 Joined: 10/09/2004(UTC) Posts: 959 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
|
Hi there. As some of you may have seen elsewhere, I have got my hands on a 83434 lok. I assume it is electrically the same as a normal 3434 lok. I would like to convert it to proper digital with 5-pole motor, but then I noticed something on this page: http://home.istar.ca/~axelh/explodes/parts34.htmlIt has a note that the 3434 can only be converted to digital by having it done by Märklin. Does anyone know why this is, and what the problems by home-converting it will be?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: 06/10/2005(UTC)
Posts: 587
Location: Hong Kong,
|
I've met that kind of problem before. Catalog said 33121 can only be converted by M. Yet I just converted one today,(well w a UHL decoder, but there's enough room for a 60902) I also have a 3734, nothing look particularly difficult for conversion. Is it possible that those info are outdated? M didn't have the right part by then ? Chan 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: 15/01/2003(UTC)
Posts: 707
Location: Texas, USA
|
I am not sure about this particular model, but is there enough space for the thicker magnet? Sometimes milling is required, and in some modles there is not enough space, even with milling.
Charlie |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Joined: 05/12/2004(UTC) Posts: 2,975 Location: CA, USA
|
The difference might be that the Swiss Headlight Changeover is a little more complicated and the chip instructions do not include how to do this. You may want to just buy an Re 4/4II from a digital start set breakup for $150 on ebay or wherever, swap the frames, and sell the now analogue lok from the set for $100 or so. Only about $50 for the conversion and no headaches. |
SBB Era 2-5 |
|
|
|
|
|
 Joined: 20/04/2003(UTC) Posts: 2,248 Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands; Göteborg, Sverige,
|
John's reply I think is the closest to the truth. I don't see any mechanical problem in converting a loco like that. Swiss Headlight Changeover is a quite complicated thing to convert, although not impossible. However, John's option is the cheapest anyway... Good one John! |
Sander
---
Era I(b): K.Bay.Sts.B. and K.W.St.E. |
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: 15/04/2003(UTC)
Posts: 2,734
Location: ,
|
Hi folks, Mikael,
there is nothing wrong with the motor or Swiss headlights - and furthermore, the conversion of this model with a HLA has the least to do with a 33121! The simple reason is the different special decoder.
Best would be to replace the installed decoder #670340 the c91 version, which is #602549. You can likely manage this cost effective as described before - buy the loco from 29859 and swap. This loco equivalent technically to 37344; i.e. you gain not only the switchable delays, but also the two addtional light functions (for this special model, the different headlight pcbs as used in the TEE loco would even be better - but this TEE loco has become a real price bummer! :-)
For somebody familiar with the wiring scheme its peanuts, but Märklin cannot know the technical skills of individual customers and must go the safe path.
Hope this helped.
Regards,
Lutz
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: 10/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 2,162
Location: Portugal
|
Regarding Swiss lighting scheme, you can also do what I did with my starterset Delta Ae3/6: I used a 60901 and the lighting PCBs of the 39560 croc.
There's a thread on this somewhere. You may find the references I used there too.
Luis
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: 06/10/2005(UTC)
Posts: 587
Location: Hong Kong,
|
Ah yes, the revrse light is different in color and single. I've overlooked the complexity of this. Chan
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: 10/09/2004(UTC) Posts: 959 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
|
I opened my lok last night, and came to the same conclusion: It is the decoder, that seems to the problem. It has a switch to toggle between the pickup shoe and the pantos. And it also has a special contact area to line up with a spring tab from the pantos, so the current can find its way down to the decoder.
It looks like there is enough room for the magnet, so that won't be an issue. The light isn't a problem either. The pcb's for the leds just take the standard lighting wires (yellow, gray and orange) in both ends.
I'll see if I can find a replacement decoder board, perhaps as a spare part. And if that is too expensive, I may try to hunt down a cheap model to make the suggested swap.
If everything fails, I may be tempted to cut up the existing decoder board, leaving only the switch and contact area, and then install a small decoder. Perhaps the 60921 kit or a LokPilot 2.
Anyway, thanks a lot everyone. I now have some serious thinking to do, before I proceed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: 10/09/2004(UTC) Posts: 959 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
|
By the way Lutz.... Are you certain that the replacement digital decoder board is #602549 ? I found an old list stating that it should be #680040.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: 15/04/2003(UTC)
Posts: 2,734
Location: ,
|
If you replace the current pcb with another "anyname" decoder, you will loose the swiss light switching and the LED resistors that are also contained on the original pcb. 60921 sounds fine; the LoPi-2 comes with a NEM plug which is of little value here unless you add the female plug to the pcb. By looking at the layout I doubt that it might work by just cutting some hole for the new decoder.
The c91 based pcb #602569 has PG19 which usually results in a dealer spare part price of about 100€. In any case you'll need the 3 HLA motor parts which add another 18€.
Regards,
Lutz
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: 10/09/2004(UTC) Posts: 959 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
|
I have had a closer look now, and I agree that it won't do any good to cut the existing decoder board in two. The contact area and the switch are in opposite ends.
But now I think I have an excellent idea: There is enough room for a LokPilot 2 under the existing decoder pcb. The NEM plug just have to go, which I don't mind. I also think that I can retain the swiss light by using AUX1 and 2 and a bit of reprogramming of the function mapping in the SO registers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: 10/09/2004(UTC) Posts: 959 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
|
That's was it. I'm all done with the conversion. I ended up using a LokPilot 2.0, which was easily placed beneath the original Delta decoder. Darn, that LoPi sure is small. The old decoder board is now used only for selecting between track and catenary power.
Using the two extra function outputs (and programming the registers correctly), I now have the choice of classic or swiss light on F1.
I would like to thank you all once more. Without your ideas, I may have ended up with a inferior or more expensive solution.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Jump
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.
