Replacement of the Circuit Board and adding a Keep Alive in a small space for UP 1148
This locomotive is a Bachmann switcher with full DCC and Sound. The locomotive was having issues in the forward direction. Testing showed the circuit driving the forward direction was defective. Unfortunately, the replacement of that part means the replacement of the whole board. Bachmann caries replacement parts and had one shipped out to me within a day.
Removal of the old board which used the common plastic press-on wire holders to attach the wires. I found that the red (engineers' side) wire on the rear truck was broken in the connector. This broken wire explained the issues that the locomotive was having on turnouts. The red wire had corrosion on the connection under the plastic clip.
All the connections were nicely labeled for their use and the wires matched most of the NMRA RP for color.
Finding a location to install a Keep Alive was an issue on this size locomotive.
Removing the rear transition cover and bord holder allowed for space for a set of capacitors of the Keep Alive. It also supplied threaded mounting holes and screws on which I mounted, and scratch made plate of Evergreen Plastic.
After rechecking the polarity of the location for the Keep Alive I installed it on the bottom of the board.
At this point the board was ready to reinstall in the locomotive.
A final wiring of the locomotive and it was ready to be tested and programed as this was a new board it needed to have the CV values of the old board.
With everything checked UP 1148 was ready to return to service.
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