Got a Spectrum 4-6-0 with 63" drivers and opened the tender and the board has an 8 pin jumper looks like. Was purging and noticed the tender was very heavy so opened it up but will keep is I can just 8 pin it. Digitrax recomends the DZ126ps or another DZ164ps. By the way what is the difference between the two besides price if only basic functions needed ? Also have the same engine with smaller drivers seems to have very similar board. Last have separate vandy tender DCC ready, is this compatable with the others as will proubly go sound at some point and the one tender is pretty small.
All Bachmann Spectrum engines are DCC ready if there is no decoder already inside. Main issue is older tenders werent always sound ready, and sometimes youll have to drill your own speaker holes.
As far as decoders go, literally any 8 pin decoder will work, although Id recommend the DH125 series as theyre cheaper and gives the motor more current if necessary.
The H in DH126 means for HO. Similarly, DZ is aimed for Z scale, or REALLY small HO locos with no space.
I believe the DX12X (such as DH123,DZ126) line has only two function outputs (headlight back light), whereas the DX16X (such as DH166,DZ164) line has 6 function outputs.
D at the end means no plug, P at the end means 8 pin plug, S means a plug with shorter wires.
So in summary, a medium sized HO engine like yours should use a DH126PS. If you find that's too big then opt for a smaller one.
Cheers!
Charles
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Modeling the PRR & NYC in HO
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Hey, that really helps. DCC has a learning curve. The one tender is drilled for holes and had added weight, the other is not and has a very small tender, thats why the Vandy question. Although I am sure I could learn to hard wire, at this point, I see no need too as I am finding out that many of my old engines are DCC ready even though they don't say so, one even had a decoder already installed. I will save hard wiring for some of my rare engines like a powerhouse Little river articulated.
DH125 dose not come up as existing anymore
My first 4-6-0 was the small driver. I pulled the PC board and hard wired a Soundtraxx Micro and put in a 28MM speaker with a baffel.
The next 4-6-0 was large driver with onboard SoundTraxx sound. It has a DCC ready board with the SoundTraxx decoder board plugged in. A 28MM speaker came with ii installed.
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.
I said DH126PS, it still does exist.
Hard wiring honestly isnt a big deal, but given its the same price I'll get the plug anytime. I like to save $20 and get the 21 pin version of certain decoders as opposed to the 8 or 9 pin version.
Yea, if you got a really small tender such as on certain bachmann locos its may be preferable to just hard wire it as the DCC ready chip and screws really take up a LOT of space.
The DH126PS does not have BEMF, the DH166PS does.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Lastspikemike . I think. There also a decoder buddy board which is supposed to make this process easier.
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I think.
There also a decoder buddy board which is supposed to make this process easier.
yes decoder buddy is the easiest way to do it