# SIERRA SOUND/BMANN K 27/ARISTO REVO/TAS SMOKE UNIT



## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

GoT all the parts above,need some instructions how to wire everything right (transistor mod)
I have been reading most of the post regarding the installation but so many wires and a lot more thoughts

Manfred Diel


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Best of luck with the Sierra - they've taken all the manuals offline. I have a copy off their 'technical notes' on how to link with various throttles.

Can't find a .pdf and I'm heading out for the holidays. Email me if you want a copy in January.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Be sure to isolate the TAS chuff input from the Sierra Chuff input... diodes... 

Regards, Greg


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

Man do i like live steam,even at 100 degree i don;t sweat this much!!! Its could here but when i lock at the wiring and read the instructions i am sweatting like crazy!!! 
Well starting with the DCC (sierra sound steam:Greg i do have an Sierra steam manual) As far as i understand it right i need to install an transistor to change polarity? of the optocoupler ,got that, 
use the aux wire bundle to connect accessories(whistle,bell ,cclank,hiss) got that, 
now comes the ? the supplied speaker cable :solder to the speaker and plug into the main board::: so what connects the sierra speaker output to the main board? 
forgot to mention i am using the revo ?RC/DCC/ Manfred Diel


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I'd wire the speaker directly to the Sierra, no real advantage in using the board and a bunch of plugs. 

Regards, Greg


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Put the Revolution into the socket first to make sure the headlights work as advertised. They didn't on mine, requiring me to yank the stock socket board and wire things directly to the 13 wires running forward to the locomotive. I'm assuming your reference to the transistor fix is in connection to using the optical chuff sensors. Can't help you there, I clipped those wings and went with magnets on the rear axle a la Dave Goodson's instructions. I used 2-sided tape to hold the magnets in place. One layer wrapped around the axle to which I stuck the magnets, then a second layer on top of the magnets, essentially sandwiching them between the layers. Works great. Nice, even chuffs in forward and reverse. 

On the Sierra, you may or may not need an opto-isolator between the Revolution motor outputs and the motor voltage inputs on the Sierra board. Stan Cedarleaf has done a few of them and gets all the idle sounds, etc. that you're supposed to at idle. I don't on mine. Not sure what the difference in installation is. For me, it's not a big deal if I never hear Fred shoveling coal, so I don't miss it. 










The orange and pink wires are motor voltage feeds. On the other side, wire as per the instructions. To trigger the sounds, you need only connect the appropriate colored wire from the Aristo accessory harness (the 7-wire plug) to each of the 4 sound triggers you want to trigger and the black lead to the common. (I forget which terminal). 

Later, 

K


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks for the help! Getting closer to solder the spagghetys to the Board ! Revo works,lights change forward/backward(rear wire was cut (wedged)between the mounting stud.next step will be the sound(trying optos first(got the mags for backup)then comes the smoke unit !If i get the Tas working right the plan is to splice an aristo smoke unit (smoke out putt only)into the tas-trainstack (like a venturi)to increase the smoke out putt.(the aristo smoke board has a two unit connector) Hopefully my idea works and the K 27 puts out massive smoke(either way it will) 

MANFRED DIEL


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

You tas should smoke like crazy, at least double the most hyper-active Aristo unit. 

Do you have the docs on the TAS, and have the jumper in the right place? Did you test it? Also if you have it set up for "puff 'n chuff" (whatever it's called), you need to ground the chuff wire to get full speed on the smoke. 

Be sure to bench test it to make sure you have these things right. 

Regards, Greg


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

On the Sierra, you may or may not need an opto-isolator between the Revolution motor outputs and the motor voltage inputs on the Sierra 
If I remember correctly (I'm not home this week) the opto-isolator allows the Sierra to detect direction changes in the motor voltage. 

I can tell you where to get one - Star Hobby had a couple of them tucked in a drawer! I think I have a spare also.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Make sure to move the jumper on the TAS unit to work on steam and not diesel. also If I recall I had to use a read switch to get the chuffs to sink with drivers. Later RJD


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Pete Thornton on 23 Dec 2009 09:20 AM 


I can tell you where to get one - Star Hobby had a couple of them tucked in a drawer! I think I have a spare also. That's not a rumor. There's 4 left.


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

The sound is working ,had to reset the sierra board and tinker around with setting #14 (whistle/w voltage control/Trigger/track/) works now but the real trouble is the optical chuff .I soldered the transistor in place and wired like the instrucktions depict it but no success! If somebody in the forum can guide me with more precise info,would be very helpful! When the opto issue is solved then the last step the TAS smoke implant will be started! 

Manfred Diel


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

If your trying to use the Bachman chuff switch I would just by pass as do as I recommend earlier and use a Reid switch and mags to trigger the system. Later RJD


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks RJD for the tip,but i think it would take the fun out of it,tinkering with things is a great joy and some times the unknown makes yuo more expirienced if it fails you can't just push the undo button thats when i push my newdo button and then i might do the mag thing! Thanks 

Manfred Diel


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

A big 'thank you' for every one involved with all the hints in order to make the sierra sound and the Tas smoke unit an success!!!! Yes it works it puffs out ample of smoke and sounds god to (well i think the phoenix wistle sound better)Had to follow Tacs and RJD's advise and use the magnets on the 4th axle i also followed Dave goodmans hint to reduce the lateral play(i didn't have nylon washers so i used a little stiffer spring to have axle #1+axle#4 move sideways just a little bit to reduce the overhang around corners!! Everything is still apart till the brass bracket for the Tas unit is build ,some weight will be added(according to a magazine review off the K 27 the pulling power is only 75% scale at the real K27)so with ca 3# lead i should be close on! Was a fun project ! 

Manfred Diel


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

For the axle spacers, find yourself a Bic ball-point pen and slice the barrel into 1/16" or so sections. Works great! Glad to hear everything else went in well, too. 

Later, 

K


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

Wow Greg! You're right that TAS puts out alot of smoke!! I'll post some Basement run pics(lotsofsnow outside)when the K27 is up and back together!! 

Manfred Diel


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Glad to hear it is working correctly. Was worried when you talked about "splicing in" and Aristo unit to help with the smoke output. The TAS unit will run rings around any Aristo unit! 

Regards, Greg


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

The thoughts behind "splicing": match the aristo smoke units (smoke output)diameter with a brass fitting going 1'up the stack,drill 3/16 hole into the bottom where theTAS smoke output will go into (the Tas smoke pipe musst be 1/4 inch longer than the aristo pipe so the aristo smoke will be pushed out from the TAS. TAS+ ARISTO= massive clouds!! 

Manfred Diel


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Not quite understanding. 

have some of the TAS output go into the "input" of the Aristo? 

Regards, Greg


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

No Greg! 

Just the smoke tubes tee together! The TAS smoke tube must be a little longer so it sucks the aristo smoke out the stack! (Ventury effect in the k27 stack!! 

Manfred


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Manfred, in my experience, there is plenty of velocity of air in the Aristo, it just does not product that large a quantity of smoke. 

The aristo has a fan and it pushes plenty of air... the Aristo does not have a great control system to optimize smoke production. 

Regards, Greg


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