jagger14 Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Morning all, I thought i would treat myself to a 37 sound decorder and speaker etc at the weekend for my quite old now farish class 37. I thought it would be quite simple using the digitrains tophats and the guides online but this loco doesnt seem to have a split chassis, yet it doesnt have a pcb either... could anyone point me in the right direction for a guide? the loco is EWS 37408 Loch Rannoch which doesnt have lights or anything fancy. I thought it would be easy as the speaker fits in the fuel tank and the decoder just sits ontop of the chassis. sorry to be a pain!! Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Steven B Posted April 16, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 16, 2013 You've got one of the early Chinese made class 37s (Poole era chassis are generally silver in colour and need Digihats). They use a split chassis but you don't need Digihats to convert yours. What you do need is a file and some courage! Take a look at this thread on DCCing the 170. The principle is the same with all the Farish models that use a similar chassis. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/381-graham-farish-split-chassis-dcc-guide/ Basically, dismantle the chassis, file away a notch where the motor is in contact with the two halves of the chassis. Reassemble and solder orange and grey wires to the motor terminals. Scrape off the paint under the screws that hold the two halves of the chassis together and re-assemble using the screws to hold the red and black wires against the two halves of the chassis. Happy modelling. Steven B. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PaulCheffus Posted April 16, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 16, 2013 You've got one of the early Chinese made class 37s (Poole era chassis are generally silver in colour and need Digihats). They use a split chassis but you don't need Digihats to convert yours. What you do need is a file and some courage! Take a look at this thread on DCCing the 170. The principle is the same with all the Farish models that use a similar chassis. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/381-graham-farish-split-chassis-dcc-guide/ Basically, dismantle the chassis, file away a notch where the motor is in contact with the two halves of the chassis. Reassemble and solder orange and grey wires to the motor terminals. Scrape off the paint under the screws that hold the two halves of the chassis together and re-assemble using the screws to hold the red and black wires against the two halves of the chassis. Happy modelling. Steven B. Hi As they say a picture paints a thousand words heres mine. Cheers Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagger14 Posted April 16, 2013 Author Share Posted April 16, 2013 Oh and there was me thinking it was easy!!! thanks for the info tho, it will give me a fighting chance!! Thanks again Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian b Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 Neat job! Rob, which decoder/ whose sounds did you use? I'm planning on doing a similar install in my 37401 and am looking for a recommendation!!! Thanks in advance, Ian B Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagger14 Posted April 18, 2013 Author Share Posted April 18, 2013 The 37 i have got is a poole era one as its silver in colour as you noted above. I have used 2 digihats one top and one bottom... its a tight fit with the decoder ontop of the chassis and was hoping to put the speaker in the fuel tank with some kind of purpose made enclosure. Is there any problem with having the speaker to close to the motor? It seems to have developed a crackle sound like something is interfeering or shorting out maybe? anyone got any ideas? I have checkthat the motor is isolated from the brushes etc.... all the wiring seems to be fine. Also the fuel tank is not very deep so i think it would be better to put the speaker in one of the ends of the loco although this would require some chassis hacking or milling as some people like to say. I think there is a pickup from the bogie attached the bit i was thinking of taking off. Thoughts? Pics Cheers Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagger14 Posted April 20, 2013 Author Share Posted April 20, 2013 Anyone got any advice? Sorry to bump this.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Mc Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 I noticed from your pictures that you have the speaker installed without the resonator/enclosure.These speakers need to be fitted with the enclosure so as to produce a good volume.My guess is that due to it not being very loud,the master volume has been turned up to the max and is now causing what could be deemed as a crackling sound or distortion.This is a characteristic of these speakers when the enclosure and speaker are not sealed properly.Now as it is sat in the tanks,it won't be a sealed enclosure,you will,if you want it to stay there,need to construct a sealed enclosure using the tank as a part of this or one constructed usin plasticard or even bluetac(!) but the facing that the enclosure is normally glued to must be facing into your constructed enclosure or it won't give satisfactory volume and will crackle.My advise would be to strip the loco down once more and file/grind away a section of the chassis top to accomodate the speaker.I have a Farish class 40 from the China built stock as well as a class 50 and Deltic all with fairly similar chassis desifns and have successfully converted them to dcc sound using this method.I have also done a dcc ready Farish 37 whereby I removed the pcb,notched out the chassis for the speaker and rewired the working head/tail lights without the need for the pcb.The fact that you think that the motor may be interferring with the speakers sound is not the case,its to do with the speaker not being correctly sealed,this is the area that you need to concentrate on.Trust me,I know this. Pete Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauliebanger Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 Pete is correct about the speaker in all the points he makes, it does need an enclosure. Just to be clear, the enclosure should be fitted to the side which is pointing upwards in your photo. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagger14 Posted April 29, 2013 Author Share Posted April 29, 2013 Good info again thanks guys... I have blown the decoder up on this since my post ... seems one of the bushes was touching the chassis somewhere.. live and learn though I guess. Its currently on its way back to me but in the mean time I am going to concentrate on creating a space or an enclosure as mentioned above. I think one of the nose ends seems to be a sensible place for it? I will post some pictures and videos if I don't make too much of a butchers job of it!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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