Model Railway Forum

hello guys is there anybody who can help me i am converting the best of my dc locos to dcc and i want know if i am doing the conversion correctly i have removed the chassis tags which connect the two sections of the chassis and connected all the wires as shown on the bromsgrove website and all i get is the error code on my hornby select any help wiil be most helpful as i dont want scrap these locos which are good runners on dc my lima locos run well and are pretty easy to convert just the mainline bachmann ones which are a little more tricky best regards bob

Not the simplest - is it a Mainline or Bachmann one, the latter have a different motor buried in the chassis. You need to check carefully for any wiring you have made causing a short and check again that the motor is fully isolated from the pick ups. A multimeter with a built in alert for a short circuit is useful to have to hand.

hi mike it is the mainline pod motor type i am working on at moment the bachmann will be later when i have finished the best runners of the mainline locos regards bob

How have you isolated the motor contacts from the chassis sides - the fixing bolts for the contact strips fit into either chassis side, and then those contact with the axles to make the pick ups

hi mike i have cut off these tags and covered them with heatshrink and a small amount of blue tack as insulation but still getting error on my controller i cant see any other connections and i am at a loss with this situation regards bob

If you have cut those tags what is holding the brush spring and brush in place? I recall people recommending changing the bolts for plastic ones in order that the metal tags carried on fulfilling that purpose. Is the error indicating a short or no loco found?

hi mike when i said i have cut off tags i meant the lugs that touch the motor and chassis and the controller shows error which i take as a short i am sorry to be such a pest but i really want to be able to do this connversion my self and this is why i am asking on the forum from people who have more knowledge on the subject and therefore save me blowing chips best regards bob

Mike Parkes wrote: ↑Thu Jul 08, 2021 6:05 pm If you have cut those tags what is holding the brush spring and brush in place? I recall people recommending changing the bolts for plastic ones in order that the metal tags carried on fulfilling that purpose. Is the error indicating a short or no loco found?

Peters spares carries plastic/nylon screws for the purpose afaik

Bob - to resolve the matter disconnect the decoder from the motor and get hold of a short circuit indicator, be it a multimeter or a bulb/LED connected to a battery with circuit broken by needing to join two wires together and check for any circuit between the motor and the wheels.

hi mike i done what you said and there seems to be a circuit between the motor and the motor and the only thing i an think it is is the two spring in the bottom of the chassis which make contact with the centre pair of driving wheels should these be removed or not regards bob