Conversion of a Ringfield motor loco

[Flashbang]

There are a number of requests posted on the forum from those who wish to convert older Ringfield motor locos to DCC. Here is my basic conversion method.....

This DCC conversion will require a bit more work than a basic Plug & play or simple hard

wired conversion of some locos, but it is possible to do with care.
Initially and before any conversion is considered you MUST ensure the loco runs faultlessly on dc power. It must not have any hesitancy to start or suffer from any poor performance issues

when running on dc power. If it does then service the loco - Lightly lubricate all moving parts, clean the motors copper commutator - a fibre pencil is the ideal tool. Ensure the carbon brushes are in good order and their tension springs are also ok too. Replacement

spares are available if needed.

If it still won't run perfectly on dc then converting it will make it far worse and really the loco is only suitable for dc running, so either sell it or keep it in the display cabinet.

Assuming now the loco is

running well on dc, then carry out these next two tests –
1. Carry out a normal loading and stall load motor current test. This will allow you to choose a decoder that can handle the normal and stall current demands of the motor. Note: Some decoders have

quite low motor current rating and these will shut down if the loading is too great for them. So choose a decoder with a higher rated normal running specification than that obtained.
To test the motors current you will need a dc reading Amp meter with

a range of 0 to 2.0 Amp, a piece of track not connected to any railway and a dc controller. Connect the meter between one set of track output terminals and one rail. Connect a suitable piece of wire from the other track output to the other rail. Place loco

under test on the track and place a finger in front of the loco to prevent it moving forwards. Turn on controller to full power. With the locos wheels slipping note the normal loading current on the meter. Now do the same, but this time prevent the locos wheels

form turning and again note the reading. This is the Stall current. ON NO ACCOUNT ALLOW THE LOCO TO REMAIN STALLED FOR MORE THAN 4 SECONDS!

2. Remove the motor bogie from the chassis and unclip all wires on the motor brush retaining strips (Silver coloured

strips). If there are more than one wire per strip do ensure these wires from any one side are kept together in their bunch. Now with the aid or a multimeter set onto its OHMs range or use a simple battery powered buzzer and two test leads check the left-hand

silver brush strip has no connection to the motor bogies wheels or the metal work of the chassis around the motor. Test by placing one test lead onto the left-hand silver brush strip and with the other lead touching it onto the metal chassis and then in turn

all wheels. No reading or buzz should be seen. If a reading is obtained or the buzzer sounds then THIS CONNECTION MUST BE REMOVED when found by the testing.
Failure to remove any connection will result in immediate decoder failure on applying DCC power!



It should be noted there are three basic types of Ringfield motors....
Type 1. Normally has a short wire fitted onto the left-hand brush strips connector tag and the wires other end is connected to a push on spade connector fitted onto the

metal chassis.
This wire is removed from the motor tag but left in place on the motors chassis, the wires free end tag is cut off and the wire end stripped of its insulation a little – about 5mm removed will be ideal. The left-hand brush strip is now tested

as per the above procedure and should show there is no connection between the left-hand strip and metal chassis or any wheels. If all is correct, then connect the decoders Red wire to the end of the wire previously stripped. Make the connection by soldering

the two wires to form an in-line joint. Cover the joint with PVC tape or better still is to use Heat shrink tubing placed onto one wire before twisting and soldering the joint. Then once the joint has cooled, slide the tubing down over the joint so as the

joint is fully covered and the outer ends of the tube are on both wires insulation. Shrink down the tube by using he heat from the soldering iron. Proceed on with the rest of the wiring as per the ‘Next Stage’ paragraph further down this item.

[b]Type

2[/b]…. Often there is a connection via the U shaped metal loop holding the left-hand brush tab in place. Also behind this tab is a small metal 'pip' touching onto the rear of the tab. The connection MUST be totally removed. Here, insulate the tab and

then carefully reassemble and test again once reassembled. No reading or buzz should be observed.

Type 3....The other style of connection is via the left-hand brush strips metal retaining screw. Again this MUST be insulated. Use either

a Nylon screw in place of the existing metal one (These Nylon screws are a little hard to find!) Or use Heat shrink tubing over the head and a tiny part of the thread below the screw head. Carefully shrink down the tubing and very carefully refit screw. Again

after reassembly retest the brush strip to the wheels and metal chassis - No connection must be present.

