SHS 2-8-0 help

Hi there:

I’m getting super nowhere fast. Let me try this…Your thoughts on making the 2-8-0 run on DC without the shorting plug.

I guess like bypassing the AC board that comes installed and running the wires from the can motor to the tender pickups. Probably would lose the headlight. Maybe the AC board should come out before wiring the motor to the trucks?

Does the 2-8-0 AC have a smoke unit I should be concerned about?

Tom Stoltz

in (Mid-coast) Maine

I haven't messed around much with my 2-8-0's, but the AC board should just unplug, there may be a secondary adapter board also if it had LocoSound.  I know there was one for the DCC/sound loco's.  Otherwise it's the standard 8-pin plug in the tender.  

The headlights are LEDs, you'll need 1.5v (or better yet, 1v) for them otherwise *poof* and I haven't found an easy way to change them.  There was no mention of needing headlight resistors and I blew mine out with an MRC steam decoder, also blew out the headlight functions of the decoder.

There is a motor-driven smoke unit, but mine have been turned off since day 1, so I can't help there.

Rusty

If you do Facebook, then I suggest you join the S Helper / MTH S Scale / American Models group and post your questions there.  Many experts in that group including Don Thompson himself.

Rusty Traque posted:

The headlights are LEDs, you'll need 1.5v (or better yet, 1v) for them otherwise *poof* and I haven't found an easy way to change them.  There was no mention of needing headlight resistors and I blew mine out with an MRC steam decoder, also blew out the headlight functions of the decoder.

Unless the headlights are red LED's, they require more like 3V.  LED voltages track the color of the bulbs.  The color emitted is due to the mixture of materials used in the semiconductor layer of the LED.  The different materials also affect the operating voltage of the LED.

IR and red LED's operate near 2.0 volts, as you go up the rainbow, the operating voltages get higher.  White and blue LED's are similar, typically around 3.0-3.3 volts.  A white LED will not light at all on 1.0 volts, I can assure you of that.

 

IR and red LED's operate near 2.0 volts, as you go up the rainbow, the operating voltages get higher.  White and blue LED's are similar, typically around 3.0-3.3 volts.  A white LED will not light at all on 1.0 volts, I can assure you of that.

Yikes!  This is getting more complicated than I expected. The LED is “Golden White” according to the manual… do I consider that white as far as the resistor value is concerned?

There is only one board and it is 16 pin.  The manual has a key that gives the function of each of the pins.  Pin 6 is the front light and pin 7 is the light common.  Would I put a white LED value (what is that value?) resistor connecting 6 & 7 to make the conversion?  It would be nice if it were that simple.

There is also a motor L, motor R and a pickup L, pickup R. Anyone have a guess about hot wiring them – pickup L to motor L and same for right – to accomplish the DC conversion?  Basically, I’d be making my own DC shorting plug.  This sounds too easy so it can’t be true.

This is getting interesting,

Tom Stoltz

in Maine

I need some help with my SHS 2-8-0. I was cleaning some rug fuzz from the eccentric crank pin – I pulled the hex bolt, cleaned everything just fine. However, upon reassembly, I broke the hex bolt by over tightening… it didn’t take much.

try using a sharp pin point pic tool to work the broken fastener in reverse, unless you cross threaded it, it should walk out since all you’ve done is essentially pop off the head of the fastener.....put a tiny drop of penetrating oil on the broken fastener to aid in it’s removal....it takes time and patience, but I’ve walked out a many a broken rod bolts this way......Pat 

Tom Stoltz posted:

 

IR and red LED's operate near 2.0 volts, as you go up the rainbow, the operating voltages get higher.  White and blue LED's are similar, typically around 3.0-3.3 volts.  A white LED will not light at all on 1.0 volts, I can assure you of that.

Yikes!  This is getting more complicated than I expected. The LED is “Golden White” according to the manual… do I consider that white as far as the resistor value is concerned?

White it white, it's nominally a 3V LED.  I use hundreds of them, all of the bright white, warm white, amber, etc. LED's have pretty much the same operating voltage.  So, if you have 12V, and you want to run the LED at the rated 20ma, you'll need a 450 ohm resistor.  A 470 ohm resistor is a standard value and it's perfect for this task.  FYI, the resistor is dropping the voltage from the 12V to 3V, so it has to drop 9 volts.  At 20ma, it takes 450 ohms to drop 9 volts.  The resistor will be dissipating .18 watts, so I suggest a 1/2 watt resistor in this example.

harmonyards posted:

try using a sharp pin point pic tool to work the broken fastener in reverse, unless you cross threaded it, it should walk out since all you’ve done is essentially pop off the head of the fastener.....put a tiny drop of penetrating oil on the broken fastener to aid in it’s removal....it takes time and patience, but I’ve walked out a many a broken rod bolts this way......Pat 

Hi Pat,

Sounds interesting, however I don't know what a pin point pick tool is.  Could you tell me more?

 

White it white, it's nominally a 3V LED.  I use hundreds of them, all of the bright white, warm white, amber, etc. LED's have pretty much the same operating voltage.  So, if you have 12V, and you want to run the LED at the rated 20ma, you'll need a 450 ohm resistor.  A 470 ohm resistor is a standard value and it's perfect for this task.  FYI, the resistor is dropping the voltage from the 12V to 3V, so it has to drop 9 volts.  At 20ma, it takes 450 ohms to drop 9 volts.  The resistor will be dissipating .18 watts, so I suggest a 1/2 watt resistor in this example.

Thanks John,

I am going to ask if anybody knows of a schematic for the shorting plug.  Maybe the idea of making on is reasonable...

Tom Stoltz

in Maine

I think he's talking about the Needle Point Awl to work the screw out.  You dig it into the screw at an edge and tap in the direction that will unscrew the threads.  Shouldn't take much force, and the penetrating oil mentioned is a good idea first.

I once took one of these out by drilling a tiny hole in it with a #70 drill and then tapping a tiny brad into the hole as a handle.  For anything larger, I like reverse drill bits, they tend to remove the screw as you drill.

This is a copy from the manual of the socket diagram and pin socket key. To get this engine to run on DC, do you think connecting pins 1 & 8 (for the right side) and pins 4 & 5 (left) will get the job done?

I have learned the LEDs are 5 volt. Seeing that a 5 volt pin (12) is available, what pins do you think should be jumped for the LEDs?

The DC shorting plug from SHS is proving very hard to find and jerry-rigging my own might be my only hope.

John, thanks for the picture of the needle point awl. Looks like I can try a needle in my pin vise.

Tom Stoltz

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I think he's talking about the Needle Point Awl to work the screw out.  You dig it into the screw at an edge and tap in the direction that will unscrew the threads.  Shouldn't take much force, and the penetrating oil mentioned is a good idea first.

I once took one of these out by drilling a tiny hole in it with a #70 drill and then tapping a tiny brad into the hole as a handle.  For anything larger, I like reverse drill bits, they tend to remove the screw as you drill.

Bingo!........Pat