@MR_P posted:This sounds like a great option for me to change my Williams scale hudsons. Crappy sounds and no low speed control. Today at 10volts they rocket down the rails, 9volts is cruising speed, but 8 is slow and anything under that, it generally stalls. For me, since I'm not running TMCC, I think this is better option than using ERR boards.
The issue with converting steamers to Blunami is motor current, given the 4A limit of the 4408 Blunami card. I don't know what the Williams Hudsons draw under load and going uphill. I will be testing a pair of Weaver/Samhongsa Dreyfuss Hudsons within the next few weeks. One has the original Mabuchi motor and the other has a Pittman retrofit, but the high OEM worm gear ratio not favorable to the latter motor. Some of the Williams engines, like my Niagara, were made by Samhongsa and may also use the Mabuchi motor. I doubt that either motor configuration will qualify for Blunami under my headroom criteria, which is half the rated current when hauling a "typical" train uphill. And none meet the Soundtraxx criterion of motor stall current not exceeding the Blunami card rating. While it's true that the Blunami system will warn you when excessive current approaches, the variable-frequency PWM motor drive is most effective when its duty cycle is under 100%, so approaching the card's current limit under normal operating conditions isn't a good idea. (Pete may opine otherwise, based on his experience.) I will be using ERR Cruise Commander in the Weaver Dreyfuss, due to current concerns.
MTH/Weaver/Williams diesels with dual Mabuchi RS-385 motors are prime candidates for Blunami conversions - I've done two, so far.
