Sometime about 12 years ago I purchased two of the original BLI Paragon "Stealth Series" UP E9s. Now I would like to convert them to DCC, but I can't find any information on recommended decoders. I also purchased one "Executive Series" E9A that is DCC+Sound equipped, so I can live without sound in the two other units. Can anyone please suggest appropriate decoders, and, if possible, link me to "how-to" instructions that either explain conversion of these specific units, or anything that will approximate what I'm likely to find when I pop off the body shells? Preferably something with pictures. I priced having these units converted by someone else, but they want to charge more than I paid for them. Thanks in advance for any help.
I hesitate to post, because I don't really know your model. TCS Wow sound has pictures of an E3 and installation of a decoder kit that is not yet available. There is tons of room in an E3 and I have to think an E9 would be the same.
I only do loksound but any of the factory sized replacement boards should fit. On the E3 there is a tiny circuit board with resistors at the front headlight. The directions to bypass those resistors is specific to the particular TCS board they used. Some decoder boards have resistors for led's and some don't.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
I don't know what loco you might be talking about. Is this an HO or N scale unit? Going to be hard to find information on BLI units. I would think an ESU LocSound decoder would be a good selection, in rather scale. Sound decoders run about $100.00 and you might need a speaker too. Having some one do a conversion might be costly in your option, but you are asking some one to handle your loco, install hardware and make it work-charging $15.00 to $40.00 per hour depending who works on it.
From my limited research, it appears that the BLI Stealth Series is DCC Ready and is equipped with a plug for easy conversion to DCC.
I would recommend a TCS non-sound decoder with a suitable harness to mate with that factory installed plug.
Rich
Alton Junction
BigDaddy,
This image shows what I found when I popped the shell off the chassis.
Red stripe/black leads from trucks and red stripe/red leads to motor. And 4-pin and a 6-pin female connectors at opposite ends of the circuit board.
Any ideas?
We are selling TCS so they shouldn't mind if I post a pic.
The front 4 pin looks like 2 wires to the head light and 2 from the trucks
The 6 pin which is better seen in the second pic
2 from the the left front and rear trucks 2 from the right front and rear and two to the motor. The colors are different than you describe and not the standard for DCC, but it is what it is.
No idea what the purpose of the rear circuit board is (they say get rid of it) nor what that little blue ditzel on it is. We miss Randy.
For those following along, we are looking at this page
If you don't know, LED's have a polarity. Hook them up backwards and they won't light.
I believe that the blue component is a trim Pot for adjusting the sound level.
CALVIN W HICKEY BigDaddy, This image shows what I found when I popped the shell off the chassis. Red stripe/black leads from trucks and red stripe/red leads to motor. And 4-pin and a 6-pin female connectors at opposite ends of the circuit board. Any ideas?
BigDaddy We are selling TCS so they shouldn't mind if I post a pic. The front 4 pin looks like 2 wires to the head light and 2 from the trucks The 6 pin which is better seen in the second pic 2 from the the left front and rear trucks 2 from the right front and rear and two to the motor. The colors are different than you describe and not the standard for DCC, but it is what it is. No idea what the purpose of the rear circuit board is (they say get rid of it) nor what that little blue ditzel on it is. We miss Randy. For those following along, we are looking at this page If you don't know, LED's have a polarity. Hook them up backwards and they won't light.
I think what the OP is looking for is a conversion from DCC Ready to DCC for a BLI Stealth Series loco(s). And, he is willing to settle for a non-sound decoder(s) in one or both Stealth Series locos since he already has a BLI loco with factory equipped sound to consist with the two Stealth Series locos.
If the OP could post a viewable photo of the chassis with the shell removed, we could be more helpful.
I totally misunderstood, when he addressed me and said this image, I thought he meant my link, as there was no image in his post and Firefox does not show the broken image icon.
OP at the top of the General Forum there is a post on how to post pictures. They have to be posted elsewhere on the Internet, somewhere that doesn't require a login to see them. I use imgur.com and it is free.