I am doing a sound decoder install on a Hallmark 2-10-2. What side of the motor is the + and what side is the -? It has been a while since I installed a decoder in a dc train. Also any tips on this engine. I am removing some weights from the tender to make room and I was going th drill some small holes in the coal area to let the sound out. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
I would test the motor with a 9-12 volt DC source like a battery. I would also test the sound before drilling holes you may not need them.
I was going to test with a dc power pack, but was hoping some one would know which rail was + and which was -. I have to drill this tender to get sound out. It is a brass n scale Hallmark model and has what seems to be a completely sealed tender. So no way sound is coming out without some holes. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
red goes to right side power pickup, black to left side ... on the motor orange to positive, gray to negative ... conventional ... which side of motor is positive ?? can't say, but this should drive it forward
Whichever side of the motor was originally connected the the right side rail is the 'plus' and would get the orange wire. The side of the motor going to the left gets the gray. If this locomotive is built traditionally the tender picks up the left side and the drawbar is left rail so whichever side the drawbar is connected to will be the gray. If the wiring has been disconnected before you noted these, use a nine jolt battery like others have suggested to see which orientation of it moves the loco forward. The plus is the orange side as already advised. Lyle
Perfect. That is what I was looking for. Thanks. One more thing. Should I replace the 100 uf stay alive cap? If so, what value is recommended. This is a digital SDXN136PS decoder I am installing. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
The size capacitor depends on your needs/desires. Up to a point, bigger is better. The 100uF cap is respectable for very short interruptions, but emphasis on 'short'. Bigger values will also entail bigger sizes, so space will be your limiting factor. Recent Digitrax decoders have a connector on them that DGTX's own PowerExtender can be connected, might be worth considering Lyle
I worked all day yesterday on this one. I finally got it finished. Then went to test everything. It seemed to be working fine. I was able to read and write from the program track. Then I put it on the main and went to move it. No motor. So I took everything apart and started testing. Turned out to be a cold solder joint on the orange wire right at the motor. Got that fixed then the light wouldn't come on. So I dove in again. Not sure what was wrong but now everything seems to be working. I kept the original 100uf cap. Turned out to be no room inside the tender for any of the bigger ones I had on hand. Thanks for all the advice getting this one done.
