Cruise for pullmore TMCC

If it has a pulmor motor, properly called a series wound universal motor, there are currently no options to install cruise control.

There were some experiments years ago, adding a tach reader tape to a motor and then using EOB, but those were one off solutions.

Actually I think the AC/DC Commander (not to be confused with the Cruise Commander) would work with the F3s. ERR designed the unit to be compatible with both DC and AC motors (including Pullmors), while giving you up to 100 speed steps. I'm not sure how this unit is different from the more common Cruise Commander, but based on ERR's literature online, it should work with your locomotive.

-John

While the AC/DC Commander will give you TMCC control, it will not have cruise control, as provided with the Cruise Commander.

George

I have the same Santa Fe F3 set. I have been thinking this could do with an upgrade.

 I have trouble setting stall with mine. Not sure if it actually has the ability to set stall as I don't have the instruction manual for the loco. 

 A AC commander would give the option of 100 speed steps which would be an improvement. Which is the way I might go. 

Nick

The "AC/DC" Commander is a type, there are actually two boards, the AC Commander and the DC Commander.  Neither of these boards have any cruise capability, they do offer the 100 speed steps.

I've heard that you can run the Pulmor with DC, but I've not had any confirmation...

Anyone? GunRunner? Bueller?

Pulmores are series connected universal motors. They will run on AC or DC but if you want cruise you would have to drive the field with a fixed current and adjust armature current to maintain constant speed. The field winding is a huge current hog. There have been a few attempts to do this.

Pete

Ask Jon Z. when he's in a talkative mood, he tried doing cruise with the Pulmore.  It sort of worked at speed, but apparently not at low speed all that well.  There was a discussion some time back here.  I did a brief search, but I didn't come up with the thread.

Yes, you can as Pete said, but don't confuse Cruise Control and DC operation.

I have wired in via rectifier a 103 basic DC reverse unit to run the older ALCO with AC motor.  You use a rectifier to hold the field current in a constant direction and switch the armature current for direction change.

I think the whole problem with cruise is the back emf sensitivity.  So the DC can motor with a permanent field magnet versus an AC motor with an adjustable field winding powered by the source are two different concepts even if your using DC.  G

I have a Lionel Chessie SD9 with a pullmor (actually a pair) that was cataloged as having cruise, and its says cruise control on the box.  It doesn't have cruise and it is one of the poorer performers in running and sound that I have.  It has different innards than all the Geeps I have.  This had to be made at the time they were experimenting with cruise with a pullmor as Gunrunner mentioned.  Kind of an oddity, which makes them kind of cool.  I still mean to get the sounds upgraded on these units. 

  Back in the early 80's I converted my engines to DC and used DC track power for better control. If needed I could always switch back to AC. Here is a wiring schematic that I used back then.

What model # was that engine?  G

 Interesting that you shunt wired it instead of in series, how was the current draw? It seems like it would be 4 times higher than a series wound/wired motor for a given voltage.

Hey GGG - the model # of the Chessie SD9 is 6-282205.  It is from the Lionel catalog from 2003 - Classic Trains - Vol 2.  Clearly lists Odyssey speed control as one of the features.  And it's on the box as well.  In fact, not so much.

Actually, that makes perfect sense.  A series wound motor has the current drop way off when it runs faster, that would also reduce the field current.  Since he's trying to simulate a PM motor, the shunt wiring makes sense, or at least I think it does.

I believe that Jon Z. wired it the same way when he was experimenting with cruise control on the AC motors.

The shunt wiring and the associated current draw, or the need to re-spec windings on motors for shunt winding current demands may have been part of the problem that axed the project. It's easier just to go with PM DC motors.

Having mistakenly wired a Conventional Classic Pulmore in parallel I can assure you you don't want do that. My 90 watt 1033 would no longer run the engine and the breaker in the transformer would trip in about 5 seconds. I think I read about 8-10 amps for a few seconds. 

Pete

I believe when Jon was doing his experiments, he was trying to come up with cruise control for the AC motored locomotives for retrofit.  Obviously, the DC motor is the easy way to fix the issue.

Pete, I'm sure he was varying the power to the field, that was part of the discussion of things they were trying.  I know his discussion was enough to convince me that the AC motored locomotives weren't going to get cruise very easily without a motor transplant.

Rob,

   I don't remember but don't believe it was very high. I have one engine that still has the set up so I will try it

Bill

Thank you for all the replies. Interesting discussion. 

Audi