JLC BIGBOY W LEGACY SMOKE

The likely culprit is the AC regulator quit. When they do often times you get amazing smoke until it burns everything up.

The regulators are no longer available from Lionel.

GunrunnerJohn has described a work around to get smoke without a regulator. It involves changing the resistor to 27 OHMs and wiring the unit to track power.

He may see this thread and chime in. Otherwise an email direct to him would get more specifics.

Here's a very recent thread on the same subject:

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...-c-regulator-trouble

@RickO posted:

The likely culprit is the AC regulator quit. When they do often times you get amazing smoke until it burns everything up.

The regulators are no longer available from Lionel.

GunrunnerJohn has described a work around to get smoke without a regulator. It involves changing the resistor to 27 OHMs and wiring the unit to track power.

He may see this thread and chime in. Otherwise an email direct to him would get more specifics.

Here's a very recent thread on the same subject:

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...-c-regulator-trouble

Cool thanks so much Ricko!!

The work-around that Rick mentions is only good for TMCC models, the Legacy R4LC doesn't control smoke like the TMCC R2LC.  I did come up with a fix for the regulators that failed with a weak output, my "crutch" board.

A Smoke Control Relay For Special Occasions

Briefly, this takes the output of the broken board and closes a relay to allow for command controlled smoke.  You have to change the resistor in the smoke unit as you're running off track power, so a 20 to 27 ohm resistor replaces the 6 ohm resistor.  FWIW, the 6 ohm resistor in that model is one reason why the smoke regulators croak, they were all replaced with 8 ohm resistors as the 6 ohm value was too hard on the regulators.

Nick was gracious enough to help me out on this Big Boy.  I got it "new in box" from a Forum Member in 2019.  Other than some initial test runs to see what works, it's been a shelf queen most of the time that I've had it.  Everything works fine but the smoke unit.

Is the following indicative of another possible problem:  the #9 Key (Smoke On) on Nick's Legacy Cab 2 remotes never "populated" last night for this locomotive.  Both remotes did so for Nick's other Legacy Steamers last night.

Big Orange does not have these in stock.  Shocker!!!

Any idea as to what our worst case scenario may be here if we want this thing to smoke?

BTW:  Nick's a super cool dude with a really nice layout.  Several very large, highly detailed, hand built industrial structures and a really neat track plan.  His layout is definitely CTT or OGRR worthy.

Thanks to Nick and everyone else here on this "challenge".  Much appreciated!!!

@Berkshire President posted:

Any idea as to what our worst case scenario may be here if we want this thing to smoke?

Did you read my previous post?

John - thank you for your input/advice.

In the thread that you sent the link to, you make mention that there is only one smoke output level.....instead of the three (L, M,&H) that Legacy typically offers.

Is this single output level "fixed"?

Perhaps the better question would be: can the smoke output be "stuck" in "H"?

My guess is that only so much "current" is going to the smoke unit so it is essentially fixed....based on what ohm resistor one uses.

This is obviously not my wheel house and I am new to this level of electronic technicality.  Fortunately, Nick was gracious enough to help out.

@Berkshire President posted:

John - thank you for your input/advice.

In the thread that you sent the link to, you make mention that there is only one smoke output level.....instead of the three (L, M,&H) that Legacy typically offers.

Is this single output level "fixed"?

Perhaps the better question would be: can the smoke output be "stuck" in "H"?

My guess is that only so much "current" is going to the smoke unit so it is essentially fixed....based on what ohm resistor one uses.

This is obviously not my wheel house and I am new to this level of electronic technicality.  Fortunately, Nick was gracious enough to help out.

Yep, the output if "fixed" at whatever smoke resistor you use.  For truly maximum smoke, you could try a 16 ohm resistor since we don't have a triac switching it, but I'd recommend 20 ohms at the low value, the smoke wick and resistor will last longer.