# Happy Camper



## daveh219 (Sep 16, 2012)

:smilie_daumenpos:Boy...am I a Happy Camper. Yesterday got a phone call from another club member who was doing an appraisal on some AF. Said he had a NKP 080 that I might be interested in. After avoiding the radar spots that were set up I arrived and found not only the 080 BUT a 332, both in the original wrappers. Come to fine out the "owner" who was selling them for his recdntly deceased father used to own/run the coffee shop we/I frequested while I was "on the job" here in Lincoln. He recognized me immeadiatly and eventually gave me a hell of a deal. Pics below...

Question...I'm in the process of cleaning the Northern and when I got the armature and magnet assembly out it was definatelly magnetized. Now I've worked on AF engines for a while and this is the first one that was magnetized. The Flyer Factory manual said that it was tested with *AC* which I think is standard. But I got nothing when I attached it to a Lionel trans. Now the Question...WHERE did the magnetic property come from???


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

THOSE ARE BOTH DC ENGINES-DO NOT APPLY AC POWER-IT WILL BURN OUT THE MOTOR. Sorry for the caps but these are DC only and it only takes about 10 seconds of AC at 15V to burn out the commutator windings. The Fields are AlNiCo permanent magnets.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

The 342DC has the somewhat rare version of the tender without the white outline around the Nickel Plate Road logo. You can just buy a cheap 5A bridge rectifier to run the engines with an existing transformer. You will also need a DPDT switch to change direction. These are a great find in this condition.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

Sorry for the multiple posts, one more piece of info. All your other Gilbert engines will run just fine on DC. They have universal motors.


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## daveh219 (Sep 16, 2012)

Tom...that's kinda what I thought...but aside from a rectifier could i just use a HO transformer???


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

You can try, it will not hurt anything. As I recall HO power packs are rated in VA. These engines will take at least a 50VA rating without passenger cars and without accessories connected. A 35VA power pack should run the engine but over time it could damage electronic parts in the power pack. The Gilbert DC supplies were 15V output voltage, as I recall most HO power packs had 12V output. The engines should run fine at 12V but with a heavy load of cars the pulling power will be diminished.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Hate to cut in on Dave's post but since you are talking AC DC. Does a 282 do AC?


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

No problem. Yes a 282 (another very nice engine) is designed for AC. It has a four position reverse unit in the tender. As above, it will also run on DC if you wish to do so.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Thanks


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## daveh219 (Sep 16, 2012)

Tom...went to my local Radio Shack and bought the 25 amp model - according to Barker's Repair Guide. NOW my question...according to Tom's book two attachments to the front and read trucks - and two to the brushes. Problem is this 332 only has two connections from the trucks on the fiber panel...which according to another post makes it a 1948 DC unit. So you suggest soldering wires from the brush holders to the remaining wires? Secondly...this will only work for the 332...and I have the Nickle Plate 080 remaining. Plenty of room in the 332 but not in the NKP. Will I have to use the other RS item for the transformer only??

Sorry for the extended rambling...hope it all makes sense...


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

If I follow your post, you have purchased 25A bridge rectifiers and are planning to put them in the engines. If so this allows these engines to be run on AC track power. It has been a long time since I looked at Tom Barkers book so I do not recall how he handled the reversing chores with the SIB and SIT variations. It sounds like you have one of each. I am on a trip and will not return until Saturday to look at his book. 
I would propose just use the rectifier at the output of the transformer, wire it through a DPDT switch so you can reverse the engines, then connect that output to the track terminal. Way less work, that is how Gilbert designed the engines to work, and all of the non DC Gilbert engines work the same as if AC power was on the track. Just do not put any modern Legacy engines on the track. What Barker is doing is showing how to modify a Gilbert DC engine so it can be operated with AC power. Nothing wrong with that but it is a lot more work.
I hope I did not misunderstand your post.


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## daveh219 (Sep 16, 2012)

Tom...thanks for the feedback. I think I;ll get the other bridge rectified for the transformer and work it that way. Thanks again...


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