I own a BLI HO Paragon 4 Big Boy. It runs fine but the sound quality is abysmal. Even after installing some new base speakers did not improve the sounds. At this moment, I am looking to replace the factory BLI DCC sound decoder with a brand new and higher quality one. Right now I am looking at TSU 2200 Big Steam decoder from Soundtraxx. You can tell me if that is a good decoder to buy, or reccomend another good one.
However, when I install the new decoder, I want to retain the smoke generator that comes with the engine. I like to know how I can hook up my smoke generator to a TSU 2200 decoder and have it operated, if it is possible. There is no mention of how to hook up a smoke generator in the instructions or another installation guides. The closest I could found from Soundtraxx is this one here: Tech_Note14. But, to me, there's not much to go off of it.
This matter also includes the engine's front and back marker/classification/cab lights lights - how I can connect, which wires to connect for functionality. Did anyone had a similar? Is there a solution to attaching the smoke generator?
Also attach is link to an image containing the identification of each wiring.
One other thing I need to ask is I'm not sure what does the +3.3 V labeling and SER labeling mean. If you can explain them to me thank you.
In all the Broadway 'gutting' jobs I've done over the years I've never seen a way to easily include the smoke unit in the wiring of a replacement decoder. BLI uses a tangle of wires to feed the element of the smoke generator pluse trigger the microscopic blower that times with the 'chuff sensor' AKA reed switch.
The smoke generator requires much higher current than any HO-sized decoder can output on its function leads. BLI uses their proprietary circuitry which allows for full track voltage to be fed to the smoke heater element.
The "SER" marking is also part of BLI's proprietary lighting circuitry. Paragon 3 and 4 use cathode-common* LEDs and the lighting is triggered through this serial signal that is generated in the decoder in the tender and decoded in a IC located in the locomotive. This allows them to get several lighting options with the use of only one wire between the engine and tender. *(Opposite the DCC standard)
BLI_P4_E6_light-control by Edmund, on Flickr
I stripped off the shrink tubing from this lighting circuit shown above. It was originally tucked under the motor.
The 3.3V is their way of supplying lighting voltage to the LEDs without having individual resistors at each location although there are still some resistors at the lighting PC boards to adjust for the intensity of light desired.
The PC board on this PRR T1 clearly shows the 3.3, serial and sensor circuit routings:
BLI_P3_T1 by Edmund, on Flickr
Everyone has preferences on sound decoders. I've tried many combinations and for steam there's no comparison to the latest iteration of TCS WOWsound decoder AND a Scale Sound Systems speaker.
SSS makes a speaker specifically for the Athearn Big Boy and I've used it in other engines. It is fairly large, here it is in a B&O EM-1:
BnO_EM-1-DCC Tender by Edmund, on Flickr
https://www.scalesoundsystems.com/product-page/force-full-range-the-big-boy
I recently reworked a pair of BLI New York Central Niagaras using WOW steam decoders and SSS speakers (actually the speakers I used are intended for an Intermountain F7 B unit) and the sound is head and shoulders above the stock BLI setup.
BLI_NYC_Niagara-DCC sound by Edmund, on Flickr
I don't care for smoke 'puffers' in any way shape or form. When I pull the smoke machine out I sometimes add weight or occasionally add a speaker in the smokebox for better 'balance' of where the sound comes from.
In this example of a Broadway Streamlined K4 Pacific that I 'gutted' nearly everything shown below the engine and tender in the photo gets ripped out, especially those pancake-thin, tinny speakers.
Tsunami2 steam decoders are OK, I do have several but, in my opinion the exhaust 'bark' is not as distinctive as the WOWsound. ESU has rather lame steam sound files for North American engines.
Good Luck, Ed
I don't know if this is possible but could you just add a separate sound decoder and turn off the sound on the original.
to add smoke you have to get around the maximum of 100ma per functon output... the easiest way to do this is to add a small relay in front of the decoder output
How much current does the smoke unit require?
