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Decoder Mounting in the Shell

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  • Member since
    August 2008
  • From: Southeast Kansas
  • 1,329 posts
Decoder Mounting in the Shell
Posted by wholeman on Friday, October 30, 2009 8:04 PM

I have two Athearn P42s that I want to add sound.  I have Loksound decoders that have 2" 9 pin plugs on them.  I was wondering if it would be safe to mount the decoders to the inside of the shell on the side and go from there.  Would the heat bother them?

Thanks in advance.

Will

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Mpls/St.Paul
  • 13,892 posts
Posted by wjstix on Friday, October 30, 2009 8:11 PM

 Well normally the decoder would be attached just to the chassis / motor assembly, so you could remove the body down the road for maintenance etc., rather than attaching the decoder to the inside of the body.

Stix
  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Western, MA
  • 8,571 posts
Posted by richg1998 on Friday, October 30, 2009 8:44 PM

If heat is not a concern, a thin layer of double sided tape is good on the motor. In the SoundTraxx forums some use thermal grease from Radio Shack or thermal grease from computer stores that people who overclock the PC CPU's use. Easy to do with steam loco tenders. Do not know about diesels. Some add a thin piece of aluminum about the size of the decoder for a extra heat sink. They use some Kapton tape to hold down the decoder against the heat sink and loco frame or motor for a diesel. Kapton tape is thin and strong from online DCC dealers. Just some thoughts.

 

Rich

 

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

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