Overheating Electro-Coupler

Since it’s ok while running I’d say there are no rubbing wires. So, seems like the signal from the cab ll is sticking to fire within the legacy board.

Does it happen with any other electrocouplers or just the VL Reefers?  It could be the RCDR receiver has an issue.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Does it happen with any other electrocouplers or just the VL Reefers?  It could be the RCDR receiver has an issue.

At the moment, that’s all I’ve got. My switcher is LC2. Have cattle cars inbound. Tomorrow I intend to exercise the couplers and the Cab remote’s hard buttons (which I was using).

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Does it happen with any other electrocouplers or just the VL Reefers?  It could be the RCDR receiver has an issue.

What's a RCDR receiver? Is that an acronym?

The RCDR is the TMCC receiver in the VL Reefer, it's the board that controls the coupler.

Okay, had some time to test this more. It appears to me that whenever I send it an uncouple command, power to the magnet/uncoupler stays on. I can't re-couple because it is still active until I remove power by lifting the car or cycling track power. Once power is interrupted, it will couple up normally.

Knocking on wood now, this will be my first contact with Lionel for support in 58 years.

That clearly sounds like the RCDR is not releasing the coupler.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Does it happen with any other electrocouplers or just the VL Reefers?  It could be the RCDR receiver has an issue.

The VL Cattle Cars arrived today and guess what? Same problem. Of course I didn't let it get hot this time. I just used the Cab2 to open the coupler it would not release. I took it off the track and it would immediately latch.

This is a brand new 990 base and Cab2. My first. So have I goofed something up with it since it is happening on both electro-couplers on two different aged freight cars with electro-couplers? Everything else about both cars works.

Could I have the base connected to the wrong rail or something?

Thank you.

@romiller49 posted:

Since it’s ok while running I’d say there are no rubbing wires. So, seems like the signal from the cab ll is sticking to fire within the legacy board.

Since I now have another car with the same issue, logic says there is something wrong with the remote. "sticking to fire within the legacy board." -- do you mean physically a sticking button or electronically something is sticking? New to all this. Thanks.

AFAIK, it's impossible to make the Legacy system do that, it has to be some flaw with the cars.  Nothing you can do or buttons you can press will make it hold the couplers on.

The only scenario I can see the Legacy doing that is if the button for the coupler was stuck.  However, in that case, it would do it with any TMCC/Legacy coupler when you attempted to use them.

@JackO posted:

Since I now have another car with the same issue, logic says there is something wrong with the remote. "sticking to fire within the legacy board." -- do you mean physically a sticking button or electronically something is sticking? New to all this. Thanks.

I certainly can’t offer any other suggestion. All we know for sure is that voltage to the coupler stays on causing burn up. GRJ knows more about this stuff than most on the forum. If he’s stumped then your only option is to contact Lionel. Please keep us posted on this. You may be helping many others with these same cars.

I appreciate you both trying to help me out. Waiting on Lionel to respond.

Hi, Just checking, you are using AC track power, correct? 

S/F Mike

@Mike Summerville posted:

Hi, Just checking, you are using AC track power, correct?

I assume so. Powered by LC Polar Express wall wart.

I can check track voltage tomorrow.

The LC Wall Wart is DC, and that's why the couplers are cooking!  The triac on the RCDR ONLY works with A/C!  When you hit it with DC, it never gets a zero voltage polarity reversal and just locks up conducting current!

The cars aren't broken.

Hi,

No, the LionChief wall-warts are DC and that is likely the source of your problem.

(cut the cord off the wall wart and use it to connect your AC transformer to the track)

Top of page 4 of the reefer manual  "NOTE: Power your VISION Steel-Sided Reefer Car with an alternating-current (AC) transformer only. Powering your reefer car with a direct-current (DC) transformer, or in excess of 19 volts AC, may result in damage to sensitive electronic components."

The DC power is not allowing the coupler TRIAC to open. 

Lionel "self-inflicted" many issues by providing DC power supplies with their LionChief starter sets (my opinion)

If you switch to AC track power I believe your issue will go away.

Have Fun!  S/F Mike

Wow. Feel like a goober.

So what happens with my LC and LC+ engines when I power the track with AC? Is that ok?

LC engines are designed to run on AC or DC just fine.  They have DC motors and circuitry to convert the incoming AC (if present) to DC.  If the Track voltage is DC, this conversion circuitry is essentially bypassed.

This topic might also provide you with some helpful info:

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...nding-an-o-gauge-set

Also you don't have to cut the barrel connector off the LC wall wart as you might want to use for something else it in the future.  There are other ways of powering the track using the spade connectors underneath FasTrack.

Lionel 6-37947 GW-180 180-Watt Transformer or

Lionel 6-85226 180-Watt PowerHouse Power Supply

- Looks like the transformer would solve my speed control issues (grandsons) and perhaps be better long-term.

Thanks, Mike, for solving this riddle/issue.