DCC Decoders for Athearn Genesis F units???

[Meyblc]

I am currently attempting to install Digitrax DH163AO decoders into my F3 and F7 units and I have a few questions.

Can these chips be installed up side down? Which way is correct? Smooth PC board down, components up or the other way around?

Tony's Trains sold me the decoders as well as some resisters for the lights. This may seem like a stupid question, but what do I do with these resisters? Do I solder one end of the resister to the lead wire for the light and the other end to the DCC board? I believe that there are 2 wires leading to the lightbulb, so do I need to wire 1 resister per wire for a total of 2 resisters per lightbulb?

I've also heard somewhere that the Athearn trucks are wired backwards from the factory. If this is so, how does this effect installing the DCC decoder?

Is there a web site that possible shows with pictures, the correct installation method for these decoders?

Thanks in advance for any assistance you can give me.
Michael

[cacole]

Didn't the decoder come with instructions and a diagram?

Decoders are usually installed with the smooth side down and components up, but the Digitrax Web site's instructions for this decoder show it with the smooth side up and components down. They say there is a yellow stripe on the bottom of the decoder. Read the instructions. I'm sure you received the same documentation with the decoder that is on the Digitrax Web site. Even though their instructions show an Atlas locomotive, the Athearn installation will be the same.

The resistors go into the wiring for the lights. Where you connect the lights to the circuit board, put the resistor between the wire and the board.

I haven't heard anything about Athearn trucks being wired backwards. Even if they are, the only effect that can have is that the motor will run backwards after the decoder is installed. This can be corrected by either changing CV29 or reversing the wires to the motor.

[Meyblc]

Cacole,

Thank you for your imput. I have read, and just re-read the Digitrax manual that came with the DH163AO decoder. It left me wondering what they were really trying to say...

They mention the "yellow tape" as an insulating tape so I imagine that is the bottom of the board, yet if you look at the picture in the manul that corrosponds that step in the instructions (figure 3) the decoder is upside down with the "yellow tape" up???

On the next page of the manual, it briefly talks about needing resisters for headlights, but fails to mention "how" they are to be installed.

[rrinker]

Assuming the resistors are correct values (and since you got this as a package from Tony's, they probably are exactly correct), they connect between the light bulb and the decoder. One wire from ALL light bulbs goes to the BLUE wire on the decoder, this is the common. The OTHER wire on each light bulb goes to a resistor, and the resistor goes to the function output on the decoder. For convenience, there is a BLUE connection at both the front and rear of the board - so the light at the rear can connect tot he rear BLUE terminal and you don't have to run a wire all the way to the front. Anything other than the headlight and rear light connect to the solder pads in the middle of the decoder - as shown on Page 6 of the decoder manual.
As for which way the decoder goes in, the two tabs to connect the motor wires should be on the same side as the motor wires. Again look at the picture on Page 6 of the manual to see which side is right and left, an which end is the front. If you flip it over and put it in the wrong way front to back, it will merely run in the wrong direction (reverse when you try forward). It won't damage anything.

--Randy

[Meyblc]

Thanks Randy.

I think I have a better understanding of the whole resister thing now.

Michael

[Meyblc]

Randy,

I wired up the decoder and installed the resister just as you indicated and almost everything works fine....

For some reason, the light only works in reverse, but not in forward.

Does anyone have any idea why this would be happening?

Michael

[rrinker]

The headlight comes on when you back up, but goes off when you run forward? If that's the case, you probably have the motor wires on backwards. Reverse those and now when you run forward the lights should be on. You can do the same with CV settings, but if you ever have to reset the decoder in the future, you won't remember this and wonder why it acts funny. Best to correct it through hardware.

--Randy