your loco in it. A list of common spare parts, including smoke units, is normally listed at the back.
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Joined: 03/01/2003(UTC) Posts: 5,181 Location: Southern New Jersey, USA
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Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,445
Location: DE-NW
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Quote:[size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote:Originally posted by Seetal
<br />So is the replacement a Seuthe or a Marklin? AFAIK it's always Seuthe - even if Märklin is written on the box ... Go for the cheaper one: Märklin #72270 or Seuthe #20 I like the syringe that comes with the Seuthe smoke generator - best way to get 0.2 ml smoke fluid into the loco. M* say 6 drops - big drops, small drops? |
Regards Tom --- "In all of the gauges, we particularly emphasize a high level of quality, the best possible fidelity to the prototype, and absolute precision. You will see that in all of our products." (from Märklin New Items Brochure 2015, page 1) ROFLBTCUTS |
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Joined: 12/11/2004(UTC)
Posts: 548
Location: Maryland, USA
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Great, Seuthe it is. Always had a problem getting the oil into the unit, so if there is a syringe all the better.
Thank you all.
John
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Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC) Posts: 18,771 Location: New Zealand
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Don't Marklin recommend Marklin smoke units for analog use (connected to decoder function output/analog transformer) and Seuthe for digital connection, i.e. a direct connection to digital track power via a relay. See the article on DIY decoder upgrades in the 04/2008 Marklin Magazine?
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 Joined: 13/02/2008(UTC) Posts: 811 Location: Kirseberg
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Don´t want to make a new thread for this question but just want to know.
I have 37990 and 37991. I have installed 2*7226 in 37990 and if I want to use them I press F1.
But in the 37991 the contacts for the smoke-generators seems to be permanent on. Will this mean that if you install smoke-generators they will risk burning out if you don´t put fluid in them all the time? |
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Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC) Posts: 18,771 Location: New Zealand
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Hi David (from another David). I think the question of the 37991/90 smoke units has been discussed in others threads on the forum. I do believe the smoke contacts are permanently on, and this may be to do with the current draw that 2 smoke units will draw. Marklin, in their 04/2008 Magazine I refer to above suggest you install a small relay connected to the function output of a decoder, which switches current directly from the track slider to the 2 smoke units, when using 2 smoke units. You may need to use the Seuthe smoke units designed for digital use, with the Big Boy. I suggest you search the forum to see if you can find the threads I talk about. Best of luck!
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Joined: 13/02/2008(UTC) Posts: 811 Location: Kirseberg
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Quote:[size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote:Originally posted by Bigdaddynz
<br />Hi David (from another David). I think the question of the 37991/90 smoke units has been discussed in others threads on the forum. I do believe the smoke contacts are permanently on, and this may be to do with the current draw that 2 smoke units will draw. Marklin, in their 04/2008 Magazine I refer to above suggest you install a small relay connected to the function output of a decoder, which switches current directly from the track slider to the 2 smoke units, when using 2 smoke units. You may need to use the Seuthe smoke units designed for digital use, with the Big Boy. I suggest you search the forum to see if you can find the threads I talk about. Best of luck!
It´s good to have help from another David :-) I will check around and check the MM Magazine again. I don´t like messing around with those locos so maybe I´ll keep them as they are. Thanks |
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Joined: 26/10/2004(UTC)
Posts: 461
Location: Bruges,
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I thought it was possible the replace the 'glowing' wire inside the smoke unit, without having to completely replace it. Must look that up, anyone else know about this?
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Kind regards,
Pieter-Jan
Bruges, Belgium. |
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Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,445
Location: DE-NW
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M* 7226 allows replacement of the tube (or cleaning it with a fine wire), but not 72270. |
Regards Tom --- "In all of the gauges, we particularly emphasize a high level of quality, the best possible fidelity to the prototype, and absolute precision. You will see that in all of our products." (from Märklin New Items Brochure 2015, page 1) ROFLBTCUTS |
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Joined: 26/10/2004(UTC)
Posts: 461
Location: Bruges,
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Thanks for clearing that up, Thomas! |
Kind regards,
Pieter-Jan
Bruges, Belgium. |
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