Fitting DCC to R352 Western Yeoman

[Britsax]

As a novice to DCC I am preparing to fit modules to my collection of older locos. How do I insulate the motor on R352 Western Class 52 and how do I connect the red and black wires to pickups ... when I can see no pickups?

All advice appreciated. This loco is a good runner and I would love to have it on the proposed dcc layout.

[Chrissaf]

Others more knowledgable than me with regard these older locos will probably be able to offer some specific R.352 loco conversion advice.

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But to help, the R.352 Western Class 52 Service Sheet is 116

This shows the loco to have a Ringfield motor.

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[Fishmanoz]

Certainly appears to be a Ringfield with the LH brush holder connected to chassis.  This connection must be broken before decoder installation or you blow the decoder. the fix is either a nylon screw to replace the existing, or a plastic sleeve for it.

Google Brian Lambert, go to his DCC pages and look at his Ringfield conversion guides for detail. 

[jane1707819582]

Connect the red to the long wire from the front of the loco by pulling the spade connector off the motor ,connect the orange where the spade was .pull the short wire from the chassis off from the motor connect the grey to the motor terminal you have just removed the wire from. Connect the black wire onto the short wire that connects back to the chassis.

[Fishmanoz]

Oops, don't listen to me, listen to Jane. After seeing her post, I realise my mistake. I only noticed a connection to the RH brush holder on first looking at the service sheet. Now I can see the one to the LH as well. Each side has its own inset diagram with its detail.

 

More generally, if there is no wire connection to the LH brush holder, then its return path can only be via the chassis. This electrical path must be broken by using a nylon screw or sleeve. 

In service sheet 116, there is a wire connecting the the LH side, the short wire mentioned by Jane, and it's other end is connected to the chassis. This makes it pretty obvious there is no direct connection to chassis via the screw as that would obviate the need for the short wire. 

[96RAF]

Some ringfields have the left hand brush live to the chassis by way of a small peg on the motor housing behind the brush spring. This can be isolated by a small sliver of plasticard secured between the two or by simply removing the peg.

 

The prime rule with any DCC conversion is you need to establish the current path from the wheels to the motor brushes and isolate both sides before proceeding to fit a decoder.