Chuck Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Years ago I installed a USA Trains smoke unit into a Milwaukee Road bay window caboose. It was a challenge as had to use a buck converter to power the thing then use voltage dropping resistors on the fan motor so smoke wasn't shooting out the stack like a steam engine...but the end result was nice! The other day I tried the newer USA Trains center cupola caboose's factory installed smoke unit out and I'm not impressed. Seems the electronics weren't thought out very well. The thing will run for a bit then shutdown for a few minutes...then come back on again. I took it apart and what happens is the voltage regulator gets hot and shuts down...on the bench this happens all the way down to like 12 volts. I thought maybe because I operate in a command environment the track voltage was too high...but no...bad design. I even tried different smoke unit electronic boards that I've removed from USA T locomotives and they all exhibit the same behavior. So on the list for "improvement" is the smoke unit electronics...I'll have to swap in a Buck Converter circuit...just like my bay window caboose has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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