I'm looking at adding a decoder,LED head light and cutting out the plastic where number markings are on my athearns F7 blue box engine to add in some clear plastic and adding numbers. The motor runs strong in it still and even though it's older,i'd like to keep her and update her a bit. I can solder so that isn't an issue. Is it difficult to do?
Guessing I can wire the LED into the decoder?
Yes, just remember to use a resistor between the LED and the decoder.
I remembered someone saying the motor would burn out the decoder, just no clue if it's true or not.
If you can check the motor stall current, it would be the thing to do.
Get a multimeter and set it for AMPS. connect one lead to the track and the other to a DC power pack. Then connect another wire to the other rail and to the power pack. Throttle up so the loco moves and read the current. Then open her up some more and keep the loco from moving and read the current. Then push the loco down till the wheels stop and read the current. If any reading is higher than one Amp, there is a good chance that the loco will burn out a decoder.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
Is it the tan/gold motor or the old black one? The newer tan/gold ones, if runnign properly, are generally fine for a standard HO decoder, many of those can do 1.5 amps continuous, 2 amps stall. The older black motor or the even older giant motor usually draw too much and should be replaced.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
It's the newer gold and tan ones. It runs perfect.