Tomorrow my Zephyr and decoders will arrive and I am full of nervous excitement with the prospect of the migration to DCC. The scariest part for me is the installation of the decoders. I am installing TCS decoders in two Kato N-Scale locomotives, an F3A and an SD45. I have looked at the installation instructions on the TCS website and it looks fairly straightforward. Any hints, tips, and/or warnings would be much appreciated. I will be using a maginifying visor and have a fairly steady hand.
Richard
Which decoder will you be installing in each locomotive?
For the SD54:
For the F3A:
Hi Richard; It's not hard. I do solder a 26ga jumper wire on each side of the decoder to the copper strips on top just to be sure of good contact. Follow the instructions on the web site or instructions that come with each decoder. Take your time. Program as stated in Digitrax manual. I have three sets of F3A and B and two SD45's. Also TCS and DIGITRAX have intalll videos on their web sites. No problems. Doug
Richard!
Congratulations on taking the 'leap'.
If you have troubles I suggest asking the experts here and they will likely be able to help you out. They have helped me several times.
Just a suggestion if you do run into trouble: Don't pull the decoder out until you get some advice. Sometimes the simplist details can cause problems. For example, I pulled a decoder out of a small switcher because it wouldn't respond to any commands. I discovered later that I was using the wrong address. I was putting in"003" for the generic address whereas I should have been putting in "3" (NCE PowerCab). This was not my first decoder install by any means but for reasons that defy explanation I had never had the problem before. I was really ticked at myself because this was a particularly difficult installation. I still haven't attempted to reinstall the decoder because I damaged the shell removing it..
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Use a pencil type soldering iron with a small tip. A big heavy Weller soldering gun has too big a tip to do this kind of fine work, and it gets too hot. Use rosin core solder. Let the iron warm up for a few minutes - the pencil types are not instant-on.
And, right from the TCS web site:
"All decoders are covered by a one year, goof proof, no questions asked warranty."
They'll replace it, even if you fry it with too hot an iron or an elephant steps on it.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
You'll be fine. Just pay attention to the details and follow the recommended procedure.
My hint or tip?
ALAWAYS put the loco on the programming track to test for any shorts any time you have the shell off once you've started the install BEFORE it goes on the full power DCC tracks. That way you're pretty sure to not let the smoke out. I do this pretty religiously and it saves a lot of hassle and delay even when the warranty is great like TCS. NCE does something very similar. But who wants to wait for the mail to get that loco going?
It can be frustrating to see a short detected signal repeatedly when you're certain everything is fine, but better than seeing the smoke escape. Back to the drawing board if the FAIL signal. Game over when the smoke is let out.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Make sure you hook up the program track terminals on the Zephyr to a short piece of track that is NOT part of your layout. After installing the decoder, give it a good visual check to make sure you installed it per the instructions and nothing is sticking out or touching where it shouldn't. Then, put the loco on that isolated piece of track and follow the Zephyr instructions for reading the address of the decoder on the program track. You should get back 3. If it fails to read the decoder, double check that the track is hooked to the proper connections on the Zephyr, and that the piece of track is clean, and the loco wheels are clean. If it still does not read - go back and carefully look at how you installed it, because something is definitely not right. DO NOT attempt to place it on the layout and run it.
Once you can read the address, follow the Zephyr instructions and program the address you want to use. If that appears to work, read back the address again and if you get the one you programmed in, then and only then go ahead and put the loco on the main track and follow the Zephyr instructions for selecting a loco, using the address you programmed, and verify you can control the loco.
The program track is low power, so if there is a short or other problem, it won't fry the decoder. It also will fail to read the address, or accept any programming. If it works on the program track, you can be somewhat confident that the decoder is correctly installed and working. Only then do you put it on the full power main track and try to run it. Free replacement no matter what from TCS, it's still disappointing if it fries and you have to wait while you send in the dead one and they send back your free replacement. Testing on the program track is not 100% foolproof, but if the loco does NOT work on the program track, it's pretty much 100% that something will fry if you tried on the main. I still do this after 12 years and dozens of decoder installs. I have yet to fry a single decoder.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I typed more and I type slower, Mike
rrinker I typed more and I type slower, Mike --Randy
Randy,
Great minds think alike.
RideOnRoad The scariest part for me is the installation of the decoders.
The scariest part for me is the installation of the decoders.
It's not all that hard to fry a decoder if you are not cautious and careful.
Take your time, and by all means use a magnifying visor like an Optivisor.
Use a pencil type soldering iron. Spilling solder where you don't want it is a real concern.
If using stranded wire, make sure that there are no stray wires.
Use heat shrink tubing or liquid electrical tape to protect bare surfaces.
Use Kapton tape to insulate the decoder from making fatal contact with metal surfaces.
If you have a decoder tester use it.
Program the decoder on the programming track.
Be especially carefull not to fry the function outputs when installing lighting.
Don't forget to add resistors to those LEDs.
Other than that, it is all very simple, especially in N scale. LOL
Good luck and report back.
Rich
Alton Junction
I'd say Rule No. 1 is - after installing the decoder, always put the engine on the programming track and try to read a CV back FIRST. If there's a short circuit, it won't read the CV. The programming track won't have enough power to fry the decoder.
BTW, I've never had a problem with having the programming track being on the layout. Currently it's on a fairly long single-end spur track. You just have to use a DPDT toggle switch to switch from programming to regular power. (I used one with 'center off' so I could cut power entirely if I wanted to.) Then again, I generally do the majority of my programming thru my PC with Decoder Pro now, and just use the programming track for fine tuning a CV or two.
Great advice! Thanks to all.
