# K27 wiring



## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

Does any one have a simple diagram for the 12 or so wires connecting the Bachman K27 to the tendor. Want to remove the socket.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Mike, I have to chuckle and pull your leg a bit first!

A simple diagram for 12 wires? Sorry, nothing simple about the K wiring, but there are 2 excellent diagrams available Courtesy of Bob Grosh, and checked by our very own Tony W. and George S.

*K-27 Drawing PG3 Large*

*K-27 Drawing PG1 Large*

c**p, the links won't work today... oh well

http://gold.mylargescale.com/bobgrosh/posts/k27/dwg/K27PG3large.jpg

http://gold.mylargescale.com/bobgrosh/posts/k27/dwg/K27PG1large.jpg 


Regards, Greg


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

While the wiring isn't exactly "simple," the wires as they come into the socket board are fairly well labeled on the circuit board itself, so you can identify what wire goes to what fairly easily. I unsoldered mine one at a time and labeled it with a small masking tape flag so when I went to wire in the new electronics, it became very simple to remember what went to what. 

Definitely, removing that board creates a lot of new real estate. 

Later, 

K


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## steam5 (Jun 22, 2008)

Double check the wiring as you go. I can't remember the exact thing that wasn't quite right on mine, but I think the cable on one side of the plug (tender) was different to the other side (loco)


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks, Guys

I should be able to get enough information from these.


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## Madstang (Jan 4, 2008)

So what are you using in it? 

Also Mike let me know when the new Gray and Yellow USA boxcar is availiable...need 1 of them! 

Bubba


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

I sold a K27 to a new guy that wants to try battery with Air Wire. Was trying to decide if I should Gut it. We just got some Air Wire in today.


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

Greg, you are right about the drawings, they are not simple but very complete. This DCC socket is a great thing if you could plug just anything into it. Not just a few decoders that will fit.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yeah, well the socket is a start...maybe more people will jump on board.. for Airwire, the QSI and Gwire was not an option? It does indeed plug in (I know you know this)... 

Regards, Greg


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## steam5 (Jun 22, 2008)

Mike, 

Gut it. Much easier. At the same time you will solve the problem of the cables to the motor not having enough capacity.


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

I have not seen anything about wire size in the K.


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## steam5 (Jun 22, 2008)

I read it here some where... My K would slow down on the corners, it would bog down with little load on behind. When I gutted the loco I wired direct from the track pick up to the motor. As expected it ran much better, It wouldn't bog down. 

The main issue is the lenght of the cable run and all the solder joints on that run. The resistance is just too much. I never measured it but I'd suspect the voltage at the motor would be a few volts below what the track voltage was when the motor was under load (like going round a corner).

Give it a go, if my K is the same as others, you will see a difference.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I concur, it's really not the gauge, it's the length, I seem to remember that from wheels to motor and back was 9 foot of wire. 

Greg


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Treeman on 18 Nov 2010 08:32 PM 
I sold a K27 to a new guy that wants to try battery with Air Wire. Was trying to decide if I should Gut it. We just got some Air Wire in today. 


I have never had to gut a K-27.
The stock wiring works just fine.
Slowing down on curves is more to do with the cockamamie gear ratio.

I have a new gadget that plugs into the socket and will work with any brand of non PnP battery R/C.

# PnP-ADPT[/b]

A$20


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

Tony, that looks like it would be a great item.


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

Tony, I received your plug adapter the other day, and started the install today. This seems like a great idea to me. This is going to connect t an Air Wire G2 decoder. My only question is what will be powered by the black wire labeled polarised accessory in the Bachman K27. By the way, shipping was very reasonable.


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

The Black wire is the common ground for the Bachmann pcb. 
The Blue wire is fused at 1 amp and polarised on an RCS ESC. 
You will need to connect them to a fused and polarised battery supply to get the lights and other Bachmann accessories to work.


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## Matt Z (Dec 2, 2009)

Mike, I plug my airwire right into the DCC port and switch it over. It works perfect and the best part is that there was no gutting or changing up the wiring. 

Bachmann did a good job on the board in my opinion including this option. 

Cheers, 
Matt


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

How do you plug an AirWire, which is a non PnP ESC, into a standard PnP socket?