Would it be posible to use two or more function outputs in parallel to control devices that draw higher current than a single output can provide. They could be function mapped to a single button.
There's eight wires that feed into the BLI smoke maker:
BLI_smoke-crop by Edmund, on Flickr
Two of those wires bring power directly from the rails to the heater element, through a power transistor, thus BLI can get around low-current outputs from the decoder. Apparently they use that IC on the board to regulate smoke output through the heater. Other inputs are from the on-off switch under the cab (which, incidentally, does not cut off all current to the smoke unit as I've had them burn out even with the switch off) also a signal input from the 'chuff sensor' which tells the blower when to 'puff'. The blower speed can also be regulated from CVs on the decoder for 'high-medium-or low smoke output.
I suppose with a little effort a modeler could figure out how to wire all this to an aftermarket decoder but, without that proprietary Broadway 'serial' signal you're going to need quite a few extra wires coming from the new decoder and that doesn't leave many wires left for lighting. There's only 7 or 8 wires at the cab harness and four are used up for motor and rail pickup.
This is one of the ones that toasted itself (but with LOTS of smoke — once) from a PRR Q2. When it fried it wiped out the decoder, too. The switch under the cab was off and the engine was sitting idle on a live track but the address not active.
Broadway Ltd Smoke unit by Edmund, on Flickr
Here's another question. While I do have plans to replace the original decoder with a new one, I was wondering while looking through my engine and thought, will my engine still run if I unplug the smoke generator itself? While retaining the original decoder from BLI? Not just to turn it off but to remove it entirely.
One of the reasons why I want to replace my decoder is to have the engine draw less voltage. And if the smoke generator itself is drawing in that much voltage, making the engine lose power a few times, than maybe I should unplug it entirely. What do you guys think? Will unplugging the smoke unit itself from the model solve a lot of problems? Or make some new ones?
I had typed a six paragraph reply but the "Sorry, a problem occurred" came up and ate it.
Just turn the manual switch off. That will suffice. The element won't heat and the blower won't blow.
VukSolOne of the reasons why I want to replace my decoder is to have the engine draw less voltage.
The motor and speaker draw the current, a different decoder won't make any, or at least very little, difference in current draw.
Pulling the plug out of the smoke generator shouldn't affect the rest of the engine's operation IF you want to go that route.
VukSol —if the smoke generator itself is drawing in that much voltage, making the engine lose power a few times,
Some BLI engines have poor track pickup problems. I've had some with wiring and/or design defects that affect power pickup.
IF you're having stuttering problems have you considered adding a "Go Pak" capacitor for keep-alive option?
https://www.broadway-limited.com/gopackpowercontinuitycapacitorpackwithplug.aspx
I have actually. Though I don't have any BLI GoPaks, but I do have other third party KeepAlives. Are you saying that any KeepAlives will work for Broadway Limited? Not just GoPaks?
VukSolAre you saying that any KeepAlives will work for Broadway Limited?
Yes. At least for Paragon 2, 3 and 4:
You can ignore the brown wire on the Go Pack. If you use Soundtraxx or TCS capacitor keep alives the blue wire is plus. Black wire still goes to negative side.
BLI_K4_cap2 by Edmund, on Flickr
I think I have a good idea on how I want to convert my Paragon 4 Big Boy to a new DCC decoder (I'm leaning towards Tsunami2 TSU-2200 with a current keeper. I believe I will remove the smoke unit in the end. However, it is still the lighthing function in my Big Boy that I am still drawing a blank with. She also has a lighting control board under the shell to control the model's lighting. I have a feeling the wiring set up might be similar to what you are doing.
Here's a link to a folder containing images of the Big Boy wiring set up, and if you don't mind ask me what you think.
On top of that, I created a quick diagram that better show's the wiring setup within the Big Boy's tender.
Also, if possible, could you be willining to share your wiring set-up another BLI engine you've done with a similar wiring set-up?