# Lionel Model train smoke unit



## dami (Jan 16, 2008)

Hey,
I got a 8376-200 smoke unit from ttender, Seller (Jeff K) told me that it runs from about 12-15 V and I guess that is the normal range. Has anyone experimented with the voltage of this smoke unit or similar ones?? I am thinking of increasing the voltage to about 18V, has anyone had any expereince in this voltage range with 8376-200 smoke unit or similar one?
FYI, smoke unit looks exactly like this 8041-50 (www.ttender.com/partphotos/Smoke/8041-50 Smoke Unit.jpg)

Thanks
Dami


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

Dami, I haven't experimented nor even have one, but I've heard from someone that they smoke well. So, if you get it working could you let us know how it works. 

What about adding a resistor so that you don't go over 14v?


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## pcentral (Jan 3, 2008)

Dami, 
While I don't have any experience with this particular smoke unit I am familiar with Lionel smoke units in general. There are a couple of things you should keep in mind. First, these smoke units have very small reservoirs and you will need to watch them closely so that they don't run dry and burn up the heating elements. Increasing the voltage to them will only increase the possibility of it running dry. The other thing to be aware of is how it works. If I'm not mistaken, the paddle that sticks down in the picture you posted works the bellows if you will. In other words that paddle is worked by a arm on the drive linkage of the locomotive and blows air through the smoke unit pushing the smoke out the stack. Without the paddle working you will see very little smoke if any. Hope this helps. 

Steve


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## dami (Jan 16, 2008)

It worked great (smoke was pretty dense, maybe a bit less smoke than the top stack of this vid at 20sec http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ7mNYpSDFw) at about 18V, but as Steve said I think it kind of ran dry (although smoke output did not decrease, there were some noises). I used a DC regulated power supply to get it to 18V with constant voltage on. I tried it again couple days after and I could not go over 8V, since my power supply can supply only 3amps and the unit was drawing 3amps at 8V. So it was drawing a lot of current at 8V, and smoke element wire (silver wire that from the smoke stack) seems to get really hot (soldering on the smoke element wire came off). it seemed to be smoking at a similar volume as the previous time, i think (I was trying to figure out why it won't go past 8V) . Does anyone know what is wrong with the unit? 
P.S. it seemed to be burning the plastic smoke stack too 

Thanks 
Dami


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