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Heljan class 26, where have the lights gone?


Mark 37

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I'm looking for some help with running the wires. I have the speaker in position in the tanks, but the wire seems very thick compaired to the loco wiring. I can't see which is the best way to run the wire from the tanks into the chassis. I've done a search and found loads of items on "what speakers best", but none really giving ideas on what practice is used. Could someone help me out and give some pointers?

 

Many thanks,

 

Mark

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I fix a piece of slitted copper clad sleeper strip to the motor side. Then run two fine wires to the chip/PCB. Also means the chip is easily removed if wanted later without stripping down the chassis again!

 

post-8271-0-82783500-1300208419_thumb.jpg

 

HTH, kev

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Thanks Kev,

 

I may have to do something similar. I'm trying to avoid cutting and replacing the wire. A friend gave me the speaker as he moved on to bigger and better things. It came with about 8" of wire and each colour is about 2.5mm thick. I would love to know how he fitted all that in a Bachmann body. lol

 

Best regards,

 

Mark

 

 

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Fair question, i had similar concerns when i did my first one.

Ive tried a couple of alternatives, but the one that works fine for me is to file a shallow channel on the side of the metal chassis.

This allows the wires to be recessed, and the body fits fine.

 

Cheers

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Fair question, i had similar concerns when i did my first one.

Ive tried a couple of alternatives, but the one that works fine for me is to file a shallow channel on the side of the metal chassis.

This allows the wires to be recessed, and the body fits fine.

 

Cheers

 

Do you know that never occured too me. I thought of drilling two holes through the metal body, but figured this would take age's so I just opened up an existing hole.:D Well there you go, if anyone reads this and have the same problem/question they have three different solutions. It may help someone else.

 

Best regards,

 

Mark

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the one that works fine for me is to file a shallow channel on the side of the metal chassis.

 

Cheers

 

I do that on Heljan type 2's if the speaker is in the tanks, to get the wires behind the plastic sideframe!:D kev.

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Hi Guys,

 

Just a quick heads up, if you are running the wires up the side of the chassis and the body can touch them be carefull that the body dosn't strip the insulation on the wire as this has happened to a couple of locos that i have had to fix and this has caused a few problems.

 

On a couple of locos that i have fitted, i have drilled a couple of new holes down to the motor area and then run the wires in to the tank.

 

cheers

Simon

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Good point. :good_mini:

I always insulate any wires trapped between body/chassis.

Just did not mention it in my earlier responce.

 

Incidentally the stuff i use is amazing, got it from the states some years back when fitting digitrax decoders into kato n gauge locos.

Just cannot remember the name, ( must be old age) :excl:

Its thin and orange colored, looks like sellotape, and is amazingly strong. Brilliant for locos.

 

Cheers

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Just came to me

 

KAPTON TAPE.

You can actually buy it from; http://www.dccsuppli...roducts_id=2464

 

Thank you for the link, in your last post it sounded like you were telling a joke...."Its thin and orange colored, looks like sellotape, and is amazingly strong". I had no idea of the punch line.:D If I'm honest being a tight Scot, I use electricians tape. Is there more benefit to using the tape in the link?

 

As others have done, I drilled a couple of holes through to the nether regions..

It only takes 5 minutes.

 

post-7244-0-51946900-1300716157_thumb.jpg

 

My drill bit must be blunt as I made no impression on the housing in 10-15 minutes, that's why I went for openning an existing hole. Thanks for adding the picture though.:good_mini: As they say (who ever "they" are), "a picture tells a thousand words".

 

Best regards,

 

Mark

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Glad you liked my story. :D :D

What happened was , like most people i would use electricians tape, for all electrical work.

However when i started buying digitrax decoders for my kato N gauge locos, they came with a short strip of this tape. Which was provided to insulate the pickups, from the board.

 

What i liked was it was thin/strong/and as time as shown does not loose its adhesive/ or move.

So i tracked a supplier down and use in all my locos, its particularly good for securing loose wiring, to either the body or chassis.

Incidentally i still use heat shrink, when joing two wires( providing i remember, or can find it.

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  • 5 months later...

Rather than start a new thread and as it is loosely linked, I'm now fitting a Zimo sound decoder to a class 26, but my speaker is too big. Before I go and order another that is too big, can I ask. "What size speaker have you managed to fit in the Heljan 26"?

 

Many thanks,

 

Mark

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snapback.pngMark 37, on 13 September 2011 - 16:55 , said:

 

Rather than start a new thread and as it is loosely linked, I'm now fitting a Zimo sound decoder to a class 26, but my speaker is too big. Before I go and order another that is too big, can I ask. "What size speaker have you managed to fit in the Heljan 26"?

 

Many thanks,

 

Mark

 

 

Mark,

 

I managed to fit a single 28mm Square Baffle QSI HB speaker into the tanks of mine, facing downwards. I have the steam boiler fitted version, you would struggle if you have the compressed air tanks fitted instead.

 

If you have the cl

Cass 26 Manual Notching Zimo from Digitrains, it was developed using the above speaker set-up, so it will sound just as intended.

 

Kind regards

Paul

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Hi Paul,

 

Thanks for the information. After a lot of cutting, drilling, sanding and grinding I've managed to fit the standard 20x44x8mm bass enhanced speaker in the tanks, and it sounds rather good. I'll pop a video on the DCC sounds thread, once I figure out why the lights no longer work (they did for a short period after fitting).

 

All the best for now,

 

Mark

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi all,

 

I'm a bit perplexed, can anyone help?

 

I've installed the MX645R decoder to the class 26. At first I had no lights (easy fix I turned the plug around and got them working. Whilst I was in another room my 5 year old played about with the function keys (PowerCab). Now I have no lights. I looked at the manual online.

 

I have reset (set to default) CV's 125,126,127,132,159,160 and 62 to 0

 

I also reset CV's 63 to 51 and CV 64 to 5.

 

I still have no lights and can't find a break in conections. To check I put a DCC plug in and ran it on DC. The result being working lights.

 

Thanks for any help you can give.

 

Mark

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Hi Paul,

 

After more hours than I care to remember looking through the manual. I came across CV's 34 & 35 (last night after posting) and set them to 0 and hay presto! Lights again.

 

Thanks,

 

Mark

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