# new smoke unit from Charles Ro



## Kenny (Feb 15, 2008)

I believe I have managed to burn out my smoke units on my USA PA/PB diesel. I am using an NCE 808 decoder and I have the smoke unit wired from function output 5 to the input plug on the USA smoke pcb. It seems I may have burnt out the fan in the smoke unit. Measuring DC out of the function output I read 24vdc. Must be too much voltage for the smoke unit. Any suggestions on how I might wire the smoke unit to the 808 so it works? Thanks


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

Kenny, 

Connect the DC power source to the USA smoke board that it was originally connected to... The USA smoke board will regulate the voltage to the smoke unit, if I recall to 5VDC or there abouts. Or perhaps the NCE 808 can be configured to output a lower voltage. 

I'm sure Greg E will chime in sooner than later, he'll know more... 

Michael


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## Kenny (Feb 15, 2008)

That was my first idea. Since I did not gut the engine and the USA main pcb was still in tact, I wired my function output to the track pick up of the pcb board and measured the voltage coming out at smoke connedtion on the pcb, same reading as before, no change.


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

THe main PCB smoke pigtail connects to the smoke unit PCB. Do you have the smoke PCB or regulator board?


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## Kenny (Feb 15, 2008)

I have both circuit boards.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

*http://www.elmassian.com/trains/dcc...moke-units*


Most fans I have found (USAT, MTH, Aristo, TAS) run on 5 volts or so.

The heaters usually run on 6-8 volts.

The USAT has a board that provides the proper voltages.

If you drove the USAT board from the D808, then most likely you wiped out the function output on the D808.

I've run these smoke boards at 24 volts on DCC and no problem.

Something does not make sense here, if you used the board for the fan and heater properly then it should be impossible to hurt them.

Of course if you plugged the 5 volt fan into the 12 volt heater output that would hurt the fan motor eventually.

Were you careful to use the right plugs and sockets? The plugs ARE labelled for which is which.

Greg


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## Kenny (Feb 15, 2008)

Greg, nice to hear from you. The D808 function output seems to be OK(checked with meter and wired a bulb to it). When I converted the engine I did not remove or rewire the smoke unit, I just took the smoke output lead off the main pcb and wired it directly to the decoder function output. I can see making the mistake you spoke of but I did not touch the smoke unit assembly other than the input plug. Also, it seems whatever happened, happened to the smoke unit in the A unit as well. Any help would be appreciated. Kenny


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## Kenny (Feb 15, 2008)

Greg, from what you wrote, I should be able to run the smoke unit wired from the input side of the smoke pcb directly to the function output of the D808. Is that correct? Kenny


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yes, except that I believe that the smoke unit board will draw more than the D808 function output will handle. 

That board will draw at least 1/2 amp. Test it on DC, all the way up to 24 volts and note the current. 

I'll bet it exceeds the D808 rating. 

Regards, Greg


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## Kenny (Feb 15, 2008)

Thanks Greg, I will try that. Another question for you; how would you wire the smoke unit? Kenny


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

relay off the output, be sure to use snubbing diodes. 

Greg


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## Kenny (Feb 15, 2008)

A follow up on this subject; the problem with the smoke units turns out to be a stuck fan on both smoke units. So if you experiance the same issue with these units, save yourself some time and money, before you buy new units take the smoke unit appart(4 screws) and spin the powered fan, I bet it starts to work. The moral here, dont overlook the obvious!


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Hmm... you might want to try to find out how the fan got stuck. Never had that happen, and I have a bag of them, some have sat for a number of years. 

I'd watch them to see if the problem reoccurs. 

Greg


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

Maybe the smoke fluid is gumming up the fans or motor somehow. What kind are you using?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The title of the thread is "new smoke unit from Charles Ro".... they only make one kind now I believe (if you don't count the custom ones in the Prestige series


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

I was asking about the kind of smoke fluid, not the smoke unit! Sheesh....


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Sorry CCR! 

You know, with me now consuming gallons of fluid with smokers, they seem to be pretty similar, all seem to have a light solvent quality... but maybe I should leave little trays of each type out to evaporate and see what's left... might be an interesting test. 

Greg


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

That's a good idea Greg...would be interesting to see what happens. It doesn't take much to stop those tiny motors. 

Keith


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

If Greg lets smoke fluid evaporate in CA, he might be in violation of their enviromental polution laws. 
And make sure no pregnant women or children are around!!!


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yeah, you guys love to give CA a hard time... no problem.. it's such an awful place no one wants to live here either... 

Was smoking a cigar in shirtsleeves at 9 pm outside yesterday, no rain, no bugs, no humidity... it is just awful... 

Also, I think Massachusetts has it's own problems! 

*http://www.bitoffun.com/stupid_laws....htm *

Hah!

Greg


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Greg, I like it.


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