MichaelE Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 (edited) Previous Page Next Page QuoteEdit Post by michael on 1 minute ago Please watch this video I made this afternoon and let me hear your thoughts. I do not know what is wrong, but the Allegra is now doing what the ABe 4/4 III has been doing for months now. Measured RMS track voltage is what you see in the video when standard gauge Roco and Peko locomotives are running. I can run up to five DCC sound locomotives at a time using the NCE Powercab, but I get what you see in the video trying to run one DCC sound Bemo locomotive. There are power drops every 4-6 feet on the meter gauge track and voltage checks good. I don't understand what is wrong with these Bemo locomotives. Any ideas or suggestions would be welcome. I'm on the verge of sending both of these units back to Bemo in Germany for service, but I hesitate because I probably won't see them for the better part of a year or more. Previous Page Next Page Edited June 13, 2022 by MichaelE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelE Posted June 14, 2022 Author Share Posted June 14, 2022 I believe this is a heat issue that is slowly damaging this decoder. The decoder is in such a small confined space there is virtually no way to cool it and there is no airflow for heat to escape. It ran fine for about 30 minutes earlier, and as soon as it started to heat up, the lights started flashing and it stopped. As soon as it came to a complete halt, the lights remained on steady but it wouldn't run again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Easterbrook Posted June 15, 2022 Share Posted June 15, 2022 Have you compared the current being drawn by "good" and "bad" locos? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelE Posted June 15, 2022 Author Share Posted June 15, 2022 Yes. No change with a normally operating locomotive. The only time there is a slight increase is on a grade, and then a subsequent decrease when descending the grade. I'm going to swap the decoders and see if the decoder is the problem or the locomotive. I'm also going to remove the decoder cover on the roof of the power unit and see if that makes a difference with some airflow. I've taken the power unit from the Allegra down to component parts and found no binding, it is properly lubed, and drivetrain rotates freely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Easterbrook Posted June 15, 2022 Share Posted June 15, 2022 Yes, it does sound as if the heat from normal operation could be the problem. But I'd have expected an increase in current (which would cause an increase in heat) when the track voltage drops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelE Posted June 15, 2022 Author Share Posted June 15, 2022 Current does increase, to over an amp, while voltage drops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelE Posted June 19, 2022 Author Share Posted June 19, 2022 I sent the decoder back to ESU in the States for replacement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium JimFin Posted June 20, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 20, 2022 On 19/06/2022 at 12:52, MichaelE said: I sent the decoder back to ESU in the States for replacement. Hope that solves it. Did an install for a pal at the weekend. Looks like it would be possible to create some venting by cutting away some of the black "box" section in the AC unit which would allow heat to escape via the AC grills. Having said that - not had a problem with mine, even with exhibition use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelE Posted June 20, 2022 Author Share Posted June 20, 2022 I was looking at that cover thinking of modifying it to allow heat to escape. I'm hoping I just got bum decoder. I don't think that was good planning on Bemo's part to place the decoder in such a confined area with absolutely no way for heat to escape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOB FAN Posted June 27, 2022 Share Posted June 27, 2022 Have you entertained the thought of switching to another brand of decoder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelE Posted June 28, 2022 Author Share Posted June 28, 2022 No. I have a Lokprogrammer and would not like to see that being wasted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelE Posted July 21, 2022 Author Share Posted July 21, 2022 ESU determined the decoder to be bad. The dealer refused to replace it, however, ESU told me that the dealer should have replaced it and then received credit from ESU for the bad decoder. Unfortunately, ESU could not help me with this dilemma since they were already in possession of the decoder I sent to them. They are out of stock of the decoder and has been backordered with no expected date. Swell. In the mean time, I have removed the backing pieces that block the vents on the decoder cover on the roof of the Allegra and hope this will help with the heat issue. If I ever get a replacement. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelE Posted July 31, 2022 Author Share Posted July 31, 2022 ESU wrote to me and informed me that they have sent my replacement decoder for the Allegra. I hope this one works better than the first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelE Posted August 4, 2022 Author Share Posted August 4, 2022 There was no change in operation after decoder replacement. I contacted Bemo for warranty service and they said they would send me a new motor. Based on my explanation, they say that the motor is failing or has failed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOB FAN Posted August 6, 2022 Share Posted August 6, 2022 In your first post you said you had the same problem with an ABe 4/4 III. What happened with it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelE Posted August 7, 2022 Author Share Posted August 7, 2022 That is out of warranty so I suppose I will have to purchase a motor for it. I think that it is quite the coincidence that my first and only two Bemo locomotives experienced the same exact problems. The only difference is that the ABe 4/4 III lasted a full 18 months before the problem started and was very intermittent for awhile before becoming critical and finally failing too. I have not read about any touble with Bemo locomotives of this sort on any of the RhB or Bemo forums. I can't understand why this problem has occurred or how to prevent it in the future. I see Bemo locomotives on layouts with steeper grades than what I have built pulling three and four times the rolling stock and I never hear about the problems I'm having. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DGO Posted August 7, 2022 Share Posted August 7, 2022 Possible electrical supply fault burning out both motor and decodet ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelE Posted August 8, 2022 Author Share Posted August 8, 2022 I don't know how that could be when the standard gauge locomotives have been running fine for more than four years. It's all the same electrical supply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DGO Posted August 8, 2022 Share Posted August 8, 2022 4 hours ago, MichaelE said: I don't know how that could be when the standard gauge locomotives have been running fine for more than four years. It's all the same electrical supply. Very odd but I suppose the controller could have failed first and caused the motor to die Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelE Posted September 29, 2022 Author Share Posted September 29, 2022 The new motor arrived last month, but with the cooler temperatures here lately I have not yet installed the new motor. Too nice outside to be inside. I'll get around to it in a week or two. I hope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelE Posted October 9, 2022 Author Share Posted October 9, 2022 I was finally able to get the new motor installed and the Allegra is running like new. I guess mine had a bum motor from the factory. I hope this one holds up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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