Converting old Ringfield motors to DCC

[Wexford]

I have recently decided to convert to 100% DCC, but I have a few older locomotives that have the old Ringfield motor in them, any advice please. Some of the models I have are: Flying Scotsman, Pretty Polly, Dick Turpin, and some Brittania class ie: Oliver Cromwell and Firth of Clyde. Thanks in anticipation.

[Chrissaf]

Ringfield conversion:

http://www.brian-lambert.co.uk/DCC.html#The

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A forum search using "Ringfield" as the search term would have found it, as it is a question that gets asked many times. Be aware that the Hornby forum search function is not the best and is only effective at finding SINGLE WORDS and not phrases. So searching "Ringfield" will find your post titled "Converting old Ringfield motors to DCC" (this post used as an example search) but searching "Converting Ringfield motors to DCC" will not find this post even though it is nearly the same wording in the phrase. The forum only returns hits on EXACT character matches, thus why searching on phrases should be avoided.

[james_nelmes]

 Despite all the tales of woe about converting 3 pole ringfields to DCC using the standard Hornby decoder, I have done a couple now, and they work really well. Make sure the motor is running really well before servicing. If the link wire from the motor body to the brush retainer isnt there, it normally means there is a little metal stud that passes through the faceplate to make contact - this will have to be removed or fried chip! The link above explains all this.

[jaguar12]

I did yet another Hornby Class 86 conversion myself to DCC, just yesterday afternoon.  Took me two hours, but I'm a bit of a novice and it should really be about an hours work.  Modern stock is a bit easier as they have more space to move inside.

I always spend time cleaning and checking the loco runs well on analogue before doing any DCC conversion work.

Nearly all my Hornby diesel and electric locos with ringfield motors have been converted and are now fitted with the Hornby R8249 chip, which are mounted in a Gaugemaster 8 pin socket.  That way, replacement or conversion back to analogue is just a case of removing the complete R8249 and popping a blanking plate in the socket.  I've got an early Class 08 shunter to do, but I need to look into this before attempting as it has a non ringfield, worm drive motor.

I paid for thfee locos to be done professionally and these turned out to be older 'made in England' ringfields that required a bit more work. One required a nylon threaded screw fitted along with another needing additional terminal/screw added to the metal bogie.  Kevin Dickerson from CoastalDCC (highly recommended) based in Ipswich did them and said they were all slightly different.

Ringfield motors are a case of assessing them when you open them up.  Checking continuity is essential as you can destroy a decoder if you get it wrong.

My personal experience with my own Hornby collection. has generally been that those Hornby models 'made in China' and having a distinct red and black (left and right) wires inside. are easy to convert, as long as you're ok and confident with a soldering iron.  I bought the correct colour wires to allow easy troubleshooting, along with heatshrink of differing diameters, to cover solder joins and to use to neatly keep the wires together inside the loco. I use double sided sticky pads to hold the socket in place (or use hot/cool melt glue gun). The older locos just need a bit more thought, planning and work.

This forum has been very helpful in building my confidence in making the leap to DCC and actually doing some conversion work myself.

Do ask if you have any questions, but I had a read up on the already mentioned website and YouTube videos.  It helped having a friend who was confident with electronics and spent the day with me teaching me and helping me convert! Thanks to Lidl and Aldi for soldering iron deals as well!