Tommys Marklin AC to DC Conversion

[@breintonjunction791]

Good morning Paul, another great conversation I wouldn’t have a clue where to start thanks for sharing cheers al

[@paulvozman842]

Hi Al, I wanted to try this conversion for some time, luckily the motor was DC and the Loco was quite easy to work on. Thanks for watching, have a great week. Cheers, Paul.👍👍👍

[@2010ditta]

Well done Paul on the conversion. It looks great running with the wagons. All the best.

[@paulvozman842]

Hi Tim, quite pleased how it turned out, runs well but still new so needs running in. Cheers, Paul.👍👍👍

[@railway187]

Hi Paul, what a great conversion, I would never have succeeded! As for the pickup: I understand the locomotive is only one axle driven? That's a problem then indeed. However, maybe the locomotive would pull good enough without traction tires? In that case you could fit regular pickups. But indeed, the external pickups are hardly visible, especially when watched from above. Great project 👏👍 Now you can add any Märklin you want, there are sometimes great deals on secondhand Märklin. However, the older models definitely have AC motors, so you would have to change that. Great video! Have a nice Sunday evening! Cheers 🙋‍♂️ Erik PS: Märklin Hamo models run on DC straight out of the box 😊

[@paulvozman842]

Hi Erik, The rear axle has a drive gear fitted to the negative side which means I could not remove the traction tires. I did this conversion purely to see if I could do it as simply as possible. After some trial and error I found fitting Skids at the rear solved the pickup issue. I wont be converting any more Marklin Locos, this was a one off project that luckily worked out ok due to the 12v DC motor it had. There is a bit of drag from the front axles as they are close together especially on the tighter curves. Hopefully a good running in period will help settles things down as its all new running gear. I would be interested in a Hammo or Trix DC Loco if the prices were reasonable. Cheers, Paul.👍👍👍

[@Imieitrenimodello]

Great job dear Paul,your conversion is perfet and loco runs very well have a lot of fun all the best and thumbs up alberto 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@paulvozman842]

Hi Alberto, thank you my friend for your kind comments its most appreciated. Have a great week. Chow, Paulo.👍👍👍🙏🙏

[@carlgauntletttrains3026]

Hi Paul, A real nice conversion and a nice looking loco. You had a good buy there.. I like the european diesels, there,s something about them. All the best butty. Carl. Nice to see you back.

[@paulvozman842]

Hi Carl, This was something I have been thinking of doing for a long time, luckily the Loco had a 12v DC motor which really helped. I have a number of European Shunters as you say there is something about them. Have a great week, Cheers, Paul.👍👍👍

[@michaeldavies9600]

Hello Paul! I was just wondering where you had got to,and up you pop ! You are right it is blooming hot,it's 80 in my North facing train room! You have done a great job there another super smooth runner well done you :) Take care Paul and all the best.

[@paulvozman842]

Hi Michael, I had a bit of a break from the attic and did a lot of work outside to the pool area. The railways are definately for the cooler weather. I had to use my old brain on this conversion mostly with the pickups and getting them just right. I need to run it in to settle things down as its all new but when its cooler. Have a great week, Cheers, Paul.👍👍👍

[@bobo327]

Hello. Very nice video😊

[@paulvozman842]

Hi, thanks for watching and the kind comment. Best Regards, Paul.👍👍👍

[@robertneill3057]

Would check to see if the Marklin motor has 4 wires. 2 of them will be the armature, with the other 2 being the field coils. If the motor is series wound, a bridge rectifier could be used to convert to DC operation with the armature on the rectifier's DC output. The field coils would wired in series with one of the rectifer's AC inputs. Pre 1962 Hornby Duplo was also 3 rail operation.

[@paulvozman842]

Hi Robert thanks for watching and the information on the motors. I am in no way an expert on electronics I like to keep things simple. When I removed the Loco body the first thing I noticed was the motor is practically the same as the 5 pole Piko motors I use in many of my projects. I removed the motor and connected it to my DC Speed controller, it ran perfectly so there must have been a rectifier on the circuit board. Cheers, Paul.

[@robertneill3057]

@@paulvozman842 A complex issue would be the sections on the circuit board since you mentioned a directional light controller. Examination may establish what is what with basic electronic component knowledge. Not sure if an active rectifier method is used on the board and whether some of the components are associated with the light switching. The fairly large black 3 lead components are transistors probably of the Mosfet type.

