new board installation

@Jolodo posted:

Recently purchased a Lionel Great Northern 3100 Steam loco that was in need of a new board. I ordered and received a replacement board but don't know where to solder the wires from board to tender. Would appreciate any guidance with this problem as I would like to get this beauty running...Thanks in advance.....Joe

I think you mean this FAR (Famous American Railroads) set engine 6-3100

If so, then this previous topic has diagrams

https://ogrforum.com/topic/wiring-help-11

Thanks for the reference ...I will have a look....

Okay , I looked over the above reference on  the board installation and best I can figure out all three wires coming off the board are group together and wired to male plug. That means only one plug goes from the tender to the engine. Not sure I got that right and it doesn't seem right to me. Any help would be appreciated...Thanks

@Jolodo posted:

Okay , I looked over the above reference on  the board installation and best I can figure out all three wires coming off the board are group together and wired to male plug. That means only one plug goes from the tender to the engine. Not sure I got that right and it doesn't seem right to me. Any help would be appreciated...Thanks

@Jolodo posted:

Recently purchased a Lionel Great Northern 3100 Steam loco that was in need of a new board. I ordered and received a replacement board but don't know where to solder the wires from board to tender. Would appreciate any guidance with this problem as I would like to get this beauty running...Thanks in advance.....Joe

The engine is a conventional train- it has a mechanical E-unit and pullmor motor. There are ZERO electronics in the engine. It can run completely standalone by itself without the tender even being attached.

This engine came with sound of steam- a static noise generator circuit in the tender that made a loud hissing static that poorly resembles a steam chuff on a good day. If it went bad- replacing it with the same thing is a huge mistake IMO rather than using a good modern sound upgrade- but it's your train and your money.

Again, in a nutshell- #1 the engine should run on it's own and had NOTHING to do with the board in the tender. #2 Since all the board in the tender does is make sounds- and badly at that- why would you expect more wires or connections? It's not controlling anything.

My further concern is the part that really matters- the engine running- this is from the time era where the lithium grease used when building these engines likely hardened in the worm gear area, and the first thing you should be doing is cleaning that out, adding fresh grease, lubing the motor bushings and then getting the engine running standalone without the tender.

Your engine is basically just a different paint job of this engine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QpAdteYFtU

Thanks Mr Barry on your observation about the engine and tender. I would still like to connect the new board that I purchased .  I reviewed the drawing that you advised me of but I am still confused as to what wires go to male or female plugs. The best I can figured all three wires connect to the male plugs???? Not sure this is  right...Any help would be appreciated....Thanks

@Jolodo posted:

Thanks Mr Barry on your observation about the engine and tender. I would still like to connect the new board that I purchased .  I reviewed the drawing that you advised me of but I am still confused as to what wires go to male or female plugs. The best I can figured all three wires connect to the male plugs???? Not sure this is  right...Any help would be appreciated....Thanks

I don't even know if you bought the same version of board. You need to help us help you- post pictures of your old and new boards.

Barry I am Attaching photos of what I working With. Thanks for any help.

I don't own any Mighty SOS engines, but I can give you some general guidance.  The 3 wires top to bottom are LIKELY center roller, ground (outside rail), and chuff switch.  This is based on the trace sizes and that the ground connections often run around the periphery of a board.  YOU NEED TO VERIFY THIS WITH SOMEONE ELSE.

The second problem is where to connect them.  There should be another tether coming through or under the cab. In other SOS engines, a polarized 3 part tether was used.  You will need either pull off the boiler or continuity meter the 3 wires.  One should connect to center roller, another to ground, and the third should connect to ground intermittently depending on the position of the drive wheels.

There should be 2 additional wires (not shown) that connect to the speaker.

You may want to post a picture of the locomotive tether.  Hopefully someone who has this engine will be willing to pull the boiler and tender shell and give you correct information.

Bob

Thanks RRDOC .... in an earlier post on this subject ,their was a diagram on how to connect a three wire situation to a two wire hook up. Unfortunately, I was unable to figure out where the the wires had to be connected. If someone could guide on this it would greatly appreciated. Thanks for all your help so far.....

As a follow up to your review , to the left of the board is the 2 wires ( male and female plugs) that coming of the engine. Hence, my dilemma, 3 wires  coming off the board to the male/female plugs . Not sure how to hook up the three wire  to two plugs.