Model Railway Forum

A small problem with a vintage CDU from my old layout that got a bit knocked about during 12 years' storage in the attic. In short, the capacitors (Gaugemaster's original one plus two boosters I put on myself) have come adrift and I'm not sure how the thing should go back together. A visit to Gaugemaster's site and Google didn't reveal anything; all I found was modern, more sophisticated stuff. Can someone help me with this, please? It's the old CDU that consisted of just a bit of copper-clad paxolin, a capacitor and a diode.

Cheers and many thanks,
Artur

Artur, new ones are very inexpensive. Just get a new one ordered from GM.

Agreed, get a new one. Old electrolytic capacitors can dry out and not work properly.

Good idea, Steve; in fact, I've already done that. I was just hoping to use this old one in the meantime to test my SM3 point motors (legacy of the old layout). Some of them are a bit obstinate on just plain 16V AC.

À propos, can anyone please tell me also if there's a lubricant I can squirt into an SM3 without gumming it up permanently? I'm reluctant to flush the thing out with petrol or whatever in case I dissolve the varnish on the solenoid windings.

Cheers and many thanks,
Artur

Sorry, Rog, your comment landed while I was drafting. I didn't realise that about capacitors drying out. Thank you for pointing that out.

Hi
The Gaugemaster CDU is a good purchase. But if you want more capacitance look at the offerings from Blocksignalling. http://www.blocksignalling.co.uk/index. ... du2c-cdu4c

On Seep and the occasionally a Peco PL10 I use a contact cleaner spray sold under the Electrolube label. Like this eBay example.. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Electrolube- ... 1583810602

Arthur I am sure I’ve got something kicking around will have a look if your interested. Just pay postage

Many thanks again for your feedback, gentlemen. I have already ordered a Gaugemaster CDU and will see how that goes. If any of those old SM3s still dig their heels in, I'll have to see if I can't soup up the CDU with a few more μF. That certainly worked on the old setup, no ifs and buts. What I will not need is to throw several points at once. On the old layout it was always sufficient to push the one button a couple of times. I'll get some Electrolube as well.

Cheers,
Artur

Be careful of over powering CDUs. I replaced all my solenoid point motors with slow action ones as the plastic point tie bars were being damaged.

Oh dear TWD that is unfortunate. Practically all the points on my loft layout were operated via a hefty CDU for many years. They are still in use on my new layout without motors.

Hmm, bit of a dilemma, that. I'll see how the standard CDU goes and take it from there. Thanks for your comments, gentlemen. Sorry, Wtd, I don't quite follow; have you gone back to Mercontrol levers and tube and wire?

Cheers,
Artur