We have found an issue with the Dallee LocoMatic™ 2-8-0 sound board. When using LocoMatic™ in mode 2 & 3, it takes about 7 to 10 minutes for the locomotive to respond correctly to the 10 button controller. Dallee has determined that the fix is to install a capacitor on the LocoMatic™ board. This completely fixes the problem.
The first step is to take the shell off the tender. Click on any picture to see full size, but they are big so be prepared!
I find is easiest to turn the locomotive and tender onto its side on a soft surface. Lift the loco by the running boards, and the tender by its sides.
There are two screws securing the tender body to the frame. These come out easily with a small Phillips screwdriver.
Place the loco and tender back on its wheels, and lift the tender body straight off the chassis. Be careful of the molded-on brackets at the rear of the body don't get stuck under the wire rod on the chassis.
Cut the legs of the capacitor about 1/2" long, and bend down. The legs should point away from the printing on the capacitor as shown.
The new capacitor will be soldered in parallel with this capacitor.
Make sure the polarity is correct by keeping the orientation of the new capacitor the same as the old one. In both cases the printing is up, and the minus leg (3 minus signs printed on side) is on the left in this picture.
I tin the legs of both the old and new capacitors to make it easy to solder. A drop of electronic flux (NOT acid flux!) is nice if you have some. Don't keep the iron on the capacitor longer than necessary.
Here is the completed installation.
While you have access to the LocoMatic board, please check for shorts in the locomotive. We have found a few locos with an internal short. It doesn't cause an immediate problem, but sooner or later, usually because of a derailment, the internal short can damage the LocoMatic™ board. If you find a short, please contact us for a Return Authorization. Here are the connections for the NMRA 16 pin plug (which is on the other side of the board). These should all be electrically isolated from the locomotive chassis, and we will test that in the next step.
Connect one probe from your ohmmeter to the brass tube in the smokestack, then touch the other probe to each pin in turn. All pins should show an open circuit.
Then connect the first probe to the connecting rod, and recheck all the pins. If you don't find a short, all is well and you can replace the tender body. If you do find a short, please contact us to get an Return Authorization Number. Please don't run the loco with the LocoMatic board in it, as you will probably burn it out. If you have a DC power supply, you can replace the LocoMatoc board with the included DC shorting plug and run it over the holidays. Be sure NOT to use AC when you have the DC shorting plug installed.
Again be careful of the rod and the molded on brackets. Make sure the body is straight and all the way on. Just snug the screws down, don't over tighten. Make sure you don't trap the chains under a screw.
That's it! Your LocoMatic™ board should now operate flawlessly as soon as you power up the track!
