Bell Rings Continuously on Conventional Classics GG-1

Try reversing the two wires at your lock-on.

Jay,

    Jim is correct more than likely you need to reverse the wires, IMO you also need to get rid of the CW-80 Transformer and purchase a Z-1000 or bigger transformer to run your layout.  An old KW would be perfect, or even and old upgraded ZW.

PCRR/Dave

Guys,

Thanks for the quick replies. My main layout is powere with three CW-80s, four if you count the one just for switches and accessories. I have all of them sorted for the correct hot and U outputs. I have the two set up for cab control of the two mainlines and have tried this GG-1 with both. I have also tried it oon my elevated line with a third transformer.

I realize that some here do not like CW-80s but they work well for me and have not caused any issues. Because I also had the problem with a Z-750 as well, I do not think the transformer is the issue. 

Thanks for the replies though.

Jay in Ottawa

 The issue did not occur when powered on the bench with alligator clips.

Huh   !    What power supply at bench?  

Gregg,

The power supply used at the bench (kitchen table) was an MTH Z-750.

Any ideas? 

Thanks guys.

Jay in Ottawa

Perhaps a slight load on the track might help... A couple of lighted cars?  any difference?

Gregg,

I will give that a try, good call.

Jay in Ottawa

OK, I'll apologize in advance.

Someone was looking over my shoulder when I was looking at this OP's complaint regarding a constantly ringing bell.  Recalling their father's learned approach to fixing TV reception/performance in decades past, their comment was...

"Just smack it with a dingbat!"

Just kidding, of course!

Gregg,

I tried running it with a searchlight car...no luck. The bell still engaged as soon as it started moving. I did try it in neutral and the bell did not ring and responded correctly to the button.

Jay in Ottawa

I tried running it again tonight, same issue. I also noticed this time that there is some constant speaker noise as it runs. Any ideas as to what would cause that on a loco like this with electronic horn and bell?

Thanks as always,

Jay in Ottawa

Unfortunately, this issue is common among many locomotives in the Lionel conventional classics line of products. The intermittent activation of the bell is caused by feedback from the pullmor motors. You will have likely noticed that this problem occurs at low operating speed when the brushes in the motor reach a rotational speed where they are firing the armature coils at a rate that is similar to the frequency of the signal which is intended to activate the bell. The poorly designed sound cards in the early conventional classics such as the GG-1, think that this pullmor noise is a signal to activate the bell. Lionel's later production conventional classics use a Railsounds Lite card where this problem does not appear to be an issue.

Fixing this issue requires a trial and error approach. You will notice that Lionel uses shunted brushes on these engines, with the idea of having a nice and reliable source of electrical contact. I have observed that if you remove the shunted brushes, and replace them with non-shunted, regular slotted postwar brushes (part 622-121), this will often eliminate the problem. My theory is that the regular brushes produce more sparks and more noise than the newer shunted ones, and that all this random noise scrambles the feedback from the motors to some degree. Therefore, the sound card doesn't see the same signal and respond.  This has worked for me about 50 percent of the time. Sometimes, removing the capacitors also helps. Other times, replacing the sound card is the only option. 

Jay,

   Just a thought , sense you picked this engine up used, I would pull the body and see if one of the wires is somehow shorting the bell on all the time, somebody might have crimped a wire or damaged the unit in some way before you purchased it.

PCRR/Dave 

Dave,

I will give that a try and let you know.

Thanks,

Jay