Dapol track cleaning wagon Hornby DCC Chip

[PJ_model_trains]

Dapol track cleaning wagon, now fitted with Hornby 8 pin DCC chip

What a good tool this is.

I have only set it up and done a couple of short runs with the vacuum on, I thought it was clean, it picked up bits of static grass and other items I couldn't see.

QUESTION to anyone who has one.

What have you set cruise and shunt speeds to?

I set it up as in train settings as a train name: Dapol track cleaning wagon

cv 099

Cruise and shunt speeds 40mph & 15mph

Does anyone know if these settings are correct?

PJ

[RB51]

My advice was to run at half speed - thats on DCC. R-

[Zues]

I would agree, Dapol say in their blurb its better to run at slow speed.

[PJ_model_trains]

My advice was to run at half speed - thats on DCC. R-

 

When setting the Dapol Track Cleaner wagon in Train settings list in RM

I first set up CV 099

I am then asked the cruise and shunt speeds, it is these speeds I am enquiring about.

Not the speed of a train pulling the track cleaning wagon.

I am on DCC

[Zues]

Can you not leave them at their default settings or do you have to put in settings for it to work, because all you are doing is adjusting the speed of the fan inside the cleaner. i have the same cleaner apart from doing the cv thing and naming it i have left everthing else at default levels, works a treat.

[Tee1707818014]

My advice was to run at half speed - thats on DCC. R-

 

When setting the Dapol Track Cleaner wagon in Train settings list in RM

I first set up CV 099

I am then asked the cruise and shunt speeds, it is these speeds I am enquiring about.

Not the speed of a train pulling the track cleaning wagon.

I am on DCC

I think it depends on what accessory you are using at the time if using the vacuum then use the cruise speed at 35-40 but if using the buffer & polisher then, It needs to be slower so shunt at 15 -  20 would be more suitable. 

[PJ_model_trains]

My advice was to run at half speed - thats on DCC. R-

 

When setting the Dapol Track Cleaner wagon in Train settings list in RM

I first set up CV 099

I am then asked the cruise and shunt speeds, it is these speeds I am enquiring about.

Not the speed of a train pulling the track cleaning wagon.

I am on DCC

I think it depends on what accessory you are using at the time if using the vacuum then use the cruise speed at 35-40 but if using the buffer & polisher then, It needs to be slower so shunt at 15 -  20 would be more suitable. 

Hi tibrahim

That would make sense, I didn't want to set the settings to high.

When I set it up in RM it didn't set th speeds, it left me to add them.  I set at 15mph and 40mph but wondered if 40 was to high, hence my question on here.

PJ

[PJ_model_trains]

I would agree, Dapol say in their blurb its better to run at slow speed.

Hi

I did wonder if it was run the motor/fan in the track cleaner at low speed. Or run the train pulling the track cleaner at low speed

PJ

[RB51]

Hi

I did wonder if it was run the motor/fan in the track cleaner at low speed. Or run the train pulling the track cleaner at low speed

PJ

 

Good morning PJ - just want to make sure we are all on the same page. The decoder chip DCC ID you set up for the track cleaner only controls the speed of the "fan" in the cleaner, The speed of the loco pulling it is controlled using it's own DCC ID. If you stop the loco the fan keeps running until you stop that. I didn't enter any speeds for the track cleaner in the loco set-up page. I suppose you could make the track cleaner and loco up as a consist - but that might not be helpful. Was that your understanding? R-

[PJ_model_trains]

Hello Roger

Firstly, yes the train has its own DCC chip and is set up as we do, my consideration is run the train slowly to have more chanceto pick up anything with the vacuum..

Now the track cleaning wagon.

The CV was set at 099

I went to the train icon, set up locomotive. 

Set the CV to 099 but as it is not an Hornby item and not in the Train list it needed setting up manually.

To complete the set up and save it needs the user to ad d the cruise and shunt speeds, this is where I put in 40 cruise, 15 shunt.  But did wonder if 40 was to high.

After saving, I control the train i the normal way in RM and run the track cleaner from the same area, having switched it on on the wagon first.

PJ

[PJ_model_trains]

At first I got two speeds from the fan, slow and fast.

Now I only get slow and wonder if 40mph was to fast?

