Lionel Legacy Smoke Regulator Question

Those symptoms describe exactly my experience with a faulty regulator.

One day it made the most impressive smoke I ever saw out of an o guage loco. Then it quit for good.

Thanks Rick.....guess that narrows it down.

I recall reading that one should swap out the 6 ohm resistor for an 8 ohm one.

This was to avoid over taxing the regulator.

I tried this and the engine did smoke with the 8 ohm but not well.....weak smoke.

I wonder if the regulator was already going bad and my results would have been influenced?

Have you ever done this mod and if so, what were your results?

Dave

I've swapped the resistors and still had good smoke. The only difference was it seemed to take just a bit longer to heat up.

I imagine its possible the regulator may have already started to fail. They seem to do so in such an intermittent and variable manner that until the smoke unit burns up and quits its difficult to really tell.

Being an authorized Lionel Technician I was thrilled when Lionel dumped the Legacy modular boards and went to the RCMC system.    Those smoke regs were a monster pain to deal with and work with.  I have put in new regs that did not work.  I am very happy those are history.  

When you reprogrammed your engine did you press set then engine number again then AUX-1 then the number two on the keypad.   I had a guy who loves to write nasty notes tell me whenever he goes AUX-1 then number 8 nothing happens.  DUH.  Modular Legacy has only two numbers to use.  Number 1 for steam locomotives and number 2 for diesel locomotives.

I suggested he READ THE BOOK.

Thanks Marty and Hello again.

I fully agree......I really like the new RCMC board and much prefer it over the modular set up.   However, I have a few of these and will need to keep them working as I slowly transition to new engines with the new set up.

And yes, I programmed both my R4LC boards to diesel  #2.  Of course the swap did not yield any results.

When you say that you have put regs in that did not work.....were they faulty or is there some further consideration I should be aware of?

Would you recommend an 8 ohm resistor when I replace the reg ?

Thanks Marty

Dave

That is ok to do.   I myself have a PRR E-7 A_B_B_A set with modular boards and the smoke units have been a huge pain.   When you put the new smoke wicking (691SMKP008) in did you reaganize it.    By that I mean shred the wicking.  My guess is you did as you seem to know what you are doing very well.  I also have the same engine you have and got a good smoker from the get go.  One last question and I will get flak from it.  What are you using for smoke fluid and what transformer are you using.  I have fantastic smoke from all my engines and I use only JT's Mega -Steam smoke fluid. 

Marty

I'm using Lionel rope wicking and pulling it apart some.  Power is Lionel 180 brick with Lionel Legacy.  I also use JT's smoke fluid......partial to the Coffee and Xmas Pine.

I have great results with my smoke units, after I change out that large piece of square batting Lionel has been using.  Although,  I see in a recent new engine I have they used the rope wicking they sell. Good to see this.

So I guess my problem is the reg.  I'll have to place an order with Lionel.

If you have used the 8 ohm resistor as opposed to the 6 ohm that came with the engine.......what were your observations?

Thanks

Dave

8

Bet you haven't ever written this short of an email.... 

Thanks

Dave

Sorry about that, I was on the move.