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## Matt Z (Dec 2, 2009)

Hey Tony, 

I just took the red and black from the air wire and plugged each wire into the battery input on the board. 

Had this set up for about a year now with no issues.


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

The Battery terminals are not the DCC port. 

Where do the red and black wires come from on the AirWire board? 
Are they battery supply or motor drive outputs? 
I take it you have made no other wiring changes to the loco and the red and black wires were the only ones added? 

So what happens to the lights when the loco stops?


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## Matt Z (Dec 2, 2009)

Hey Tony, you're right. 

It is for the motor drive since the headlight will turn off when the loco stops. 

I have started building battery packs with LED lighting for all of my loco's since it's kind of costly to have a receiver on each locomotive. So in that case... it wouldn't be an issue. 

Matt


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Your idea is useful where you only have one R/C system in a trail car, for example. 

Assuming you did equip each loco with batteries for the lights, how would you change the direction on them? 

Mike was wanting to install his AirWire so that he had full intensity constant brightness directional lighting using the existing Bachmann wiring. 
He chose to use my adaptor kit which does that and saves rewiring everything.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

I gutted 2 of the K27's when adding a new system. Plenty of room when the board is removed. 

One engine had bad smoke, cooling fan for the motor was backwards (upside down). 

Manufacturer thought fan should blow down to cool motor, but this drew air down form the smoke unit!! 

Fun to disassemble just to reverse fan.


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## Madstang (Jan 4, 2008)

Tony is this part on your web site and what does it look like and cost?

Also can a guy still get those BIKs? I need some more of those little beauties!

Thanks
Bubba


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

G'Day Bubba.

The # PnP-ADAPT is listed at the RCS website on the BELTROL ESC's page.
This is what they look like at the moment:










There is also a pdf file with instructions HERE[/b].

Yes the all the BIK kits are still available.
Click Products/Accessories/Install Kits and scroll down.


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

Tony, your right I want the lights to be on when the "K" is stopped I knew I could just run to the battery input. I hope to finish this today and this seems the best way to do a proper install. That is to get all lights to work and not gut out the factory wiring. This could be easily removed to go back to the original set up. Items like this go a long way to make any battery or DCC conversion much easier.


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## Matt Z (Dec 2, 2009)

Hello Tony, 

I use a single pole double throw switch for my lights. It's what I also use for my live steamers. 

Either direction from center(off) will toggle either the front or rear light with a constant brightness. 

The packs are built with 9V battery systems. There is a resister in between the battery and switch. 

Cheers! 
Matt


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## Madstang (Jan 4, 2008)

Posted By TonyWalsham on 01 Feb 2011 05:52 AM 
G'Day Bubba.

The # PnP-ADAPT is listed at the RCS website on the BELTROL ESC's page.
This is what they look like at the moment:










There is also a pdf file with instructions HERE[/b].

Yes the all the BIK kits are still available.
Click Products/Accessories/Install Kits and scroll down.




Tony I am using the inherant board on the K-27 and I need the BIK with the toggle switch so I can use a trail battery car and charge the onboard battery likwe you used to gave.

Are they still made yet?

Thanks

Bubba


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Bubba. Yes. 
Perhaps this should go to E mails please.


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## K27_463 (Jan 2, 2008)

It is pretty easy to install Airwire in a B mann k27 and leave the existing board in place. just separate the motor drive leads from the board, and drive them direct from the [email protected] Then use the existing electronics to drive all the lighting functions. This way you have control on all factors. The airwire g2 will even fit above the existing electronics under the coal load. 

And Bubba: Tony would never mention it , but I have Many BIK- both types- in stock in the USA at all times. They have been on my web site for YEARS. 

Jonathan/EMW


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Hello Jonathon. 

Even with your way the installer has to change the stock wiring. 
The # PnP-ADAPT eliminates any need for that and makes it ultra simple to take the loco back to stock standard if needed. 

Sorry I forgot to mention you as stocking the BIK kits. My apologies.


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

I got the K running yesterday. The I like the board. I did not have to alter the factory wiring. I can easily go back to a plug in decoder or analog operation. I have 4 and may need more.


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