[@Happynomad72]

Hi Paul, great conversion. It runs smoothly and quietly, great how you're willing to try anything, keep the videos coming, enjoy watching 👌👍👏

[@paulvozman842]

Hi Martin, It worked out quite well in the end, the biggest problem was solving the stalling on points but fitting skids cured that. Now it needs running in as its a new Loco. It was an interesting project and happy how it runs. Cheers, Paul.👍👍👍

[@fokusnikfim]

Hello Paul. Video Super Super. Klasse lakomotive 🛤️🚂🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌👍👍👍 Thanks.......FIM👮🚂🤚

[@paulvozman842]

Hi Fim, Glad you enjoyed it. Cheers, Paul.

[@stevenpeaketrainsandstuff3682]

Hi Paul, welcome back mate. Marklin do make 2 rail locos, from memory I think they are called Hammo. I like those little hydrolic diesels, I have something similar made by Flieschmann. It's an oldy but a goody, runs really well. I'm not sure I could do those conversions, but you have done a great job with this one. It runs very smoothly and will get better as everything meshes into place. Has it always been hot in the Summer where you live? Growing up I always imagined a hot day in England as about 25c. But your Summer temps sound a bit like the East Coast of Oz in Summer. Steven.

[@railway187]

Hi Steve, yes, Hamo was a brand bought by Märklin. It became the DC-line of Märklin. They are in fact for DC adapted Märklin models. Later Märklin bought Trix. So now the DC-versions of their rolling stock are sold under the Trix brand name. I have both Hamo and Trix. Older Hamo-models have very large flanges which can cause problems on some brands of modern rails. They run, just a bit noisy with the flanges hitting the sleepers.

[@stevenpeaketrainsandstuff3682]

@railway187 Thanks mate. I only have the one Hamo model, but it runs very well. Steven.

[@paulvozman842]

Hi Steven, took some time out from the sweat box attic and relaxed at the pool. I have heard Marklin made DC Locos under the Hammo and Trix brands but have never really thought about buying them. If I find them cheap enough then why not. I have 2 very small Shunters, one by Lilliput the other by Fleischmann they are very well made and reliable. This conversion is a one off, I just wanted to see how difficult going from AC to DC is. Luckily the motor is 12v DC so that made things easier. Drilling the wheels out to 3mm for unsulators was nerve racking but my shaking hands behaved this time. As you say a good running in period should settle things down as its a new loco with new pickups. The skids at the rear solved the stalling on points and are not very visible. Your right 25 to 26c is a heatwave in the UK, its strange but 26 feels more like 30 plus. There was a heatwave in 76 that lasted ages, I was working on ship engines in our local drydock at the time and had to take salt tablets and drink gallons of water. I dont know if you watch Brupeg where a Kiwi couple are rebuilding a trawler in Oz the heat is intense in the summer, I can imagine what they go through. Have a great week, looking forward to seeing more of your amazing Loco collection. Cheers, Paul. 😎👍👍👍

[@Cristake1974]

Hello, sir! Such a fine accomplishment, I always had a dislike for the AC system, and this extended a little bit over the AC models, too - not decisively, but a little bit. Of course, the displeasure magically disappears if the model has DC wheels instead of AC. :D On the other hand, the DHG700 Diesellok it's quite beautiful, and these for two reasons, from my point of view: first, it is a ~classical~ design Diesel machine, and second, it is similar to Romanian LDH45 and LDH70 diesels. The conversion is quite a great success, smooth run and good strength when hauling (those coal gondolas, I love them, CFR - Romanian State Railways company, had labeled them as ESX freight wagons). So the set you run in these video seems very much like a 60s-80s industrial train in my country. At some point, a certain toy factory of the socialist regime produced such a model, including a gondola and a closed wagon, but they were more like a gross model (with rubber transmission to the wheels) - well, for sentimental value, I love it, too. At 10:30 the freight train looks fantastic, cannot stop to admire it. Thanks a lot for sharing this experience, it is great! / Chris PS - One or two more conversions like this, and I think you can be ordained as a great archbishop of DC system - and this would be well deserved! Seriously speaking, and in another area, as yesterday I had a little medical control which revealed improvement on my heart state, I hope your health state is also better, I would be glad to hear so! Cheers! :)

[@paulvozman842]

