Hi,

My first digital project, converting my old V200 3021 to digital.

Got the high performance motor and the lokpilot. Followed all steps and several tips, and it works, kind of. The loc is recognised. The light works (flickers a bit though) and the train runs. However with a bit of hesitation and it makes a squealing noice as speed increases. The same kind of noise can be noted on some really old analog locs as well. It sounds quite horrible and signals that something is definitely wrong. (The gears are thoroughly cleaned and oiled moderately)

Somehow I need to figure out what is causing the noise.

Two things. I realised that the earth was not very stable so in made an extra lead between the engine housing and the chassis, and on the motor connection I did not include the two resistor from the set, as this was not very clear in the manual.
(My two 8 year old kids have been involved so the resistors are gone as well so if they are needed I’d like to know the rating so I can get some new ones.

Any input welcome!!!

Thanks a bunch!

I dismantled the engine and reassembled it taking extra care with the alignment, and the noise went away. Awesome, now I know where that noise comes from, as I have it with a few other old locs.

The question with the resistors that are no resistors but Enstördrösseln, whatever that might be in English, interference suppressors maybe.

Are they required?
What do they actually do?

My thought is as the loc runs now, should I take it apart again and mount the Entstördrosseln at the engine connectors?

Good job on the "mechanical tuning"!

The "Entstördrosseln" have been a source of endless discussions (here and elsewhere... ) .
They're supposed to protect the decoder against abrupt occasional surges caused by the commutation on the rotor and reduced RF interference as not to hamper your neighbours' TV reception.
Probably needed most in the days when people were still listening to AM radio and watching analog TV...

So I still install them, but I no longer try to demonstrate or convince myself wether it is needed or not.
It simply doesn't hurt AFAIK.

But the potentially truly hurtful component on Märklin's brush plates are the factory installed capacitors.

ESU recommends that you remove them, and I agree.

I have had several cases of fried decoders' output stages because the capacitor(s) were defective and shorting the outputs.
This was especially true also with (older) HAG locos that came equipped with cheap polystyrene capacitors.
It never missed: they were always bad! (..and blew up the new decoders!! )

And a last word: take the time to fine tune the motor regulation parameters ...You'll love it even better!

Cheers
Jacques