Help needed-lighted rolling stock causing power drain?

Well, reviving this thread since I decided to tear into the FRED unit on the caboose. The truck is a MTH lighted FRED that was installed on the caboose. For those of you who have never tried to tear apart this MTH truck, be careful, the springs are really small and are not easy to find if you drop them on carpet that is dark brown in color  . Anyway, after getting the truck disassembled it appears that my earlier suspicions are confirmed-the board cooked that runs the LED. Here are some pics of the board (sorry that one is a bit blurry-phone camera wouldn't focus on board and didn't get out digital camera for pics):

Being a circuit board novice, I am wondering what the parts list is to redo the board, and is it worth it? I think the complete truck can be had for about $20, but since that is all the caboose cost in the first place, I thought a little electronics challenge was in order for me. LOL I figured I can't break it if it's already broke and worst case, I can buy a flashing end of train LED that doesn't require a circuit board and install it. 

I have been wanting to learn a bit more about circuit board construction anyway and have some books ordered and on the way. Thought this might be a nice project to work on.

Any help, and or parts needed are appreciated-that is where the real ignorance shows, learning the terminology and sequencing of arranging the parts.

Thanks

Michael;

Have you contacted MTH about this?

They have had parts every time I needed them.

A board like that probably costs about $15. It is similar in size and complexity to the Smoke Unit board in a smoking tank car I had to replace.

I will make the smoke Volume adjustable yet.

Mine died due to my tinkering with it in the lab. Not a MTH error

I believe MTH will fix this under warranty unless you got it second hand.

A bigger puzzle is how these components managed to fry in the first place--usually these things have some sort of voltage regulation so they don't see full track voltage.

---PCJ

Mike;

Even used as you got it, I would Check with MTH about a replacement board, I don't expect it to be expensive.

Railride

I had the same question-the caboose was running on a small O27 oval with an old 247 Scout and an old 60 watt transformer. Nothing else fried-but after a few days of running very lightly for the grandson-as I stated earlier-the train stopped dead. I thought maybe a connection issue at first. All track connected, nothing loose-I removed the caboose and the train took off-and I smelling the lovely acrid smell of burnt electronics. So that is where I am with it. No other electrical issues with the train as long as I ran it on that track. I guess, maybe a bad circuit board is all I can figure.

Russell

I will more than likely contact MTH since the ladle car is new and still warrantied. I might as well see if they will fix the ladle car and send me a new board for the caboose. I still want to give building a new board a shot and see if I can assemble some FRED units cheap for other rolling stock. I need the experience and love the challenge.

Thanks

A new board if cheap is most likely the best option. To rebuild just replace components.

From photos,they look fairly standard. The pic is not clear enough to identify everything, From what I can see,looks like 4 chokes and a half watt carbon resistor, These dont usually burn and can be checked with a meter. I see to condensers probably 35 volts. I can not identify the TO92 package component as only the back is exposed. Can not be of more help without a clear photo. Can not see a regulator or rectifier either unless it is in line.

Dale H