Bachmann Online Forum

Discussion Boards => Large => Topic started by: bobdvt on August 11, 2013, 11:41:47 AM

Title: Revolution with sound in the Climax...how to get the lights to work?
Post by: bobdvt on August 11, 2013, 11:41:47 AM
The topic says it all.  I have installed the Revolution Rx with sound in a Climax using battery power.  However the lights and firebox flicker do not work.  I know there is a way to do this, but am too concerned I'll generate 'magic smoke' to go poking around without some sound guidance.  Does anyone have a diagram or pictures or simple directions to follow in order to accomplish this?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Bob
Title: Re: Revolution with sound in the Climax...how to get the lights to work?
Post by: Dave on August 11, 2013, 04:20:09 PM
Gidday Bob,
                If you go into the Revolution website there is a download with all the instructions for lights and sound triggers etc. It must be easy cos I managed to install 3 of them and they have all been a success, so far.
                 Dave
                  New Zealand
Title: Re: Revolution with sound in the Climax...how to get the lights to work?
Post by: Dave on August 11, 2013, 05:04:31 PM
Think I jumped the gun a bit. Had a look on the website and it looks looks like the sound RX is different and there is no custom installation plug listed. That will make it tricky.

                    Dave
Title: Re: Revolution with sound in the Climax...how to get the lights to work?
Post by: grsman on August 11, 2013, 05:31:48 PM
Dave
Is this a PNP engine? I think you will find that B+ & GND are missing from J1 pins 6 & 7. The DC PCB provides this. When you removed this PCB to plug in the Revolution, you disconnected the B+ & GND. The revolution does not provide this. I believe you have to jumper the battery + & - to J1 pins 6 & 7. There were some discussions about this on Largescalecentral. Someone there had the same problem.
The answer is a little different if you are using track power.
Tom
Title: Re: Revolution with sound in the Climax...how to get the lights to work?
Post by: bobdvt on August 21, 2013, 11:10:29 AM
Loco Bill seems to be able to lend good information on most issues brought up on this forum.  I wonder if he might be able to 'chime in' on this issue.  My concerns in jumpering the battery voltage to J1  pins 6 & 7 is the amount of Voltage.  I am using a 14.8 volt battery.  Will that cause magic smoke?  Hate to 'burn up' the Bach board and/or the Revolution Rx with the wrong voltage or connections.

Bob
Title: Re: Revolution with sound in the Climax...how to get the lights to work?
Post by: Loco Bill Canelos on August 21, 2013, 02:03:16 PM
Bob,
I wish I could help, but I have never done that kind of install, and can't help.  I was hoping Kevin Strong or Steve Ames could help.

Hopefully they or another with experience will chime in!! 

While I appreciate the nice comments, I am by no means an expert on all things, which is why we have a great team of folks on this site who usually have an answer!  I have only done one install using the revo with sound, and it was in a USAT brand diesel.  It went in with the lights working fine using the original circuit board. It was a Non pNP install at that.

Anyone who can help please give Bob a hand.

Bill
Title: Re: Revolution with sound in the Climax...how to get the lights to work?
Post by: grsman on August 21, 2013, 04:19:48 PM
Quote from: bobdvt on August 21, 2013, 11:10:29 AM
Loco Bill seems to be able to lend good information on most issues brought up on this forum.  I wonder if he might be able to 'chime in' on this issue.  My concerns in jumpering the battery voltage to J1  pins 6 & 7 is the amount of Voltage.  I am using a 14.8 volt battery.  Will that cause magic smoke?  Hate to 'burn up' the Bach board and/or the Revolution Rx with the wrong voltage or connections.

Bob
Bob
You didn't say that this is a PNP engine. Since you talked about pins 6 & 7 I guess it is. If you look at the DC PCB you removed you will see that it applies track voltage through a full wave bridge rectifier to pins 6 & 7. I just used a full wave rectifier to apply track voltage to pins 6 & 7 in my Bachmann 2-6-6-2 to get the lights to work. The rectifier is required when using track voltage because the track polarity changes. You MUST not apply voltage to pins 6 & 7 backwards. When you are using a battery the polarity will not change and you don't have to worry using a rectifier. If you connect the track connections to Pins 6 & 7 (instead of the battery directly) you can run track power or battery with the flip of a switch. The battery/track selection switch connects the track pickups or the battery to the track connections (pins J1-1 & J1-12). You MUST use a rectifier if you wish to use track power. These connections are pretty easy to trace on the PNP PC board.
IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS ABOUT WHAT I AM TELLING YOU OR YOUR ABILITIES - DON'T DO IT!
Tom
Title: Re: Revolution with sound in the Climax...how to get the lights to work?
Post by: bobdvt on August 21, 2013, 09:08:12 PM
The Climax is a PNP loco and I do not plan to run the engine with Track Power.  I am running it with a 14.8 volt Lith-Ion battery.  My concern is the amount of voltage to pins 6 & 7.  I do know enough to keep polarity proper (battery + to pad +.)  Just my concern is amount of voltage being applied to the two pad connections.

Thanks for 'chiming in.'

Bob
Title: Re: Revolution with sound in the Climax...how to get the lights to work?
Post by: bobdvt on August 22, 2013, 04:55:22 PM
Received info from Kevin Strong and he uses 14.8 volts with his battery powered loco.

Thanks all who gave of their expertise and time.

Bob ;D
Title: Re: Revolution with sound in the Climax...how to get the lights to work?
Post by: grsman on August 23, 2013, 01:37:27 PM
Quote from: bobdvt on August 22, 2013, 04:55:22 PM
Received info from Kevin Strong and he uses 14.8 volts with his battery powered loco.

Thanks all who gave of their expertise and time.

Bob ;D
Bob
Do you or Kevin plan on sharing the information with the rest of us?
Tom
Title: Re: Revolution with sound in the Climax...how to get the lights to work?
Post by: smcgill on August 26, 2013, 07:14:24 AM
Quote from: Loco Bill Canelos on August 21, 2013, 02:03:16 PM
Bob,
I wish I could help, but I have never done that kind of install, and can't help.  I was hoping Kevin Strong or Steve Ames  could help.
Bill
Thanks Bill but I think Stanley Ames is his name.
Must be a Senior minute!
Title: Re: Revolution with sound in the Climax...how to get the lights to work?
Post by: Loco Bill Canelos on August 26, 2013, 09:32:16 AM
It was! ;D.  My apologies to Stan!