Next Stage…Once you have proved conclusively that the left-hand motor brush strip is no longer in connection to the wheels or metal of the

motor chassis. Then proceed by make a soldered in-line joint between the wire(s) removed from the right-hand strip and the decoders Black wire. Cover the joint in PVC tape or use Heat Shrinkable tubing slipped onto one wire before twisting them together and

soldering.

Solder the decoders Grey wire to the left-hand motor strip and the Orange wire to the right-hand strip.

You can if wished remove the suppressor capacitor soldered across the two brush strips. Removing the capacitor will never make

a loco perform any worse and often can improve its DCC performance, but the final choice is up to the person doing the conversion.
If the loco suffers from poor performance once converted and the capacitor has been left in place it’s a simple matter of

snipping the leads of the capacitor off close to where they are soldered and remove the capacitor.

Place loco onto the Programming track and set its address to something other than the 03 default one the decoder is supplied with new.

Now place

the loco onto the main track and check it operates correctly on its new address number.
If the loco runs the opposite way from that shown on the DCC console, swap over the Grey and Orange wires on the two motor brush strips. Alternatively you can use the

“Change direction of travel” command pre set in the DCC console or if wished adjust CV29 to allow opposite direction travel.

[Flashbang]

Sorry, there is an ommison in the above.
ADMIN... If you wish you can remove this post. remove the paragraph in the above and paste the below text in its place?


The paragraph headed "Next Stage" should read as below.....

Next

Stage… Once you have proved conclusively that the left-hand motor brush strip is no longer in connection to the wheels or metal of the motor chassis. Then proceed by making a soldered in-line joint between the wire(s) removed from the right-hand strip and

the decoders Black wire. Cover the joint in PVC tape or use Heat Shrinkable tubing slipped onto one wire before twisting them together and soldering. If the Red decoder wire hasn’t been connected then you now need to make this connection to the metal of the

motor bogie chassis. How this is done depends on the motor type. Sometimes a fixing screw can be loosened and the red wire wrapped around the screw and it then tightened or a small hole can be drilled into the metal and a small self tapping screw driven in

then undone a little and again the red decoders wire wrapped around that screw head and the screw then tightened down again. If drilling a hole, do ensure no metal drilling swarf can enter the motor or be attracted by the motors magnet! Place masking tape

over the whole motor area if possible while drilling to prevent swarf entering the motor. Carefully remove all the tape once drilling is complete. I haven’t so far found it possible to successfully solder a connection onto the motors chassis metal.
Solder

the decoders Grey wire to the left-hand motor strip and the Orange wire to the right-hand strip.

[HooliganHedgehog]

Thanks Flashbang. Used your instructions to convert an old ringfield today (06/02/14) ......totally painless. Thank you.

[96RAF]

I have a Class 56 Railroad with a Type 6 ringfield 3-pole motor.

The conversion is similar to FBs writeup except there is no metal chassis, so we only have 2 pickup wires at one end and only one wire at the other (motor) end.

The motor has the usual tangle of wiring which I unsoldered completely.

The motor bogie has a wiper pickup strip flat across all 3 axles and this terminates in a red wire originally attached to one of the motor brushes. This wire now goes to one of the decoder motor pins.

The dummy bogie has a red and a black wire originally attached to the motor but again these are disconnected and go to the decoder motor pins.

The model also has directional lighting using small bulbs shining into white and red prisms at each end. The result is a flare of multi coloured light in the direction the loco is going. I disconnected these completely and intend to install an Express Models lighting kit.

[96RAF]

I have a Class 56 Railroad with a Type 6 ringfield 3-pole motor.

The conversion is similar to FBs writeup except there is no metal chassis, so we only have 2 pickup wires at one end and only one wire at the other (motor) end.

The motor has the usual tangle of wiring which I unsoldered completely.

The motor contacts are now wired to the decoder socket motor pins.

The motor bogie has a single wiper pickup strip flat across all 3 axles and this terminates in a red wire originally attached to one of the motor brushes. This wire now goes to one of the decoder socket Track pins.

The dummy bogie has a red and a black wire originally attached to the motor but again these are disconnected and go to the decoder socket Track pins, checking polarity matches the motor bogie wire.

The model also has directional lighting using small bulbs shining into white and red prisms at each end. The result is a flare of multi coloured light in the direction the loco is going. I disconnected these completely and intend to install an Express Models lighting kit.

 

I must have had my la-la head on when I originally posted this. Corrective amendments shown in bold above.

[Graskie]

Would Fishy be able to munch his way through one of them, do you think?