Smoke unit LC+ RS3

Couple things... After a smoke unit has been without fluid it will usually take more than a few drops, say 10-15...

If that doesn't work, are you adverse to taking the shell off?? Taking a look inside might be good.

Jeff T, thanks for the reply. Let my try 10-15 drops....see how that shakes out. 

Hey Jeff T, I did give that a go. Gave it a good dozen drops, and still no change. Ran it for a bit, forward/reverse, still nothing.

I am not adverse to taking off the shell but where to from there?

Thanks again.

Sometimes we tend to run the smoke units a little too dry. When you do the wick will get a good char and be unable to absorb the fluid. Carefully open up the smoke unit and see if the portion of the wick touching the resistor is charred.

If you're unsure along the way post some pics, plenty of help here. I believe the manual will tell you what screws to remove to pop the shell. 

I think I am on the trail! Even though I drained the smokestack before opening the RS3, I still had some smoke fluid to deal with once inside. Some of the drops though, are brown - I have never added anything that wasn't clear! I can't get the circuit board to remove from the motor unfortunately, 1 of the 3 screws is fighting me. I can see the resistor you spoke of through a opening in the circuit board. From what I can see it's all gunked up. Almost like ear wax (gross I know) but that's what I see.

Post a pic if you can, you know, the thousand words thing.

This should be your smoke unit.

https://www.lionelsupport.com/...02-a000-8a92309ea44d

Sure thing!

I looked at your diagram (very informative, btw) and this is where I am stuck, can't get that third screw out of the PCB. 

SeanG posted:

I looked at your diagram (very informative, btw) and this is where I am stuck, can't get that third screw out of the PCB. 

Get a good needle nose pliers on the head of screw and break it loose, I had to do this on one of my LC+ smoke units.

Art 

Thanks Art - did just that!

Open Sesame as they say

Yuck... OK, toss the wick material. You then want to use a soft brush to clean the crud left on the resistor. New wick material and you should be good to go.

Okay, I cleaned it up pretty good. But the re-wicking procedure; I don't have a clue on how to do that. Also, all the gunk that I took out of there, was some of that the batting? I seen batting in the diagram you shot me.

Wick. You can reorder from Lionel or your local hobby shop. When I'm in a pinch I've used tiki torch wick. Pull off the plastic shield and fluff it up a bit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkDlQ5Cwwlk&t=12s

This video will show you a bit. just be sure not to block the opening from the bowl to the fan.

You can also use a 9 volt battery, while the smoke unit is out of the engine, to test the fan.

Jeff T, thanks so much, this has been very informative - you rock! I live near Charles Ro, will swing by sometime later this week, and when I do I will gladly update this thread. Thanks again.

Thanks Sean!! Just trying to pay back a little for all I've learned from this forum!!!

Good luck getting it smoking again!

Many you tube videos on how to re pack and replace resistor on Lionel smoke units.The parts are cheap I do all of my own and order by the dozen to have on hand.They need to be done on a regular basis.Nick

Thanks Nick

Something I don't get - is batting and the wick the same thing? Thanks. 

 Yes.  The factory usually installs a pad in there. The replacement stuff is better and it's more like a tiki torch wick that you fluff up and pack in there.

Thanks Train Nut. 

Outside of baseball, never seen that definition for that word before. 

Batting that is

Good Friday evening, 

I wanted to update this, and thank everybody who read and posted. I got my RS3 LC+ smoking again, but I did the "rob Peter pay Paul" thing by taking a smoke unit out of another LC+. It's all good, I don't run smoke on all my locos, just the RS3.

One thing that is eluding me, is the screw driver required to open a smoke unit - what size is it and where can I obtain? My electronics screwdrivers, as Klein Tools calls them, are too big for that circuit board.

Thanks again

Looks great Sean!!! I bought a set of Wera screwdrivers at a small hobby shop.

Thanks Jeff!

Another couple of videos on smoke unit wicking:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRcpFRtA6IY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1asUWbJtfok

As a rule I add one full dropper of fluid after each operating session to fan-driven units.  10-15 drops is just asking for burned wicking.

Jon  

Hey Kooljock1,  please clarify, you add fluid after a running session? Won't that idle fluid gum up the wicking if it sits too long?

RickM46 posted:

Another couple of videos on smoke unit wicking:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRcpFRtA6IY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1asUWbJtfok

One last comment on smoke units; I have had little luck with filling smoke units; I either over or under fill; I am the destructor of smoke units.  I've tried adding fluid at the end of the day and wound up drowning the fans and sending back to Lionel for repair.  Some say that there is also an evaporation factor if you do that.