Hi there.. Just thought I'd ask a question to see if anyone has had the pleasure of installing a MRC sound decoder (#0001663).
I've done DCC installs in my locomotives before with success. This one however is giving me a headache!
I shaved the weight down per instructions so the decoder/speaker fits, electrical taped the weight where it suggested to do so, I soldered the four pick up wires to the appropriate pick up spots on the decoder board, slightly bent the motor pickup per instructions to insure that the pick up contact on the board was touching the motor pickup. Screwed down the board the weight and nothin.. It wont program as I normally do other locomotives in my fleet.
Not sure why.. No sound, no movement, no lights.. Nothing.
Any ideas what I am doing wrong? FYI, I am using a digitrax super empire builder DCC system.
Thanks for any ideas/advice.. nittyp
Double check all of your wiring, and the rest of the install, for wires touching, motor isolation, etc.
Then install a real decoder, such as Digitrax, Lok-sound, QSI, etc.
MRC decoders, unfortunately, rate right up there with Tyco trains.
Rotor
Jake: How often does the train go by? Elwood: So often you won't even notice ...
Hello Nittyp,
I just put one in my S2 about a week ago and I didn't have any real problems, although it's a pretty tight fit. I made sure that everything that was close was insulated with some tape, esspecially on the weight. Also if that's a brand new install, your motor probably isn't insulated. Mine went from DCC to sound DCC,already insulated. These are just shots in the dark, maybe they'll help, although it seems more like no juice to the decoder.
Den.
Hi Nittyp,
I have had no problems with my installation. I started with an ancient single screw ATLAS and followed their instructions. The new ATLAS has two screws on circuit board.
Den is probably right, no juice. The decoder should produce sound even if the tang that you bend does not make good contact with the top motor brush holder. If this is the case it should sing but won't dance.
Did it run before the conversion? I do not check this either as I do not have a conventional power pack.
Do you have voltage to the decoder?
I would double check the lands for stranded wire that may be causing a short.
The tape is important, did a sharp wire on the decoder cut through?
One of the screws conducts electricity to the weight and hence the lower motor brush, is it making contact on PCB to do its job?
Dirty track, bad connections to program track. Will the Digitrax work with another loco on same track?
I would not touch the settings on decoder until confirming these, especially shorts and power to the decoder. CV 125 is default to factory settings by inputting a value of "1".
Your next job will be turning down the volume default is "3" on 0-3 scale. Mine are all set to "0" and this is a good setting for my tastes.
Let us know if this helps, Chris
Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum
At my club, we've had over a 50% failure ratio with these decoders. At least 5 out of 8 have had "issues", most of which required a return to MRC. These issues include the inability to program and the inability to actually move the locomotive.
IMHO, all these MRC decoders a J-U-N-K, and are best avoided. I'd rather have no sound in a working engine than sound in a loco that won't move. They are just awful decoders. I have programmed literally hundreds of decoders at my club (we have 750 registered or so), and only MRC gives us constant headaches.
Besides, why would you want RS-3 sound effects in your S-2 anyways? After all, MRC did record a 244 prime mover instead of the 539 that it should be. What's the big deal, one may ask? Well, I don't know about anyone else, but even I can tell the difference between 16 cylinders (244) vs. 6 cylinders (539).
Paul A. Cutler III************Weather Or No Go New Haven************
yea, well, I've exhausted just about all possibilies with this decoder. Thanks for all your feedback. I think I will get a digitrax (non sound) decoder for this loco this weekend at my LHS. I really dont care about sound.. I just wanted DCC operation. Sound was just a plus.
Got a good deal on ebay on this decoder, so I guess now I see why..
Thanks again for the feedback. nittyp
Sound is cool! I like it! I won't buy another decoder without sound.
I also won't buy another MRC decoder, until the reviews show a major improvement.
BTW...this is in no way an MRC bash. I've been totally happy using MRC stuff for 45 years, and it all still works...except the DCC stuff. I'm still using my 1970 Twinpack on my DC layout.
Nittyp.
Was it sold on eBay as new? I wondering if it wasn't a defective one being sold by the seller. Many people on this forum who have working units don't give up on this one yet.
As to 244 vs 539T I agree they are different, for an inexpensive drop in power and sound it is acceptable for most of us. The LokSound is the best, and only 539 and 539T package I am aware of unless you consider the new QSI which is not being shipped yet.
Chris
I am still trying a few things before giving up. I thought of one thing this morning while reading the instructions to the decoder again.. I put tape the whole length of the top weight and then poked a hole through the tape where the screw goes into through the board and into the top weight.. It specifically says in the instructions to place the tape on the specific spots (showing in an illustration) and saying to not put it where the screws go into the weight.. Not sure if that could cause it to not get the proper ground, but I thought I'd try and re-do the tape and then also re-solder the pick up connections on the board, to make sure I have an ideal connection there.. We'll see..
I did buy it on ebay, sold as new. It didnt look as if it had been used or even opened before. It looked factory sealed, but you never know.
I'll keep ya posted! Thanks again for the help! nittyp.
nittyp:
Did you do as Simon mentioned by insulating the motor and using the plastic screw. I too had installed an NCE decoder for this loco before installing the MRC 1663. NCE furnishes tape and plastic screw with their decoder and very specific instruction for insulating the bottom of the motor from the frame and securing the motor with the plastic screw. MRC doesn't mention anyting about this but since I already had these items in place I left them. My 1663 works fine.
Why doesn't MRC call for the same procedure as NCE? Doesn't their decoder need it? That puzzles me but I'm not that well versed on decoder installation. So my question is do you need to do both methods or will just following the MRC method work, assuming that the decoder is not a bad one.
Jerry
Rio Grande vs. Santa Fe.....the battle is over but the glory remains!