I have a question concerning a programming track. Right now, I have a small oval (28"x48") with a couple of turnouts. Everything is now directly powered, i.e. no track gets its power from a power-routing turnout. Could I hook up the programming leads to the track and just use the layout as a programming track? As an alternative, I do have a couple of pieces of flex track I use, but I really have no place to put it.
Yes, that will work. Just make sure that you have all other locos with decoders off the layout before using it as a programming track. It doesn't specify an address, by brute force it rewrites whatever you put on the programming track, but does it at a very low current so a short won't harm things.
The emphasis on a physically separate programming track is to eliminate the possibility a short will fry your decoder. While you can take a section of track anywhere and hook it up as a programming track, the probalm comes if you ever get the least bit careless and let it cross the gap to the full power on the rest of the layout -- POOF! -- the smoke comes out. Stix says he's done OK with his and with great care you can do it that way. Just don't let anything near the gaps - ever. As things slip with age here, however, I trust myself less and less, so simply would not trust myself with such a set-up.
An alternative is to make a section between the main layout track and the programming track that you can turn on and off tghat is longer than you longest lococ.
Of course if your layout is small and other locos on it not an issue, then you're ok with using the whole thing. Be sure you get the loco checked out before you go back to full power.
RideOnRoad Great advice! Thanks to all. I have a question concerning a programming track. Right now, I have a small oval (28"x48") with a couple of turnouts. Everything is now directly powered, i.e. no track gets its power from a power-routing turnout. Could I hook up the programming leads to the track and just use the layout as a programming track? As an alternative, I do have a couple of pieces of flex track I use, but I really have no place to put it.
You must make sure (very sure) that you don't have the programming leads and the track power leads all connected to the layout at the same time or you will damage your DCC system. A separate programming t track will prevent a lot of unexpected grief.
Joe
Okay, you have succeeded in putting the fear of God in me. Let's assume for a minute that I am going to set up a simple programming track. How long does it need to be?
Long enough for your longest loco!
Dante
One piece of flex track is more than long enough. The one I use most of the time, I built as a multi-purpose test and program track. It's HO, but you cna make the same sort of thing up in N. It's 3x Atlas rerailers, plus a half straight on each end to hold a Kadee coupler gauge. I have the older metal ones, so I had to gap the rails to keep it from shorting, but othewise there's nothign special. This had a pair of wires sodlered to it that go to the program device (again, my setup is a bit more complicated, in your case the wires would just go to the program track terminals on the Zephyr. I have a PR3 and also a Loksound Lokprogrammer, so mine goes to a toggle switch to select which device I want to use). I also marked off in measured incremements and labeled it with the NMRA suggested weight, so I can put any car or loco on the track, check the coupler height at each end, and also see how much the car should weigh. Plus program decoders. This is all glued down to a piece of shelving I picked up at Home Depot (the Rubbermaid laminanted wood stuff, mine's white). Portable program/test track. This is long enough to hold my longest loco, a 4-8-4, and also it can hold 3 diesels at the same time if I want to set them all to teh same address on purpose. This is the reason for having a seperate program track - any decoder connected to the program track will be programmed when you make a change, the program track is 'broadcast'. So you want to be sure only the loco you intend to program is on the program track when programming.
So while it might sound more complicated to have a seperate peice of track for the program track, in the end it is actually EASIER when just getting started because it eliminates the possibility and ensuing frustration when you accidently program the previously workign first loco while trying to program the second one, and then the first one no longe rresponds to what you think is its address. Or it takes off when you run the second one because it now has the same address, and runs off the layout.
My programming track is just a length of flextrack with a rerailer on one end. It is mounted on a scrap piece of 3/4" MDF that I had lying around. The rerailer makes it easy to get the loco set but isn't required. I also use this setup to adjust couplers on locos and rolling stock by placing a Kadee coupler gauge on it as needed.
I have a single piece of flex track, totally disconnected and separate from the main layout, as my Programming Track.
I am taking no chances, like forgetting to throw a switch.
My programming track is actually HO and HOn3. It's on a wide shelf next to my staging area. I use a NCE PowerCab, as it handles everything, including programming Tsunamis without the need for a booster.
A closer view when I was making bumpy chenille trees.
I now have a programming track. I used a scrap piece of 1x2 and a leftover piece of flex track. It is 15" long, which should be sufficient for my N-Scale locomotives. I have a Kato Unitrack rerailer that I will use to put the trains on the track. Now I need to solder on the wires, get the guts to open up a locomotive, install the decoder, and I will be ready to go.
Excellent progress, Richard.
Now, onward !
A good start Richard. Now you can add as many enhancements as you want.
Three weeks later, and I finally found the time (and the nerve) to do my first decoder install. The only real challenge was removing and reusing the copper connection from the old lighting board to the decoder. The engine is happily running around the track. It is also finding the marginal spots on the track. Thanks to everyone for their help!
Deleted.
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.
Happy to hear that your installation went well. Did you use your programming track?
JoeinPA Happy to hear that your installation went well. Did you use your programming track? Joe
I did. After installing the decoder, I put the locomotive on the programming track to see if I could read the address. After I saw that I could, I put it on on the main track and it worked like a champ. I installed a second decoder this morning, changed the addresses in both locomotives to their road numbers, and ran them concurrently on the track. Pretty exicting.
See I told you Richard. It's not hard and taking your time. My first install was about two years ago when I put in the new DigiTrax system, read the programing manual and all worked out well. Your on your way. Now all you need is $10,000.00 for a monster of a layout. Good Luck. I wish! Doug
The feeling of accomplishment you get from DCC installs and the fun you can have far outweighs the occasional frustrations.