RailPro > RailPro Specific Help & Discussion
New install issues
William Brillinger:
I'm Charging an HC-2B right now that was all the way drained (no power on). It's at about 50% now and sitting at 84.2 deg F.
Coupe633:
It is a little comforting that this is the first post on this thread in over 7 years so my hope is that this is just a fluke, but while installing a LM3s into a locomotive it began to melt right in front of me. Actually the same thing happened on another one I was trying to install on another locomotive last week. I was almost ready to install the shell back on the body after getting everything installed and set properly then I felt something very hot and the corner of the 6 pin end began to melt. I have installed about 30 of these for my fleet and this is the first time I have had this happen, but two? I am wondering if I might have purchased a bad batch or something. I knew when I got into Rail Pro it would be expensive but when you just trash $180 worth of modules it gets real sobering. It seems that from what I have read here the best bet may be to send them to Ring for inspection as there could be an internal reason. I had planned to spend the run-up to the holidays to finally sit down and get the next batch of locomotives converted to Rail Pro but this is a show stopper and I may just walk away from it and do something else for a while. Very frustrating and you just feel like you dropped a brand new locomotive on the concrete floor. Would trying to reach out to Ring be the best option? I do have other new modules in my inventory I could replace just to finish up this install but am afraid it might me something more than just the module. It is a Proto 2000 GP9. Seems that Life-Like only isolates one rail side for power pick-up through wires and the entire frame is powered by the other track. Seems like a risky design. I don't know if this would have shorted out the module since it is encased in plastic.
KPack:
Definitely contact Ring. It could be an internal issue to the LM. Not likely, but it has happened before. The LM-3's are well made. The only issue I had like this was with a LM-2S. My one issue was with the amplifier....with power applied it quickly became very hot near the 6-pin (where the amp is located) and let the smoke out. I sent it back to Ring for diagnosis and they replaced it. Never had a problem like that with any other module before or after.
What wire was beginning to melt on the 6-pin?
It definitely could be something with the locomotive though. Carefully check all the wires to make sure there are no shorts. With the power going through the frame there is a much higher potential for problems. I still have two locomotives like that but I was very careful with the install and made sure there was no possibility of wires grounding out.
-Kevin
ON28:
Why having an LM test stand is a must pre-install.
Espeelark:
--- Quote ---ON28 said, "Why having an LM test stand is a must pre-install."
--- End quote ---
I'm curious, what would one of those look like and how would it work?
Thanks!
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