N scale Siemens SC-44 Charger????

[spookshow]

I don't remember. I just remember that the speaker isn't attached to anything inside the fuel tank.

-Mark

[peteski]

I don't remember. I just remember that the speaker isn't attached to anything inside the fuel tank.

-Mark

The speaker enclosure makes huge difference in the sound quality (regardless of whether the speaker/enclosure combo is attached to anything or loosely floats in the cavity.

Also,if anything, it would make most sense for the speaker system to be attached to the chassis, not to the fuel tank.

[tehachapifan]

If the speaker or speaker/enclosure is loose in that cavity (I'm using cavity instead of enclosure here to avoid confusion), it could lead to unwanted noise from vibration. These speakers vibrate at a very fast rate and if part of it is (loosely) contacting the surrounding cavity, it could manifest as severe crackling or static-like sounds, especially if the cavity is made of rigid plastic or metal.

Also, if there's indeed a speaker loosely sitting in that cavity with no sealed enclosure attached to it, you could expect nothing but terrible noise. The cavity alone is not going to cut it, unless the speaker is sealed against the side with the perforations (so long as the perforations don't extend beyond the L x W dimensions of the speaker) and the rest of the cavity forms a sealed enclosure. One side of the speaker has to be completely isolated from the other side or bad things tend to happen.

[spookshow]

It'd be easy enough to check out (for the guy who is having the problems) - just unscrew the two screws and see what's going on in there.

-Mark

[peteski]

And I had another serious brain fart!  I thought this was a Kato Charger thread, and you got a Kato loco with sound decoder installed.  Those 2 parallel Charger threads are confusing (since the manufacturer is not identified in the subject line here). 

[tehachapifan]

Looks like I'm going to need to send my Bachmann unit in for warranty repair, as the front headlight stays on at full brightness all the time with track power. It won't dim or go out with F0 or with change of direction.

Speaking of track power, are these units supposed to have the prime mover start up when track power is turned on? If so, is there a way to change it so the startup only occurs when a function key is hit?

[simsuper80]

Anyone having issues with there sound decoders? Two of the 3 chargers I have now sound horrible.

3rd one now sounds bad. I'm bracing myself for the alc-42s to have the same fate. For now they still sound good

[Dwight in Toronto]

Interesting.  I swore off Bachmann N scale products after getting burned too many times in the past, and rightly or wrongly, continue to avoid the brand to this day. 

The chip on my shoulder is still there, but it sounds like they may possibly have turned a corner.  I’ll be sitting on the fence, waiting to see how these SC-44’s are faring a year or two from now.  Fingers crossed -  I genuinely hope that these locos remain stellar performers for you guys, and it would be wonderful if this turns out to be a harbinger of more good things to come.

Apologies, but I couldn’t resist quoting my own post from a couple of years back regarding my (ongoing) avoidance of Bachmann products.

It’s disappointing to see a few reports cropping up that may be early indicators that the brand might still be characterized by product deterioration. 

[simsuper80]

Apologies, but I couldn’t resist quoting my own post from a couple of years back regarding my (ongoing) avoidance of Bachmann products.

It’s disappointing to see a few reports cropping up that may be early indicators that the brand might still be characterized by product deterioration.

See this thread:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=58991.0

Fortunately is an easy fix. Everyone kept telling me that I had a blown speaker and that there was nothing I could do except replace it.