Welcome to the forum   
Welcome Guest! To enable all features please Login or Register.

Notification

Icon
Error

Share
Options
View
Go to last post in this topic Go to first unread post in this topic
Offline RayF  
#1 Posted : 19 February 2018 11:55:47(UTC)
RayF

Gibraltar   
Joined: 14/03/2005(UTC)
Posts: 15,838
Location: Gibraltar, Europe
Yes, I've managed to damage one of my favourite railcar trains, just by putting it on the tracks.

When I applied power to the Br420 railcar after placing it on the rails I heard an arcing sound and smelt and saw smoke. The MS2 immediately shut itself off but the damage had been done.

The first thing I tried was to separate the three components of the railcar, driving trailers and centre powered unit, rejoin them, and ensure the connectors between them were well seated. Then I applied power again, and this time there was no arcing. The MS2 showed the mfx symbol and correctly loaded up the Br420 and all its function icons.

Tentatively I tried all the different functions. The railcar moves correctly in both directions, the sound comes on when activated and all other sound effects work. However, none of the lighting functions work.

This morning I opened up the unit and found that at least one in a group of SMD driver transistors on the main PCB is badly burnt.

Not being a great fan of soldering SMD components I looked up the part number for the board. It is 149051. I looked for it on the Marklin website but can't find it. I tried E149051 too but there is no mention of it anywhere. I suspect it's no longer available as a spare part. I also tried looking at later versions of this model, but the electronics seem to be arranged differently.

So here are the questions:

1. Does anyone know how I can get hold of one of these PCBs?

2. Does anyone know where I can get the individual transistors? I believe the numbers on them were AS2 P89 and BS2 P89, but I can't be sure as the printing is minute and somewhat faint.

3. Any other suggestions?

At the moment the railcar is running around nicely on my layout and I can use it like that, but it looks rather sad all dark and unlit!
Ray
Mostly Marklin.Selection of different eras and European railways
Small C track layout, control by MS2, 100+ trains but run 4-5 at a time.
Offline river6109  
#2 Posted : 19 February 2018 12:10:19(UTC)
river6109

Australia   
Joined: 22/01/2009(UTC)
Posts: 14,636
Location: On 1965 Märklin Boulevard just around from Roco Square
Ray, sorry to hear that, have you been able to make out what caused the meltdown ? changing the board may repeat the electrical fault, being a 3 car unit I would suggest to follow the wiring of the interior lights and headlights. another odd thing is usually the headlights front or rear could blow but rarely together and the same goes for the interior lights.



looks like your common wire orange may have touched the frame or the wire got caught and the wire was exposed.

John
https://www.youtube.com/river6109
https://www.youtube.com/6109river
5 years in Destruction mode
50 years in Repairing mode
thanks 1 user liked this useful post by river6109
Offline RayF  
#3 Posted : 19 February 2018 12:50:01(UTC)
RayF

Gibraltar   
Joined: 14/03/2005(UTC)
Posts: 15,838
Location: Gibraltar, Europe
I'm still trying to work out what caused the problem, but it seems to have been due to the way the centre power car was connected to one of the end cars, compounded by one of the bogies being derailed. Something was touching something it shouldn't have been!

The wiring looms are all very tidy and led correctly to the multi-way connectors between the cars, so I don't see a possibility for an individual wire to be moving around.

A wiring diagram for the whole train would be useful!
Ray
Mostly Marklin.Selection of different eras and European railways
Small C track layout, control by MS2, 100+ trains but run 4-5 at a time.
Offline river6109  
#4 Posted : 19 February 2018 13:03:24(UTC)
river6109

Australia   
Joined: 22/01/2009(UTC)
Posts: 14,636
Location: On 1965 Märklin Boulevard just around from Roco Square
Ray one can assume the railcar hasn't been opened before and it was new when you bought it

John
https://www.youtube.com/river6109
https://www.youtube.com/6109river
5 years in Destruction mode
50 years in Repairing mode
Offline RayF  
#5 Posted : 19 February 2018 13:27:56(UTC)
RayF

Gibraltar   
Joined: 14/03/2005(UTC)
Posts: 15,838
Location: Gibraltar, Europe
Originally Posted by: river6109 Go to Quoted Post
Ray one can assume the railcar hasn't been opened before and it was new when you bought it

John


Hi John, I'm not sure now whether it had been used or not before I bought it a few years ago. Certainly I have used it many times before on my layout without any problems.
Ray
Mostly Marklin.Selection of different eras and European railways
Small C track layout, control by MS2, 100+ trains but run 4-5 at a time.
Offline river6109  
#6 Posted : 19 February 2018 14:01:53(UTC)
river6109

Australia   
Joined: 22/01/2009(UTC)
Posts: 14,636
Location: On 1965 Märklin Boulevard just around from Roco Square
Originally Posted by: RayF Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: river6109 Go to Quoted Post
Ray one can assume the railcar hasn't been opened before and it was new when you bought it

John


Hi John, I'm not sure now whether it had been used or not before I bought it a few years ago. Certainly I have used it many times before on my layout without any problems.


Ray it happens to me on occasions but with me converting locos all the time one could expect something like that happening, lately I had a few bad experiences with sound decoders, speakers, the work fine for a while, like with yours and than just for now reasons they fail.
it's comforting one has a 3 year warranty on ESU items.
It always gets me when things like this occur and you shake your head: why of a sudden

John
https://www.youtube.com/river6109
https://www.youtube.com/6109river
5 years in Destruction mode
50 years in Repairing mode
thanks 1 user liked this useful post by river6109
Offline dickinsonj  
#7 Posted : 19 February 2018 14:36:49(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Ray,

I blew up the PCB in one of my locos by letting a bogie short between a puko and one of the rails and I am wondering if that is what happened to your Br420. After that fun experience - and replacing the PCB - I have never put anything onto my rails until I have turned off the power to the track.

Good luck on finding that part. I agree with your reluctance to try replacing the transistors - soldering SMD components is not easy for anyone but an experienced technician. Perhaps you can buy the damaged components and find a good electronics tech to do the repair for you.
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
thanks 1 user liked this useful post by dickinsonj
Users browsing this topic
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.

| Powered by YAF.NET | YAF.NET © 2003-2024, Yet Another Forum.NET
This page was generated in 0.396 seconds.