New SUPER-CHUFFER, Smoke & Lighting Board

GRJ, I really want to add your Super Chuffer to some of my steamers. Only problem is the Lionel ones I have that with TMCC added all have puffer units such as my Hogwarts loco. So, three questions:

1. Any plans to make a similar unit for MTH locos which almost all have fan driven smoke units?

2. Will your unit work with Lionel's LionChief Plus locos which all have fan driven smoke units?

3. Hennings ad for the Super Chuffer at the beginning of this thread states it will work with both TMCC and conventional locos. So will it work with the fan driven smoke unit in my Lionel 2-6-0 conventional mogul (Lionel #6-11268)?

1. MTH PS/2 or PS/3 locomotives already have excellent smoke performance, including good chuffing, so it's not needed for those.  PS/1 locomotives don't have a chuff switch, they generate the chuff sound based on track voltage.  As such, I have nothing to sync the chuffs.

Of course, an MTH PS/1 or conventional with the stock smoke unit that's been upgraded to TMCC is a candidate, the Camelback that I did my original test installation with is an MTH locomotive with a TMCC upgrade. 

2. If the LC+ locomotive has a chuff switch to trigger the sound, the S-C would work fine with those.  Truthfully, I haven't had an LC+ locomotive apart to see if they use a mechanical switch or some other method of triggering the chuff.

3. I originally build a voltage doubler module for conventional operation as the S-C was designed with command in mind, and I truthfully didn't really consider conventional.  It turned out that there was a flaw in my thinking with the voltage doubler, and at higher track voltages it's output exceeded the capability of the power module on the S-C board and promptly killed it!

I went back to the drawing board and have a simple fix that allows conventional operation.  It's embarrassing that I didn't consider it previously.  I add a 1000uf 35V capacitor across the on-board input filter capacitance and the S-C board works fine down below 5V on the track.  I just put a few inches of wire on the capacitor and it can be placed anywhere in the shell to allow conventional operation.

John,

If you want I can pull my LC+ Mikado apart and see what I can see......????

If you don't mind, that would be great.  I'd go into the store and take one apart, but I'm afraid Harry would make me buy it then!

On 2nd thought, you should get a LC+! Never know what you can come up with for aftermarket addons!

I think my plate is pretty full right now.

LOL, I got something in mind but not sure if it has been done, and thinking of making a prototype, but it is something I think might be sell-able, but would need guidance and support from probably you and H3.

We can certainly do that Dennis.

Hi everyone,

A question for Gunrunnerjohn-but if anyone else has an answer please chime in;

I have a brand new K-line scale NYC Mikado 3670-1838cc-has railsounds and command control.  I would love to be able to use one of the new super chuffer boards in this engine,  but from what I understand the board needs to be used in conjunction with a fan driven smoke unit.  That's the problem as this engine has a piston driven smoke unit.  I figured that since Lionel basically used the K-Line tooling for their previously released Legacy Mikado's,  I could go to the Lionel website and order one of their fan driven smoke units for the Mikado.  However their parts listing states that many are unavailable and for others to call or contact Lionel.  John or anyone else,  do you have a good Lionel part number for a fan driven smoke unit that I can use in this engine?  I also would like to upgrade to one of the ERR cruise control boards.  I am retired after 40 years of being a machinist-the last 35 as a journeyman,  so electronics are not my strong suit,  but I'm going to give it a shot.

Thanks guys,

Nick 

Hi Harry here.

 You will have to get a fan driven smoke unit you can use Lionel or an MTH.

We pull out the old puffer and fit in a fan driven unit. We can order the parts for you or instal it for you. What ever you need.

Hello Harry,

Thanks for responding to my questions.  After looking over the various wiring diagrams, schematics and instructions of the various boards involved,  in addition to installing a new smoke unit,  I think I'm going to take a pass on doing this myself.  I will contact you by private email or phone to discuss having you do the entire installation.

Thanks,  Nick

I'm thinking my old scale J would love one!  

Nick e- mail me and will hook you up.

What reed switch would you folks recommend to work in conjunction with the board to get me 4 cuffs on an old 2 chuff engine? 

