ColinB Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 I have just converted my old Hornby HST to DCC. I have had it a long time and I cannot remember how well it ran. It runs ok, but struggles with more than one carriage. I have changed the traction types and added a bit of weight to the rear of the carriage with the motor in and updated the wheels on the carriages. It runs OK, but not very fast. Do these ringfield motors ever need remagnatising? Could it also be that the armature has lost a few windings? I noticed from the service sheets Hornby modified the design in line with that of Bachmann DMUs, which run really well (I have 170 DMU). So is it that the Ringfield design was never that good? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atom3624 Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 Why do you think it's the magnet - is it running slowly?There have been several threads relating to maintenance of the same-type ringfield motor recently - last 2 weeks - I would suggest having a look at them. Ringfield-powered HST's with tyres run and pull well from what I can make out, without modification. Al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted December 8, 2019 Author Share Posted December 8, 2019 Yes, that is the exact issue, it is running slowly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 Ringfields magnets can fade. I replaced one of mine (circular) with a neo and it was much improved, but the one with twin arch shaped magnets would not run well with neos so I opted for a new housing (H10) complete with new magnet. Edit - I also tried twin motoring a 56 but that was a failure due to difficulty synchronising the motors, one would kick off before the other dragging the second one with locked wheels until that one kicked in and off it went like a rocket. That was reverted to a single motor. Swapping to DVD motors works OK if you can’t or don’t want to refurb your ringfield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted December 8, 2019 Author Share Posted December 8, 2019 Thanks RAF96 that was the sort of advice I wanted. I will try the neo route, I know on my Wrenns they made a substantial difference. Where do you get them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted December 8, 2019 Author Share Posted December 8, 2019 I think I have found them on EBay, off the same person I got the ones for the Wrenns, so I will give them a go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jane1707819582 Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 Check the commutator on the windings ,undercut the insulated segments with a pin or craft knife .this can also effect the speed of the motor . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted December 8, 2019 Author Share Posted December 8, 2019 Thanks jane2, I will try that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted December 12, 2019 Author Share Posted December 12, 2019 Eventually found the fault one of the rotor windings was open circuit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james_nelmes Posted December 12, 2019 Share Posted December 12, 2019 With the Ringfield armature it's worth having a look, as they can often be repaired. The commonest fault is the solder joints fail and go open circuit. The Ringfield is wired as a "Star" so underneath the commutator, you will find a joint where the three winding ends are soldered together. The other end of each wire is then soldered to a tab on the edge of each copper plate on the commutator. The commonest fault I have come across is these joints on the edge of the plate fail, but can be easily repaired by positioning the end of the wire back onto the tab and using a soldering iron to remake the joint. I bought a bag of about 30 of these off e-bay a few years back, which were all open circuit on a winding and got 25 working again, and almost all were exactly this problem. Repaired a few more since then with the same issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted December 12, 2019 Author Share Posted December 12, 2019 Thanks, I will have a look at that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted December 12, 2019 Author Share Posted December 12, 2019 Thanks James, you were absolutely right. The wire looked to be attached to the commutator but when I melted the solder it fell away, so I suspect it was attached but not making connection. I have resoldered it and now I have three working coils. I will try it back in the loco. Very, useful information, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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