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So,



As I convert some of my O gauge to DCC with ESU like so many others, id like to reuse the smoke units..... but the LokSound L decoder can only handle so many Amps through that circuit. Building a relay circuit removes alot of the features the decoder has to offer. I contacted ESU a few times and ESU wouldn't give me the technical specs on the Heating resistor OR Thermistor (Temp Sensor). So I bought a ESU (54678) Smoke Unit to cut it open to see what they used for components. A small cost for much savings in the future...

Prior to disassembly testing:

  • Smoke volume was not the greatest compared to a standard O gauge Smoke unit. Not enough airflow in.
  • Smoke output would be good for a Diesel exhaust. Not a steam engine.
  • Fan motor was very noisy, the armature rattled in the can, it was a very unbalanced motor. I tried everything to fix it.

Findings after disassembly:

  • NO wicking inside. Basically a bowl with a small wick pulling fluid up. As soon as the unit tilts fluid everywhere.
  • NO serviceability. Sealed shut. They say its good forever but we all know that's never the case.

Technical Findings:

  • 1 Watt 22 Ohm wire-wound Resistor in the Operating Temperature (-40°C ~ 200°C)---used for the Heating Element
  • 100k NTC Glass Bead Thermistor---used for the Temperature Sensor

-These parts are cheap and easy to find after a search on the internet.



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Last edited by Bruk
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Hello,

Here is a video showing a KM-1 smoke unit installed in a Sunset UP 4-12-2.  O Scale but P48.  The young lady live in Austria and is a fantastic modeler!  The KM-1 models are Gauge 1 but she was able to fit one of their smoke units in that model.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...amp;feature=youtu.be

Steaming up for the first time. I got the fan controlled and heat the KM-1 smoke unit (One Gauge) via a micro relay (orange) to protect the function circuit on the decoder. When there is one thing I love about 3-rail, it‘s smoke!

No photo description available.No photo description available.

Last edited by Steam Guy

I'm the one that commented and followed your Facebook post.  Sorry, not all that savy with electron movement, but now that we know the guts of the ESU smoke unit, how can we make our Lionel and MTH smoke units work with the LokSound L/XL decoders? (Also the extrocouplers?  Got several PS-1 locomotives, and a PS-2 locomotive, I want to convert to DCC.)

@sinclair posted:

I'm the one that commented and followed your Facebook post.  Sorry, not all that savy with electron movement, but now that we know the guts of the ESU smoke unit, how can we make our Lionel and MTH smoke units work with the LokSound L/XL decoders? (Also the extrocouplers?  Got several PS-1 locomotives, and a PS-2 locomotive, I want to convert to DCC.)

You can hook couplers to the decoder directly, but you got to set up the output function properly and make sure the voltage matches the spec to that coupler.

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OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

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