Controller issue
Posted on behalf of Luigi U. Ricci Moretti
Originally posted on the club Facebook pages
Good morning!
I am a group member form Italy and I have posted a tech question on the Facebook page but it does not seem to have elicited much reply.
My problem is that I bought a brand new old stock Mallard set and first tested the locomotive on a friend’s layout. Aside form some gongealed oil that was quicly addressed, it worked fin on his system.
After a few months delay for other reasons, I tried my until then unused controller and it started beeping upon startup, even when disconnected from the track.
A quick rattle check showed that there was something loose inside.
Opening the bottom had a few little bits drop out.
Bottom line, I don’t know how to remove the two control levers and I don’t want to pull hard risking further damage.
Any suggestion on who I should ask?
FB Post details with photo here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/OOLiveSteam/permalink/1374878500100085/
Thanks,
Luigi
Any suggestions?
Hello Luigi,
The green plastic and copper contact look like they come from the heat setting control and the spring and metal pip are from the regulator control lever to hold it in a central position. Does the heat setting dial move freely ? It should try to sit at one of the 3 heat settings or the OFF position. This is the key part to try and repair, although it's really difficult to get to this part and I am not sure of any replacements available.
The best way to investigate further is to lever up the two tabs that can be seen on the first photo in the upper-middle of the circuit board. The hold the circuit board tightly against the heat setting control. They are difficult to bend and will need a very thin screwdriver to get under them and bend them up. Once you have done this, you can remove the circuit board - the lower regulator control lever will fall out; make sure you catch any other parts so you can put it back together again. That just works with two switches, so should be easy to sort out.
Once the circuit board is out, you should be able to see the rest of the green plastic disc and see if it is repairable. It should rotate the copper contacts against the back of the circuit board. If it's not repairable, you may be able to fabricate something or replace it with a rotary switch, but it may be the end of that controller.
Good Luck !
David