# Tsunami TSU 1000 chuff w/ reed switch



## Lake Valley #1 (Dec 31, 2012)

Hi every one; Just a bit of help needed here with my reed switch/magnet chuff sensor on my Bmann K 27. In a post from Dec 2011, Kevin S. stated: "... the Tsunami sound cam works by connecting one of the rail inputs to the
trigger wire. You can use a magnetic reed switch for this without any 
trouble. Just connect one end to one of the rail inputs, and the other 
to the sound trigger wire on the Tsunami." What I need to know is which rail input is used and what is the voltage/current. Now, by 'which rail input is used' I mean is it the rail input from the track itself? Or is it the 'rail input' from the Tsunami DSD? I'm running Airwire G-3 decoder and T5000 throttle with 14.8 Li ion battery for power. I have no power to the rails whatsoever. The Tsunami manual states the Auto chuff must be used with analog DC, and judging by the terminology they use, that sounds like a common transformer type speed controller; but they have told me things in the past that didn't turn out to be entirely correct either. Currently, I'm using the Auto chuff, but I can't seem to get the chuff timed quite right with the rod action; it's pretty close, but not 'spot on' (and I'm a bit of a 'rivet counter', dangit). I usually get one or two 'chuffs' before the loco actually starts moving, and sometimes get a 'chuff' immediately after she stops, which I find somewhat distressing(?). So, any help here would be greatly appreciated.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

You should be able to take a wire from one of the two DCC outputs of the G-3 that feed the Tsunami's red and black inputs (it shouldn't matter which one) and connect that to one side of a reed switch. Connect the tan chuff trigger wire from the Tsunami to the other side of the reed switch. That should be the equivalent of how the chuff contact is wired in an HO scale "traditional" DCC installation where the chuff cam is electrically connected to the axle of the loco, which is connected to one of the rails. 

Note: I have not done this personally because I haven't used the Tsunami in a steam loco as yet. But from reading the manuals for both Tsunami and Airwire, this is how I'd do it. 

Later, 

K


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## Lake Valley #1 (Dec 31, 2012)

Ahh, Kevin; I was hoping you'd come to my rescue! LOL Thanks very much. At the risk of sounding like a 'groupie', you're kinda 'my hero' when it comes to things electronic! PS; I'm doing the 'solar' thing to light my buildings and street lights on the layout (when I get the thing set up, anyhow!)Thanks again, Jeff W.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Let me know how that works. I keep looking for an excuse to use a Tsunami in a large scale steamer because I want to hear how their dynamic chuff works. I love that effect of the Phoenix and QSI boards I use, but I'm not sure whether that aspect works if you're using it as a standalone sound system or if you need to hook the motor up to the Tsunami (as opposed to the Airwire) to get full effect. I've got an 0-4-0 that I'm thinking I'll switch from the current manual control to using Airwire's Convertr board with the Tsunami some point down the road, but that _will_ be using the motor output of the Tsunami, so it wouldn't answer my question about using it as a standalone system. I think maybe next time I get a steamer in need of a sound system, I'll buy the Tsunami and try it with the Airwire, and if it doesn't work as I want it to, I'll save it for the 0-4-0 and use a Phoenix with the Airwire. Alas, I don't have plans for a new steamer any time soon, so that will have to wait... In the mean time, I look forward to hearing how your installation goes. 

On the solar thing, make sure the the insulation on the wiring you're using to connect your solar arrays is UV stable. Turns out some of mine wasn't, and some of it got brittle and fell off. Also, if you've got squirrels, put some plexiglass or something they can't get through over the top of the box you're putting the arrays into. The little buggers tore into two of my arrays and ripped them all to shreds. They also made off with large sections of my party lights, the little finks! Not sure what they're going to do with them, but I keep checking the trees for a well-lit squirrel nest. 

Later, 

K


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## Lake Valley #1 (Dec 31, 2012)

Kevin; you will be happy to know, that that wiring set up works like a charm. So when folks ask, you can tell them without reservation how to do it. I will do the same, if asked. Thanks a trillion or so. Jeff W


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## Lake Valley #1 (Dec 31, 2012)

