Hi, first decoder installation, and I guess I don't know exactly what I am doing. It's frustrating because I have read like 3 or 4 DIFFERENT ways to install this thing and the way I did it doesn't seem to work.
I am using a digitraxx DH142 decoder in an older blue box Athearn C44-9W.
[View:http://picasaweb.google.com/gregrlandry/Trains#5535074992436514642:550:0]
[View:http://picasaweb.google.com/gregrlandry/Trains#5535074993837937474:550:0]
Firstly, I hooked up the orange wire on top and gray on bottom of motor and then touched the black and red wires to the track and the engine spun forward and reverse. Good there. I insulated the bottom of the motor with electrical tape (I know that is the preferred method, but it IS insulated) and put it back in place in the chassis. Now the confusing part(s). You can see from the pics that I used one red jumper wire to connect the two bars poking up near each track, then connected the red decoder wire to that jumper in the middle.
Next, I ran a black jumper soldered to the left side of each truck (along a metal strip on each truck). Then did the same as the red wire, connecting the wire to the decoder in the middle of the jumper.
Lastly, I think I read some bad info. and actually snipped off the blue wire, thinking I only needed the white one to connect to the headlight. When I tried to run the loco on the track, I did not have the white wire connected yet. It did not run needless to say.
So, what did I do wrong, LOL?
Also, do I need to have the blue wire connected as well?
Lastly, where exactly do the headlight wire(s) go? Is soldering them to that big clip going to the headlight assembly enough?
Thanks!
Let's see if I can get the images working:
[View:http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/trc/utility/
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First offf... fixing the image links:
Where you have the red/black wires on the locomotive, is that where you connected the red/black leads when testing the decoder? It's possible that you soldered one of the red/black jumpers to the wrong place and created a short (and/or there's a small blob of solder bridging the truck pickups). Easiest way to check is to use a multimeter to see what's going on...
as for the light, you need the white AND blue wires. white is the control (negative) and blue is the common positive for all lights (fwd, rev, anything else supported).
I've never done any Athearn conversions (steam locos are more my thing), though someone else may know exactly what's wrong just by looking at it.
-Dan
Builder of Bowser steam! Railimages Site
Thanks, I posted again and updated the links as well, but thanks. I did not have the red and black soldered to the chassis when I bench tested. They were just touching the rails.
All I can tell you is, the red wires on one side go to the decoder red wire.
The black wires on the other side go to the decoder black wire.
The blue wire is common for one light lead for the front and rear lights.
The yellow wire is for the rear light lead.
The white wire is for the front light lead.
There should be a gray wire and orange wire for the motor leads. No other wires or connections on the motor leads.
Tape up any unused wires.
Did the loco run ok on DC?
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.
Yes, it ran fine on DC.
Greg.
Digitrax makes a decoder for that unit which is an easier install. It comes with the motor clips already soldered to the decoder. My fear is the little tab on the motor clip at the bottom of the frame had poked through your tape and grounded to the frame. If that is the case then the decoder is probably toast. Either way you will need a new harness for the blue wire. All your lights will have one wire to the blue. The other wire will be white for headlight, yellow for rear light or mars light in cab units.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
Your lights will work without the blue wire. They will be half wave. No FX3 effects will be available because you need the blue wire (full wave). Depending on the type of decoder that was used in the installations you found, the blue wire may not have been used. At one time, there were decoders with no blue wire.
As already noted, chances are the one motor brush is making contact with the frame. Remove the motor and try it again to see if the decoder is still OK. Use a meter to check things. Don't trust your eyes to detrmine if the brushes are isolated.
Martin Myers
Particularly look at the bottom of the motor where you taped it. There is a tab coming off that clip that rubs on the bottom of the frame for power pickup. Cut that tab off (I'd say just swap the top and bottom clips but you already soldered the decoder wires to them - if you DO try this remember there are little springs and the motor brushes under those clips so don't let them fly away - and also with both clips off the motor will come apart, although not all the way because the flywheels will hold the pieces on.). At this poitn it is probably easier to cut that clip off. Then reapply a piece of tape - that should keep things from wearing through and eventually shorting, a short between that motor clip and the frame will fry the decoder.
The Digitrax harness that clips right on is OK, but save the money and just solder the wires on yourself. The Digitrax harness also used the bottom light post as the connection for the black wire - and many times the rivet that holds it to the frame is loose, which results in poor power transmission. Solderign to the metal sideplate is the most reliable, another way that works well is to drill and tap a hole int he frame where it will clear the shell and screw in a brass screw and solder to that.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.