David C Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Don't know whether this query should be here or in the Electrics forum .... Having become fed up with the rather coarse control of the Gaugemaster hand held unit I was using, I dug out an old Pentroller I bought back in the 1980s. My layout is a BLT and all the motive power is Bachmann (panniers and small praires, mostly). Control was transformed and infinitely superior to the Gaugemaster, but only in C/B (coast and brake) mode. Even locos which ran lumpily (if there is such a word) moved silkily and realistically. However, switching to Direct mode (i.e. without inertia), the locos ran rather more jerkily and emitted a "spitting" sound. This immediately had me worried - will the Pentroller (in either mode) damage the Bachmann motors? The Pentroller has settings for the various types of Portescap motors plus one for open frame or can motors with conventional iron core armatures - I used the latter. Being almost entirely ignorant of electrical matters (even what kind of motors Bachmann use), I would appreciate any advice from more knowledgeable RMWebbers! Thanks David C Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Prism Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 It's difficult to generalise, but Pentrollers usually don't have enough amps in their non-iron core modes for some Bachmann locos, and the characteristic of the iron-core mode might also not be suitable for some Bachmann motors. I don't think it likely a Pentroller could damage a loco, but the converse could happen - the front ends of Pentrollers were notoriously sensitive. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 The OO motors that I have seen are all of the conventional iron core 'can' type. Some Buhler and Mashima units were used from 1999 to 2002, but the vast majority are what I take to be of in house design and manufacture; the stylised 'B' on the casing of the larger specimens at least hints at this. They run very acceptably on a resistance controller (H&M type) even better on an old variable transformer controller (H&M varipower); and I have yet to burn one out in over twenty years operation, now almost exclusively on DCC for the last dozen years. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David C Posted April 8, 2014 Author Share Posted April 8, 2014 I've only just realised that I haven't thanked Miss Prism and 34theletterbeforeB&D for their replies! Apologies - and thanks! David C Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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