Puffer smoke unit

Many of them are powered from track power, especially for conventional use.  For command, it might be advisable to drop power a bit, normally they're powered from the R2LC in TMCC locomotives at a lower voltage.  I've never seen a puffer from MTH, I don't know if they every made one.

Thanks John, I can see in the hogwarts puffer for example that the wires from the smoke unit head into the reverse unit, I wasn't sure if there is anything special going on in that circuit board, or if I could cut those wires and skip the reverse board and go straight to track power. If I'm understanding correctly from you it would be ok? Or maybe after I have done a better Job explaining the situation in this second post you will tell me otherwise.

Gathering knowledge for some potential future uses.

Thanks,
Jason

Sometimes the reverse board is just used as a junction box, try measuring the resistance to those leads and the track pickups.  The standard 27 ohm smoke resistor was made to connect across the track voltage for conventional operation.

Thanks again!
I have not had a chance to measure the resistance yet, but I did see online that the hogwarts has a 20 ohm resistor.  So I would want to change that one out? Or step down the voltage then?

http://www.lionel.com/Customer...9e-aac0-389426cc1c52

Thanks,
Jason

Well, it would run a bit hotter, don't know if that's a problem.  It's also dependent on how much voltage you'd be putting on the tracks for running.  I'm thinking that if you get up to 16-18 volts, that would be a lot of power in that resistor, and would probably warrant swapping it out for a higher value.

 

Pretty much all of my stuff is command, so these issues don't normally come up in my operations.

The more recent Lionel sets come with the smoke units wired off of an output(motor) leg of the e-unit(the other to chassis ground) intentionally.  This is to prevent long doses of high voltage to the smoke element in neutral.

 

As long as you're careful, direct connection to track power is OK.  I have done this mod on the General type steam loco with great success.  Much improved smoke, and much less stress on the reverse unit, which was overheating and shutting down on me.  I made the change before the "final croak" occurred to the reverse board.

I haven't looked at any of the recent conventional Lionel units, so that's good info Rob.  Worst thing that can happen is you have to change the resistor for one of the 27 ohm models.

Thank you both for information. I too usually run in command environment and would potentially be putting 16-18 volts power to the smoke unit. I am looking to upgrade my hogwarts engine to command but have plans to add a fan driven unit off the ERR board. I have other ideas for the puffer unit but am worried running full track voltage would be a bad idea. Sounds like it might be ok.

Do it like John stated.  I get to fool with puffers from time to time.  Make sure the resistor is Reaganized with no sleeve and tuck some wicking under it without blocking the air hole.  You will do OK.

The 20 ohm resistor is ceramic coated. If your running conventional only, you can try a 18 ohm wire wound resistor. Be advised, running at brake neck speed or in command you will see fire coming from the stack. Normal operation you will have alot of smoke.

 

Bill