This question, in some form, has been asked here before, but I can't track down the links, so here goes.
I've done DCC decoder installs on several locomotives that are really plug and play. In two minutes, you can remove the body, pull the small plug on the board, stick in the decoder, and go. On occasion on this board, posters mention 'removing the board' and plugging in the decoder. I'd assumed that removing the board meant cutting wires and soldering. Is there some mixture of terms here , or does 'removing the board' on some locos mean something different than removing the plug, but not cliping wires and soldering?
In the context of how you have written it, "removing the board" means removing the dummy plug from the circuit board socket and plugging in a decoder that has an 8-pin NMRA plug on it. This is how many models were provided before the JST 9-pin header became more popular. People who wrote "removing the board" were not expressing themselves clearly. "Remove the dummy plug" might be a more accurate way of writing it.
But if it was a non-DCC ready locomotive with only a constant lighting board, then "removing the board" means to totally remove that board and hard-wire in a decoder.
People who wrote "removing the board" were not expressing themselves clearly.
This is a little off topic, I have a Very OLD PK 2000 that I up graded to a Digitrax DH 123 Decoder. It has eaten two decoders. I am 90% sure what the problem is, but do not want to eat another $20.00 decoder while I track down the problem.
Will the dummy plug from a Athearn RTR engine run the hard wired Old Proto 2000 engine (it is 25 years old BL 2 and had no board at all) while I track down the short?
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
Cudaken, is the motor fully isolated from the frame?
What you are describing sounds like an occassional derailment/short is causing your decoders to blow. One cause could be, if both motor terminals are not isolated from the frame of the engine. HTH
cheers
Alan J
Alan Jones in Sunny Queensland (Oz)
O.K. To recapture the question thread--good luck cudaken-- I'd like to go where I was heading.
At the Greatest Hobby show in San Antonio this weekend I looked at an Athearn Genesis of the early vintage that was not "DCC ready." I was told that the "board had to be replaced" and then shown a decoder by MRC (Sheer Brillance) that had a plug that would do the job. Huh? I'd appreciate a little guidance here. I did not buy the locos or decoder, but depending on how much you guys can help sort this out, I may do so.
Any comments will help, except those that bash MRC decoders because they are MRC decoders. Heard more than enough of that to last a lifetime. That's not the issue. Question is about installation in the early Genesis line. Plug in or clip wires and solder?
The early Genesis have an Atlas-style board on top of the motor. They had the resistors for the lights, and hookups from each truck and the motor, all wires held on with those little black plastic clips.
For these the easiest way is to get a board-replacement decoder, such as a TCS A6X (which can use the 1.5v bulbs, voltage regulator on the board), NCE DA-SR, Digitrax DH165AO, QSI Rev-A (sound and 1.5 v light compatibility), or equivalent.
Remove the clips, remove the wires, and unsnap the board from the motor mounts. Snap in the new decoder, and hook the wires up. Soldering is better, but sometimes the clips can be re-used.
Mike WSOR engineer | HO scale since 1988 | Visit our club www.WCGandyDancers.com
Mreagant, sorry I added my own question, but I have had that question on my mind and then saw this post.
As for your question, Jeffery from this site converts Athearn engines too DCC by removing the light board and discards them. He then hard wires the decoder. Not sure why he does, but he does.
On my Athearn RTR that are DCC ready I just unplug the dummy board and install the decoder. On my none DCC ready Athearns, Digitrax makes a DH 123 AT that is pretty solder free install. Harness has new brush clips (power to motor on the top and bottom) with the wires all ready solder on, wires for truck towers (power pick up) have clips so you just slip them on, and grounds to the chassis where the head light stand is. It again is a slip on clip. Only soldering looks to be for the lights. Plus, it comes with new motor mounts as well.
Fas as the MRC decoders, only good thing I have heard about them is from MRC in there ads. My LHS will not sell them any more.
Many thanks. That's what I wanted to know. Means that the Sheer Brillance or any other plug in decoder will not work directly. I assume that the snapping in/out process is straightforward and the wire cliping or soldering involves just matching old to new.
Might not require an advanced electronics degree or the manual dexterity or a neurosurgeon.
We'll see.
mreagantI assume that the snapping in/out process is straightforward and the wire cliping or soldering involves just matching old to new. Might not require an advanced electronics degree or the manual dexterity or a neurosurgeon. We'll see.
I assume that the snapping in/out process is straightforward and the wire cliping or soldering involves just matching old to new.
That is correct.
Here is a newer Genesis board. This would require adding the decoder of your choice. It does feature LM317 regulators for the 1.5 volt lights. The terminals are marked.
And a NCE DA-SR board replacement decoder in a P1K C-liner. The connections are pretty straightforward.