A Loose Wire

[2027Joe]

Hi All

I have recently purchased a Lima Class 52, "Western Renown".

I opened it up to give it a quick check and service, but saw that there is a green wire that is not connected at one end.

See pictures....

Can anyone tell me what this wire is, where it should connect to and is it necessary !!

At the moment the loco runs well in both directions, so I am not too sure about this wire.

[RFS]

I think it's the pickup wire from the right-hand bogie's wheels. You've still got pickup from the left-hand bogie which is why it runs well. Seems to me it needs to be soldered back to the tabs where the black wire is - ie the adjacent tab.

[2027Joe]

Robert

Thank you for that.

I will try it to see if it works.

I did wonder if that is where it should be, but was too worried to try it in case I burnt out the motor, or something.

Thank you

[Walkingthedog]

Don’t solder it to the tag above the bogie where the black wire is terminated it will short out the motor. Follow the black and green wire and you will see they are soldered to the brushes.

[RFS]

Don’t solder it to the tag above the bogie where the black wire is terminated it will short out the motor. Follow the black and green wire and you will see they are soldered to the brushes.

One end of the green wire is indeed soldered to the brushes, but the other end of this wire is taking the pickup from the trailing bogie which is where it needs to be re-connected.

[Walkingthedog]

But the black wire is attached to the tag above the bogie. Is there another tag for the green wire. I can’t see one.

The black wire is attached to the large tag that also holds the bogie in place. I can’t see another tag for the green wire.

[IanS]

Looking carefully at the second picture does show that the black is connected to the tag - and the right part of the motor (perfectly normal for ringfieild motor). The green is not 'normal' for them - the left part of the motor should be picking up from the power bogie right side and the back from the left side for the black.

I would cut the green so there is no loose bare wires and leave it unconnected. My guess is that someone has connected a light and used that green wire to one side and the black to the other for power. (With the addition of a diode, that is how Hornby connect their lights on some older locos that I've had).

[Walkingthedog]

I agree. I added extra pickups to the trailing bogie on a couple of my Lima diesels and ran a similar wire to the green one, through a hole in the chassis to the pickup. Perhaps this has been done and the wire came adrift. Like you say, cut it off.

[2027Joe]

Robert & WTD

I have touched the green wire to the tag on the trailing bogie and the loco refused to move.
I have had a good look and I cannot see any other tags to which the green wire should be soldered to.

One end of the green wire is indeed soldered to the brushes on one side with a smaller wire from that going down to the bogie chassis, (I think !). But where the other end of the green wire should go,I don't know.

[Walkingthedog]

Cut off the bare end or the whole wire to be safe.