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I recently picked up a used Lionel Santa Fe Reefer Hot Box (6-29812) and for the first hour it worked well, good smoke, sound & blinking red LED wheel lights. Then it really started to smoke!!!!!   When I realized the smoke from the car was more than the smoke generator, it was to late. Completely fried what I think is the voltage regulator (board 1) for the smoke generator & melted the internal wiring.

 I looked on line and called Lionel for a wiring diagram on the internal components and I came up empty. Lionel indicated they have no wiring diagram and no longer carry any parts for the Hot Box cars.

Is anyone familiar with the smoke generator and the other boards in the Hot Box. The only number I was able to get off the smoke generator is MR B01.  The rest of the markings on the smoke generator board is scorched off.

Board 2 is connected to the LEDs and board 3 is connected to the speaker.  

I would like to salvage the smoke generator function and the red blinking wheel LEDs of the Hot Box car.  I am not concerned with the sound effects from the Hot Box as I am using a current Lionel sound boxcar for the sound effects.

Whatever assistance can be provided in identifying parts would be appreciated.  

Thanks,

Bob D

 

IMG_3642

 

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Last edited by rad400
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There is only one photo, but board #1 is the AC regulator. Board #2 is the "random lights LED" board. Board #3 is the railsounds board and is unavailable. Looks like the AC reg shorted or where is the electrolytic capacitor on the two leads...are the leads to it charred?

Did you look here for parts? Many parts are available, some harness, some boards, smoke unit, etc.

https://www.lionelsupport.com/...p;resultsPerPage=250

Do you have the manual?

https://www.lionelsupport.com/...ents/72-9811-250.pdf

It doesn't matter which shell you have, all the guts and the frame are the same. I just bought one on ebay for $75 which was like new. There are less expensive ones (not REA..) available last time I looked and probably less money than buying the harness and boards.

BTW, I put the Mini Commander ACC in the reefer and can turn it on and off easier with the remote.

Here's a link to the ones available...

http://www.ebay.com/sch/O-Scal...x+reefer&_sop=15

Last edited by cjack

Thank guys for the information.  Before I take the next step I want to find out if anything else is bad.  To test the smoke unit, what is the typical voltage requirements it takes?  Also, the AC regulator that fried in my unit, it's function is to keep a constant AC voltage on the smoke unit and prevent higher track voltage being applied to the smoke unit??

Thanks again,

Bob D

Yep, for sure I'd replace the AC regulator and the smoke resistor.  You can't put track voltage on that smoke unit resistor directly, a 6 ohm resistor with 12 VAC on it would dissipate 24 watts, over three times the maximum it should ever see.  You'll get some amazing smoke, but not for long!

Truthfully, I suspect the sounds are still intact, it looks like the damage was the regulator and associated wiring.

John

Both the resistor & AC regulator are toast which I will be replacing along with most of the wiring.  From your comment above, the smoke unit input voltage should be in the 4 volt range?  I wanted to check out the smoke generator motor, but don't know what typical voltage it takes.  

Thanks,

Bob

Well, when you have the resistor off the board, just hook 6 VAC to it and see if the fan runs.  The board will actually be receiving a chopped waveform from the AC regulator when it's installed, it uses a triac to adjust the power to the smoke unit.  For just testing the fan, when the smoke resistor isn't on the board, only the fan power supply gets power, and we just want to see if the fan spins quietly.

Thanks 

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Well, when you have the resistor off the board, just hook 6 VAC to it and see if the fan runs.  The board will actually be receiving a chopped waveform from the AC regulator when it's installed, it uses a triac to adjust the power to the smoke unit.  For just testing the fan, when the smoke resistor isn't on the board, only the fan power supply gets power, and we just want to see if the fan spins quietly.

John

Thanks for the updated information.  For future reference, if I am testing a smoke unit with the resistor installed, what voltage would I be using?

Bob D

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