Loksound Micro BEMO Ge 4/4 III fitting

[Salmotrutta]

Here's how I fitted sound to a BEMO Ge 4/4 III loco.

 

Here you can see that I have removed all the resistors, chokes and other gubbins leaving just the board. I have used a razor saw to cut the circuit board so I can use it to make connections easily. The resistors for the LED lights use the holes vacated by the diodes. (Not yet fitted in this picture!).

 

 

The bi-colour LED is embedded in epoxy putty and allowed to set. Very important to get this level as the headlights will vary in intensity if it is not! I painted the light guides silver and the underside of the cab interior grey as this reduces the light bleed from the installation. Note that the light bulb has been removed . Also painted the cab interior grey - pop out the windscreen to make it easier - it unclips from the bottom. A dash of matt black highlights the instrument panel.

 

 

The ESU "sugar cube" speaker has a sticky back and this is mounted on a piece of 60 thou plastic card firing down in to the bogie well. Super glue the card to the top of the chassis. If you carefully unclip the roof then it is easier to place the decoder as it will fit into a gap in the body shell - stuck down with double-sided foam tape.

 

I also added interior blinds and a driver before putting it back together. The interior blind is easier with the windscreen out - and you won't spend an hour polishing out a glue mark on the windscreen that way

 

Hope people find this helpful!

[Chamby]

I have done something very similar with my own Ge 4/4 III's. Main differences are that I used a 3mm LED filed to shape for the headlamps - gives a more even lighting, and I used a zimo sugar cube rather than the ESU one. I find that zimo sugar cubes give a much clearer sound than the ESU one you have used, even with loksound micro chips.

[Salmotrutta]

I have done something very similar with my own Ge 4/4 III's. Main differences are that I used a 3mm LED filed to shape for the headlamps - gives a more even lighting, and I used a zimo sugar cube rather than the ESU one. I find that zimo sugar cubes give a much clearer sound than the ESU one you have used, even with loksound micro chips.

Yes I'm thinking of re-visiting the lighting with separate LEDs for each light as bleed from the single light is a problem. For the following 2 sound fittings I have used an iPhone 6 speaker - slightly mutilated to fit  - seems to give a better sound than the ESU speaker. And very cheap at $2 each from China.....

[PaulRhB]

Do you have any pics of which contacts you used on the iphone speakers?

[Salmotrutta]

I solder onto the two little tags in the picture. I slip some heat shrink over at least one of the leads to stop it shorting. The next time I open up one of the locos I'll take some pictures. I also got some iPhone 5 speakers but they are a bit big.

Edited October 2, 2017 by Salmotrutta

[PaulRhB]

I solder onto the two little tags in the picture. I slip some heat shrink over at least one of the leads to stop it shorting. The next time I open up one of the locos I'll take some pictures. I also got some iPhone 5 speakers but they are a bit big.

Thanks for that, are the contacts the same on the 5 speakers too?

[Salmotrutta]

Thanks for that, are the contacts the same on the 5 speakers too?

Yes but further apart so you could probably get away  without using the heat shrink - just a bit of tape instead.