PJ

[RB51]

Ah yes - I remember now. When I set my cleaner up I used an entry in the roster that was for a loco that I dont have any longer. So my cleaner became that loco if you like. It was a shunter so had 10 MPH for SHUNT and 30 MPH for CRUISE, but to be honest I dont use them I just push the throttle slider to around the halfway mark which is 20 MPH.  Why you havn't got both settings now though is a mystery to me. The pamphlet says that too high a speed will melt the solder on the motor contacts. Surely then though you would have no motor at all. R-

[PJ_model_trains]

Oh dear

May be I need to open it and have a look but not got time today  ;o(

I only run it half way round one loop at 40mph then stopped it as  I was concerned maybe speed to high at 40mph

I think I will reset as a shunter first

[RB51]

As you have one speed I think internally it should be OK. if the motor contacts had melted you wouldn't have any motor functionality at all. Maybe the decoder needs to be re-set? Just a thought. R-

[St1ngr4y]

As you have one speed I think internally it should be OK. if the motor contacts had melted you wouldn't have any motor functionality at all. Maybe the decoder needs to be re-set? Just a thought. R-

Has anyone mentioned yet that the Track Cleaner has its own overload protection built in. The motor will stop if it detects overheating. You then need to wait a few minutes to let it cool down again. So be aware of this in case you think it is a fault.

Ray

[RB51]

I wan't aware of that Ray, thanks for passing it on. If the overload protection had cut in though there would be no motor function at all I guess? R-

[PJ_model_trains]

As you have one speed I think internally it should be OK. if the motor contacts had melted you wouldn't have any motor functionality at all. Maybe the decoder needs to be re-set? Just a thought. R-

Good point Roger

Thank you

[PJ_model_trains]

As you have one speed I think internally it should be OK. if the motor contacts had melted you wouldn't have any motor functionality at all. Maybe the decoder needs to be re-set? Just a thought. R-

Has anyone mentioned yet that the Track Cleaner has its own overload protection built in. The motor will stop if it detects overheating. You then need to wait a few minutes to let it cool down again. So be aware of this in case you think it is a fault.

Ray

 

No one thought of this Ray

Thank you

Strange I am just getting the slow speed now?

I will reset the decoder later and then set up as a shunter, I will leave an update once I have had chance to do so.

Thanks for all your help guys

PJ

[96RAF]

The cleaner wagon decoder only runs the Hoover fan/grinder/polisher motor so I set both shunt and cruise to 100. Setting up values for the traction unit is another thing.

[PJ_model_trains]

The cleaner wagon decoder only runs the Hoover fan/grinder/polisher motor so I set both shunt and cruise to 100. Setting up values for the traction unit is another thing.

Hi RAF

Set shunt and cruise to 100 what mph?  Have I misunderstood something here?

PJ

[Fishmanoz]

Whatever you do, don't set it to 100 Watts!

 

I think he is saying run it flat out all the time PJ.  Which makes sense as long as that doesn't lead to overheating. Why would you ever want to run the cleaner at a lower power?

[PJ_model_trains]

Whatever you do, don't set it to 100 Watts!

 

I think he is saying run it flat out all the time PJ.  Which makes sense as long as that doesn't lead to overheating. Why would you ever want to run the cleaner at a lower power?

 

I ran it at 40mph and thought it sounded to fast so half way round stopped it.

It has not run right since!!!!

In the last hour I reset decoder cv8 to 8 then changed cv 3 to 99

Result not good. I will have to open it, either motor runs slow or fan is slow or visa versa. 

I thought it had a cut out to stop over heating, someone else said this. I didn't think setting at 40 mph would be to high. I am now thinking eithor motor or fan has burnt out. I hope not but will find out.

[RB51]

Hi PJ - what do you mean by "Result not good"? what happens now. R-

[PJ_model_trains]

Hi PJ - what do you mean by "Result not good"? what happens now. R-

Hello Roger

Something is running inside, motor or fan? But slow speed only. I will need to open it to find out what.

I reset the decoder CV 8 to 008, then changed item CV 003 to 099

I train/loco set up I called up a shunter and set speeds at 20mph and 10mph.

Then tested it, result not good!   As above, something running but slow speed only.

PJ

[St1ngr4y]

Hi PJ - what do you mean by "Result not good"? what happens now. R-

Hello Roger

Something is running inside, motor or fan? But slow speed only. I will need to open it to find out what.

I reset the decoder CV 8 to 008, then changed item CV 003 to 099

I train/loco set up I called up a shunter and set speeds at 20mph and 10mph.

Then tested it, result not good!   As above, something running but slow speed only.

PJ

Hi PJ,

I assume the 20mph and 30mph apply to the loco which is pulling the track cleaner? But what speed are you running the track cleaner motor?

Try experimenting with the track cleaner without a pulling loco, stationary in a siding until you are happy with the speed of the track cleaner motor. You can even take it off the track, stand it upside down and attach a set of crocodile clips between the wheels and track, then you will be able to see the fan rotating.

Ray