# Aristo Snow Plow Light Problem



## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

New snow plow arrived: Light on top of blade shines OK on test track, lights up as train starts up, as soon as train gathers some speed, flickers and goes out. While stopping, light flickers briefly as train stops

So it seems that there is a power pickup problem when the car is moving with any velocity above a crawl. Appreciate any thoughts on this

Thanks

Jerry


----------



## Madstang (Jan 4, 2008)

Best advice is to trouble shoot it by checking all the wires and connections, making sure no wires a loose or soldered improperly.

OR rewire the whole light AFTER it leaves the housing nearer the pickups. Maybe the connections that pick up the electricity are loose OR solderd badly.
Hope it helps.

Bubba


----------



## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

I would also clean the wheels real good. I do not know if the light has a replaceable screw in bulb so check there as it could be loose or the wire going to it. Later RJD


----------



## TrotFox (Feb 15, 2008)

Is there any chance this is a problem involving ice buildup? Ice does really finny things to railroad electronics.  

Trot, the frozed, fox...


----------



## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Problem Fixed.....but......

OK, new car wheels shining. No snow or ice. Clear.

So I took ohm meter and looked at resistance between wheels and axels- running 150-300 ohms rather high....spun wheels, muttered, wires looked good. Spun some more. SPun and measured again. Resistance seemed lower, sometimes 10-25 ohms. Hmm

Back on test track, still lights up static, added small drop of conductive oil to each of 8 wheels in the tiny gap between wheel and flange. Seemed to light.

Put consist of Shay, track cleaning caboose, new plow car on snowy main line and plowed snow that fell last night.

Light on plow 100% OK. Lights and stays that way.

So I don't know exactly what happened, was it:

---Spinning the wheels several times (break in???)
---adding conductive oil
---waving ohm meter around the wheels and muttering?

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions. 

Jerry


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

phase of moon. 

Possibly oxidized contacts or water, oil displaced air or water... is the power pickup from metal eyelets in the journals? 

Greg


----------



## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Sounds like it needed the small amount of lube to get it to make better contact inside of the journal. Glade it is now working. Later RJD


----------



## George Schreyer (Jan 16, 2009)

The snowplow has ball bearings so it can handle the load of a brick needed for ballast. The ball bearings need some break in before they will make reliable electrical contact.  Most Aristo stock with ball bearings are locos, they draw more current than the plow with it's single lamp and the "burn off" of heavy lube on the balls happens more quickly.


----------



## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Thanks George- I appreciate the clarification.

Jerry


----------



## Doug C (Jan 14, 2008)

Anyone successfully take apart the headlight ? Friction fit or glued shut ? 

ooops I should chk George's and Greg's sites . . .

thanks for any info, doug c


----------



## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Doug C: Since my problem was resolved, I did not take the headlight apart. I did unscrew the light from the mount, but there was no obvious easy way to get inside so I put it back. One could hope there is a way to change out the bulb, but I did not get that far.

Jerry


----------

