Replacing a Williams Seuthe with a Lionel 8057 in a scale Hudson . Some questions

You may want to look at GRJ's product line for reed switch replacement. 

Rod Miller

Which Hudson are you working with Roger?

C.Sam,

It's the Great Northern........4020. 

No problem with the smoke unit bowl touching the metal frame, many are bolted to a bracket that is attached to the frame.

I use MTH smoke units in my upgrades, I solder the brass tubing to the screw-in brass cup for the stack.  For Lionel with no screw threads or brass ferrule, JB-Weld should work, don't know how well it stands up to heat.

Needless to say, I always recommend my Chuff-Generator for these upgrades, you can get prototypical chuff rates, and nothing glued to the wheels.  I always found the reed switch and magnets to be a PITA, hence the reason I came up with something I consider better.

Thanks for popping up, John.  I couldn't imagine the smoke reservoir causing a short in contact with the frame, but had to ask. Better safe than sorry. I've used JB weld to attach a tube to a couple of smoke units before. So far, it holds. I was really hoping I could get my PS1 unit in there, but......not even close. 

I was intrigued by your chuff generator. It's been in a ton of threads here. However, in the description in the link, it notes that it's for TMCC applications. This one is strictly conventional. 

Have you ever opened up the gear box of one of these to check it's grease status? The directions are not clear on how to do that. In fact, there's been some threads about it, but I never found any solutions.

Roger

This is from the JB Weld website:

Original J-B Weld can withstand a constant temperature of 500º F. The maximum temperature threshold is approximately 600º F for a short term (10 minutes). Refer to individual product packages for more temperature information.

What temp does the surface of the smoke unit typically reach?

Roger

I hope you are installing a Cruise Commander  as well. That will make your loco into a good runner.

I seriously doubt 500F is a problem, it isn't getting to that temperature I'm sure!

While the chuff generator was indeed designed for use in command applications, it just needs a 5V power supply, so there's no reason it wouldn't work in conventional. 

I have actually installed the Super-Chuffer in a conventional locomotive, I just added a large capacitor in parallel with the power supply filters to support the lower input voltages from the track.  I even created a demo locomotive with the Super-Chuffer in a conventional setting.

As far as checking the grease, I've never found a locomotive that was that difficult to do that in, sometimes you have to remove a bit of stuff to get to it.  When you have everything stripped it's a good time to clean out the grease and renew it.

John,

So, let me make sure I have this right.  I would only need the chuff generator and not the Super Chuffer? Between the track voltage tap-in in the tender, I would have to put a 5V power supply?   If that's the case, could I use the 5V regulator I just took out of this Williams engine? It seems to measure 5.67.  Or should I use one of my buck converters (DC-DC) with a diode in front of that (or should I use a bridge)?

I don't want to put command in this particular engine. I'd rather leave it conventional. 

Roger

That's a 6V regulator you have.  Also, I believe most of them use either four diodes or a bridge rectifier from track power.  This configuration won't work as you need a common AC and DC ground.  If you use a buck converter, you can't use a bridge in front as you need a common AC and DC ground.  You may also need a capacitor to add bulk capacitance, depending on what the buck converter has.

Well, I think I'll try to put the reed switch on as it came with the kit and I already paid for it. If that doesn't work out, I'll upgrade to the chuffer. I think I may have to add a cap to the buck if I use it. I've got two left. One has a 100 uf cap at the in side and the other has a 220uf there. 

If my reed switch doesn't work out, what would the chuff generator attach to? Would it attach to the same spot where the reed switch harness attaches?

As for the grease.....it's a brand new engine, so there should be grease in there from the factory. But then again.....it's a Williams and they often come without grease. But this is one weird looking  gear box. Unlike my 773 which is in the floor of the chassis connected to the driveshaft, this is vertically mounted above the floor. 

Roger

The separate gearbox splits to grease the gears.

The Chuff Generator connects to the Chuff input of the ERR Cruise Commander.