I've had the Tsunami in the K for about a year now, and I'm well pleased with it. I mounted the G3 and the Tsunami towards the front end of the boiler; I'm not using the smoke generator anyhow. I have not had any reception problems as yet either. You can program it thru the G3; Ops on the main menu of the throttle. BTW, I'm using the T5000 throttle. What I did with mine was rig it thru a switch (one of the switches in the smoke box front, unused since the 'gut' job.) so I could program the Tsunami and then throw the switch to isolate it from the G3, then work the G3 over. Another plus I discovered is that once you get past the end of the CV's for programming the G3, you don't have to do anything special to program the Tsunami; just go to Ops on the throttle and enter the CV you want and enter the code desired for that CV. I found that the Tsunami doesn't really need the 'motor load' that a few guys talk about. Maybe that's for the older G2 models. I don't know. The sounds from the Tsunami are wonderful and are not overly subdued. I get drift/rod clank and all; I rigged up a cab light (actually two!) a warm white led so the engineer can read his orders after dark and the other is one of the yellowish headlight leds that I traded out of the headlight and mounted on the upper back wall of the cab so the crew can see the controls at night. I used a 47ohm resistor with the yellow one to 'tone it down' a bit. With the Elite system on the G3, I can turn them on or off at will and the effect after dark is marvelous! I wired the firebox to one of the other Elites, the one that gives random flicker, and it looks really super after dark, plus it's visible in daylight. Didn't expect that! I didn't have an 8 ohm speaker so I ran two 4 ohm 3inch speakers in series to get the 8 ohms; one points upward at the coal load, the other points down ala the stock app. I used a Pringles tube to mount the speakers to, and made sure there's no air transfer outside the tube; glued and duct taped the speakers to the tube just to be sure. I think the volume is fine...not too loud, but loud enough to hear within 20 yards or so out of doors. Inside the house it's loud enough to hear from the den to the opposite end of the house (computer room). I was concerned when I first started this exercise that it wouldn't be loud enough, but for me it's fine. The neighbors might not appreciate a 1:1 K 27 in their back yard anyhow. LOL In my opinion, one could do a lot worse than the Tsunami. If you can talk Allison into lettin' ya have one, I'd go for it! Later, Jeff


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## Lake Valley #1 (Dec 31, 2012)

Forgot to mention...the 47 ohm resistor is in addition to the 500 ohm resistor I've got in line with the yellow cab light. It just knocks the brightness down a bit more; to me it makes it more realistic. Bright enough to see controls, but not enough to make it hard to see the 'road ahead'.

Thanks for the advice about squirrels, too! I hadn't thought of them...little twerps! We've got a boatload of 'em down here in Odessa and they run up and down the fence all day. I think maybe your squirrels are thinking about adding a swing shift; maybe a graveyard shift too. That's why they wanted your lights, I'm thinkin'! LOL Jeff


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## Lake Valley #1 (Dec 31, 2012)

Update: The reed switch on the Tsunami to G3 setup seems to prefer being hooked up to the red wire side of the G3 and the other end of the reed switch to the tan wire on the Tsunami. Plus it seems to prefer having a 10 ohm resistor in the lead to the red wire side of the Tsunami. When hooked up to the black wire side (without the 10 ohm resistor), it gave me some rapid fire chuffs for no apparent reason; the loco was on the work bench, not moving, no throttle input, just 'idling'. Scared me somewhat; I don't need to 'smoke' any electronics! No motor load resistor is required for drift and rod clank, ie; the Dynamic exhaust works without the 'motor load' resistor. There is only one oddity I noticed with this set up, and maybe someone has an idea of what is going on. The oddity is that sometimes, not every time, just on occasion, when I push the lower left F button(the red one) on the T5000 throttle to activate one of the functions above F9, I get a 'chuff'. I have noticed that I get the oddball chuff when the reed switch is in the 'closed' position, ie; when the loco stops with the reed switch 'made' to give the chuff. It has already given the chuff immediately before stopping, however. If I watch the loco and 'jockey' the throttle so it stops halfway between chuffs (reed switch open), it doesn't give me the chuff when activating the F key for functions above F9. Feedback maybe? Still 'playing' with it though...eveything seems to be working ok, so far. Later, Jeff


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## TJH (Dec 27, 2007)

Allright I've been out of the loop for a bit, but are you just using the Tsunami as a sound system or as a dcc decoder? I had looked at the Tsunami's when I began buying decoders but they weren't powerful enough for large scale locomotives. Is there a more powerful decoder now?


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

In this instance, just as a sound decoder. The Airwire is driving the motor and lights. 

Soundtraxx is working on a 4-amp version of the Tsunami, but I don't know that I'd describe it as a priority for them in terms of development compared to other products. They announced it when the Bachmann C-19 in the Fall of '12, but last I chatted with them, it was still a ways from being ready for production. 

There are a few companies that offer "beefed up" 1-amp Tsunamis (essentially Tsunamis bundled with big heat sinks) designed for upwards of 3 amps, but Google failed me when I just tried to search for them. 

Later, 

K


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## Lake Valley #1 (Dec 31, 2012)

Sure wish Soundtraxx would hurry up and 'get 'er done'! Wonder what that's gonna do for the price? That's one of the main reasons for my choice; love the Phoenix systems, but the price is more than I want to put out just for sound. There are times I fell like the old RGS...Champagne tastes on a Beer budget! LOL later, Jeff


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