Fitting Sound to New Hornby Black 5

[zr2498]

The project for the Black 5 (Caprotti version), includes some changes to the couplings and lamps, as well as this sound installation.

Here is a link to the modification:

 

The sound project will be done in a number of stages. Initially, a sound decoder and speaker, and then dealing with lamps, firebox flicker and perhaps a stay alive if enough space can be found.

 

This is the kit used for the sound installation:

 

 

The Locoman Sounds Black 5 projects are excellent, and for the Caprotti I have selected the 'Alternative' version.

 

The tender design is quite different to the older model, as the chassis is die cast, negating extra weights, and the speaker enclosure included is large for fitting a standard sugar cube speaker.

 

 

It is quite a neat installation, ready for a 21 pin decoder.

 

 

However, in my usual fashion I would like to install a more powerful speaker, so much of the assembly will be removed / modified.

PC Board removed.

 

 

Speaker enclosure removed.

 

 

To get a large speaker in place, and to relocate the PC board / decoder the coal pan would need to be removed.

 

 

 

 

The largest ESU passive radiator speaker was selected.

 

 

The lugs were removed.

 

 

A photo was taken of the underside of the PC board as this info will be needed for future wiring changes.

 

 

To support the speaker, and give clearance to the tender wheels, a couple of styrene strip were added to the chassis.

 

 

Original parts from the speaker enclosure could be used to support the PC board in the new location, at the tender front end.

 

 

 

This top piece was modified, and some mounting pieces made for the new platform.

 

 

 

Platform installed, with 10mm clearance from the centre line of the tender body fixing screws.

 

 

To protect wires from the tender wheels at the front end, a piece was cut from the bottom part of the speaker enclosure assembly.

 

 

 

Installation using the original screw. The speaker was fixed with black tac.

 

 

Packing of the wires under the PC Board.

 

 

Decoder installed, and speaker wires connected. At this stage the rear lamp is disconnected. It would need extension wires if plugged back to the PC board

 

 

Tender body fiitted.

 

 

With a small piece trimmed from the vertical section of the coal load, it fits above the decoder

 

Test run and the volume, base and treble CVs adjusted.

Great sound from the Locoman Sounds project. Well worth the installation of the ESU speaker. These speakers are becoming my preferred choice.

 

Edited Saturday at 07:24 by zr2498
Spelling

[trw1089]

Well done on the installation,  very neat work.  Those new ESU speakers are brilliant.

 

Cheers

Tony

[zr2498]

I opened up the Black 5 loco today to see what might be done with the lighting and firebox flicker control.

Unfortunately all of the wiring colours bear no relation to those in the tender, making identification a pain.

 

 

A view of the LED for firebox flicker.

 

 

Smokebox door detached (magnet fixing).

 

 

The loco PC board. There appears to be a J7 place for another plug. I wonder if that is for a steam generator, but only has track feeds L and R? This board does help to identify the wires though, assuming the symbols on the board are correct!

 

 

As can be seen, the board for the firebox flicker is buried under the motor, and it isn't even possible to see how it is connected. It is on permanently so only takes track feed.

 

 

The new Hornby 9F firebox flicker board was so much easier to get access to, and changing the wiring to be decoder function driven was relatively easy.

 

 

So, not sure if the modification for firebox flicker is worthwhile. As this loco was primarily designed for the HM7000 decoders, I have tried to get some idea about which wires to use, if the usual AUX 1 function (as with ESU) is to be used.

 

Here is a diagram of the wires running through the coupling:

 

 

And a diagram from the Hornby decoder manual.

 

 

From this, it seems that the green wire is for Aux 1 (they call HF03). This corresponds to A4 green wire, and the common would be HFO common, as GND on the loco PC board.

So, if I can get access to the firebox flicker board, then cut and connect the wire going into A4, and 'tie in' to the common GND for the return?

I wonder if Hornby technical would answer a couple of queries on this. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[trw1089]

It looks to me that I would connect the green to Aux 1 and blue to common positive and that would get you the correct flicker functioning.  I think they have mislabelled the loco PC board as GND appears to be common positive, but they are really confusing the wiring colours as per the attached markup, so just check again that this goes to U+ on the ESU decoder.  Honestly, this is why I tend to chuck out a lot of the built in boards and just wire up myself, at least I know what everything does then!

 

The file itself carries the latest firmware that synchronises the LED brightness to the exhaust chuffs and is quite effective, making sure that Aux1 is set to smart firebox.  I actually use the two Aux 1 positions with Aux 1 (1) as smart firebox as per normal, but Aux1 (2) as smart firebox with the brightness turned down to 8 (with LED mode on) and have that turned on by default on F1.  That way when you turn on the sound you get a dull flickering glow which will pulse with the exhaust, but when the random coal shovelling comes on or is set by pressing the F10 key, you get increased brightness as if the firebox door is opened.

 

Good luck and feel free to PM me if you need any more insight or help with the file.

 

Cheers
Tony

[zr2498]

20 hours ago, trw1089 said:

It looks to me that I would connect the green to Aux 1 and blue to common positive and that would get you the correct flicker functioning.  I think they have mislabelled the loco PC board as GND appears to be common positive, but they are really confusing the wiring colours as per the attached markup, so just check again that this goes to U+ on the ESU decoder.  Honestly, this is why I tend to chuck out a lot of the built in boards and just wire up myself, at least I know what everything does then!

 

The file itself carries the latest firmware that synchronises the LED brightness to the exhaust chuffs and is quite effective, making sure that Aux1 is set to smart firebox.  I actually use the two Aux 1 positions with Aux 1 (1) as smart firebox as per normal, but Aux1 (2) as smart firebox with the brightness turned down to 8 (with LED mode on) and have that turned on by default on F1.  That way when you turn on the sound you get a dull flickering glow which will pulse with the exhaust, but when the random coal shovelling comes on or is set by pressing the F10 key, you get increased brightness as if the firebox door is opened.

 

Good luck and feel free to PM me if you need any more insight or help with the file.

 

Cheers
Tony

Tony

Thanks for the help. This gives me some reassurance that I may be on the right track. I agree GND should be Common Positive, and I am guessing A4 which is the green wire in the tender = Aux 1. I will check that connection goes from the tender. through the coupling and to A4 on the loco board.

I really like the idea of using the firebox flicker in two modes, and may come back to on that one when modifying the functions with the Lokprogrammer.

Dave

PS Steamsounds AU - is there a connection?

Edited Monday at 19:54 by zr2498