Hi Chris, I have thought about trying to convert an AC Loco to DC for some tim. Luckliy this Marklin DHG 700 was a bargain so it gave me the chance to try it. The motor is 12v DC with a rectifier on the circuit board to change from AC, this made things much simpler. The main challenge was drilling the wheels accurately to take insulators, my shaky left hand behaved for once and the wheels dont wobble. As I showed in the video, the rear axle has traction tires so extra pickups were made (skids) to provide power to the motor. The 2 front axles were fitted with pickups but the wheelbase is short so stalling on points was avoided using the skids. It is a good looking Loco, quite basic in design but a nice square body. Thanks for the history of Romanian Railways and the Locos,wagons used. Its good to learn about European Rolling Stock. I have a Dacia Duster 1.5TDI 4X4 which I absolutely love, probably the best Car I have owned. I am not sue if I would convert another AC Loco but who knows, never say never. Good to hear your heart condition is improving it must make you happier knowing your on the mend. I badly sprained my left ankle early this morning working outside. Currently laid up with ice packs trying to reduce the swelling. Thanks as always for your great comments and interest in my Experiments. All the best, Paul.👍👍👍🙏🙏

[@Cristake1974]

@@paulvozman842 Sorry to hear about the ankle incident, I wish it will get well very soon. I had such an accident in a winter about 5 years ago, I had to hobble about 200 m to get home (happily, I live on the 4th floor, no elevator, lol). Well, some reward came: for some days, I did not have to go shopping, do the garbage or any other home job like this for a while, my dad did it for me. Best wishes! / Chris :)

[@paulvozman842]

@@Cristake1974Hi Chris, Sprained ankles are very painful, its not the first time for me but I had almost finished my work outside this morning. Luckily my Wife takes good care of me and is putting ice packs on it to get the swelling down. I will have a few days off now and try and relax, sadly getting to my layout in the attic is hard at the moment . Cheers, Paul.

[@ModelTrainOutsider]

Wow, Paul, I had a yeoman's knowledge of what to do, and my biggest question was, "how's he going change the wheels to insulated?" 3 of my current locos were DC converted to AC, so it's a topic I have some experience with. Great work in the end! I am curious how you handled the decoder, as you are analog. Anyhow, Welcome to the Märklin family! 😂😂😂

[@paulvozman842]

Hi Anthony, I was quite nervous drilling the wheels to fit insulators, my shaky left hand behaved itself and luckily the operation went well. I filed down the boss on the inner sides of the wheels and made some thin plastic washers to insulate the wheels from the chassis. I was lucky Marklin used a 12v DC motor in this model, it made the conversion much easier to do. As you saw the rear drive wheels have traction tires, I had to make additional pickups to prevent stalling on turnouts. This Marklin Loco is a starter model and had a simple circuit board for the lighting and a transformer for the motor to run from AC to DC. As it was an analog model the issue of a decoder was not a problem. I have a number of Marklin Wagons with insulated wheels but this is my first Marklin Loco. Cheers, Paul.👍👍👍 .

[@hotdogpilot6319]

Gid moaning, wit a lively convulsion ev a throw rail licomotive! Shame it didn't say Trix...would have saved a lot of bother and been a longer lasting snack lol.

[@paulvozman842]

Gad mooning, I wins fotted a Catholic Converter to my lottle tink so fort I wid cunvert a Mooklon Looco to Dee See. I pissibly possed sum poople off but niver moond. Cheers, Atwat proprietor of Cafe Rene.

[@ArcadiaJunctionHobbies]

Great jib but aren't the wheels on these locos not insulated? How did you avoid a short?

[@paulvozman842]

Hi, thanks for watching and commenting. As I stated in the video it took a lot of careful drilling of the wheels on the pickup side to be able to fit insulators. I filed down the bosses on the inner side of these wheels and made very thin plastic washers to insulate the wheels from the chassis. Cheers, Paul.👍👍🙏

[@ArcadiaJunctionHobbies]

@@paulvozman842 brilliant thanks!

[@ArcadiaJunctionHobbies]

Chers Paul, I am about to do the same on a Marklin 060 steam shunter myself. One thing I discovered is the motor runs perfectly on DC. I suspect these are either AC/DC motors or a DC motor and the rectifier is on the circuit board? Thanks again for the help and inspiration. @@paulvozman842

[@paulvozman842]

Hi, I am not an expert on Marklin AC Locos but luckily my Shunter was fitted with a DC Motor which made it easier to convert. I think there is a rectifier or it would buzz like mad or worse. I am interested to see your 0-6-0 steamer conversion, I may do one myself as can buy one very cheap and give it a go. I have been watching a number of your videos, like me you keep these oldies running. Keep up the good work. Cheers, Paul.