I just replaced a mechanical piston type smoke unit in the baby K-4 with a fan driven unit. The only way to shut the smoke off now is with the switch on the bottom of the engine. Aux1-8 doesn't do anything. I tried resetting the engine.This engine has the R2LC-13 board. This new smoke unit runs really hot. If I put a diode on the hot going to the unit will that cut the voltage down? Or should I change the heating resistor?
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Where did you hook it to. Is it a new unit?
Who's fan unit and what is the resistance of the heating element/s. G
It's a new lionel unit. I hooked it to the same wires that the original unit was hooked to. On the new unit the three pin connector center pin to ground pin on the right is hot going to the manual on/off switch. Pin on the left isn't used. Track voltage,18v AC at these two pins.
In your old 18 volt smoke unit, the puffer had a a 24 ohm heating element. What is your part number and what locomotive was it intended. Most recent smoke units run through an AC voltage regulator that put 9-12 volts at the heating unit. That reg is turned on/off by serial data. Like G asked, what is the resistance of your heating element. If it for something very new it should be 6 ohm or 8 ohm.
Do you have a cherry switch in the mix to control the puffing/chuffing?
The smoke unit I put in is lionel part #610 8057 200. The engine I put it in is 6-38642.
Hello Bob. I looked at 6-38642 and it showed me a conventional K-4. The smoke unit you show is for a diesel with a 27 ohm unit. You are good there. Does your engine have TMCC?
As Marty said, your smoke unit is made for 12v, 14v boost max. The 610-8057-200 shouldn't need a regulator. What code did you use for re-programming.
Bill
The engine was upgraded to TMCC. The code I used was 43.
Two things to try,
(1) Try reprogramming using code 4, measure the voltage at the smoke unit.
(2) Try a R2LC-C08
It's also possible the the smoke triac is shorted.
One more thing, the driver board in this engine looks like the ERR cruiseM.
http://www.lionel.com/Customer...74-b419-962322c121c7
Check out the board #50.
I bought this engine brand new.
That is the ERR Cruise Commander M, note in the description they specify: DCDE / DC MOTOR DRIVER / (BACK EMF). The only back-EMF board I know of that looks like that is the ERR Cruise Commander M, that one looks exactly like the one in my hand now. 
In any case, the DCDR (or replacement) has nothing to do with your smoke issue, my bet is a shorted Triac or possibly a pinched wire.
It's interesting their price on that is $64, that's cheaper than I can buy the CCM from ERR or dealers! Maybe a new source... 
I reprogrammed using code 4 and have the same results 18 volts at the smoke unit. Going to looked for pinched wire now. I had to relocate the driver board back some to fit this smoke unit in so I could have pinched a wire.
John, I don't think this driver board has 100 speed steps. It does crawl like it has cruise. It did require v13 R2LC when I upgraded it to TMCC.
My top suspect is thee triac, trying a different R2LC would be the way to test that easily. As far as the 13 R2LC, that does surprise me a bit, because ERR uses C08, even with the new shipments using the R4LC.
As far as 100 steps, did you download the ERR CCM instructions and try to configure it? I can't imagine why they'd have removed that.
Well it is the triac. Found another steamer with the v13 board and everything works with it. Suspect board acts the same in the other engine. It's weird that the board went bad when I switched smoke units. It worked fine with the piston unit.
Thanks for all your suggestions.
John, When I get everything back together I'll try switching speed steps and turning cruise off and on. I'll let you know. $64 is a good price. The $64 question...hahaha
You can replace the triac, it's not a difficult job and it'll save you $35-40 for a new R2LC.
The 2N6071B is what I use to replace those triacs. Shipping from Digikey is only a couple of bucks for small orders, so order a couple and you can have that back on the road for less than $5.
I got the engine back together and the smoke unit is working like it should. Now I have to fiddle with the reed switch i put in to get 4 chuffs per rev. My chuffing comes and goes.
John I think this board is a cruise board because I was pulling a fairly long train and uncoupled it while moving and the engine did not speed up like a noncruise engine would. I didn't try to change speed steps or turn the cruise off yet because the engine is back on the bench.(see first paragraph)
It used to have a micro-switch for chuff, right? Couldn't you get that working? Normally, I find they're just out of adjustment, so I tweak either the mount or the actuating lever to get them chuffing again. Occasionally, I'll have one that requires a little contact cleaner. I've only ever had to actually change one switch.
It came with a micro switch but only 1 chuff per rev. With such large drivers one chuff was very annoying. I put a reed switch in its place with 4 magnets. I'm going to have to get the switch closer to the wheel that the magnets are on.
OK, that makes sense.
Here is a link to the finished product. I still have to fiddle with the reed switch and magnets.
No shortage of smoke!
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