Hi Marty

We use the small magnet reed switches like the ones ERR sells and two magnets. On my Q-2 I have 4 magnets on the drive wheels.not all engines can you use the drive wheels. Most use the tender wheels with two magnets. ERR sells the reed switches as a kit with one magnet. You can buy the small magnets separate on e-bay.

Thank you John.

I'm hoping to do the drive wheels. Even though the trucks or tender wheels will do 4 chuffs, I prefer the more accurate drive trigger. 

Thanks is for the info guys. 

I am curious as to when a chuff should occur and how many. I'm thinking that the movement of the pistons in the cylinder might be the place to trigger the chuffs...difficult mechanically I guess but can we elaborate on this? 

To be perfectly honest, only a dedicated rivet counter could tell if the chuff sounds in exactly the right place.  I guess I'm an old hack, because I just space them equally around the wheel.

My comment towards more accuracy is I have noticed on some folks that have done the truck wheels or tender that the chuff rate can be slightly faster. Enough that I do notice. I'd really prefer to get to a more "timed" 4 chuff. 

I'm not rivet counter(not that there is anything wrong with that) but a poorly timed chuff will bother me.  

I've never thought about this. Yes, I googled it and it makes sense to trigger 4 chuffs off a drive wheel. And 8 chuffs for articulated, anybody do that?

Since the sound board generates the somewhat random secondary chuff for articulated, it's pretty difficult to add that and have it sound right.  I've often wondered what it would sound like if you put four magnets on each set of articulated drivers and used a non-articulated sound set.  However, I don't think you'd get the correct sounds.

 I agree that the driver is better, sometimes that's pretty difficult to do.

Just place an order!  I'll add the reed switch later.  I'll probably wire in a new LED headlamp that will do the Rule 17 lighting.  I believe the current one in my J is an incandescent.

Looking forward to this project.  Thanks GRJ for a really cool enhancement!

I sent you an email Marty.  Your engine most likely has a chuff switch, otherwise the sound would not be chuffing.  You just have to break the wire from it and run it through the S-C board.

Hey guys when ordering don't forget to use your OGR Forum promo code!

OGRJWA

What is an OGR Forum promo code and what does it do?

From the very first post in this thread...

For a limited time it has an introductory price BUT, for all of our OGR friends we are ALSO offering an ADDITIONAL 10% discount by entering the promo code: OGRJWA during checkout.

I tried using the code and it said it had expired!    

That was a Henning's limited time offering, I guess it's expired now.  Sorry, I don't have any control over that.

Discount code worked this afternoon 

I guess it's location sensitive, maybe you live in the wrong part of the country.

I'd give it another try and you could also call Henning's and ask about it.

I tried it again and it went through - thanks!

Will super chuffer work with TAS smoke unit?

Is Henning's discount still available?

You can use the Super-Chuffer with pretty much any fan driven smoke unit.  TAS has a number of different style smoke units, so the wiring may be slightly different, depending on what you have.

I honestly can't say if the discount is still on, but I believe so.

I bought one of these and discovered that my K-Line Hudson does not have a fan smoke unit.  Anyone know what fan unit will fit in there with the least amount of hassle?

LOL same here

Funny you should ask.  I put an MTH PS/2 smoke unit in a K-Line Mikado, the Hudson is pretty much the same size.  I just needed a small aluminum plate with a couple of spacers to line it up with the stack.  I did have to perch the Super-Chuffer on top of the motor in a large heatshrink sleeve, only place it would fit.

Sometimes you have to take the smoke unit fan off to access the screws when you do a custom mount.  On that Mikado and on the Hogwarts locomotive I just did, I had to bolt the smoke unit to the plate, then take the fan chamber off to mount the plate to the frame, finally put the fan chamber back on to complete the mounting.  The good part about the MTH smoke units is they're two-piece, the one-piece Lionel smoke units might be harder to get mounted at times.

How about a diesel version

Do you have any pics of the installation?  That would certainly help.  Also, how much do those smoke units go for?  I assume that you get them straight from MTH.

Everytime I click the link i'm being sent to the led passenger car lights.