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First run Rivarossi Allegheny H-8 2-6-6-6 Loc sound install

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  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 14 posts
First run Rivarossi Allegheny H-8 2-6-6-6 Loc sound install
Posted by gmh1953 on Saturday, August 30, 2008 1:57 PM

I have read posts here quite often and have gained quite a bit of knowledge from them and I than you all.  Now I have  a poblem and your assistance.

I am installing a Lok sound pilot decoder into the first run Allegheny. Engined is wired correctly and runs fine by plugging decoder in for testing. I replaced the head light with an led. that went OK after a couple of minor problems. I even had the firebox glow for a while, but that went away, I believe I may had burned out the led. I had sound for while then nothing, checked the continuity on the wire to the speakers and it was fine. Both speaker are rated at 100ohm and worked great when the worked. I though maybe the F8 function was set to silent , but that doesn't seem to be it.  I even reset the to factory defaults, no luck.Banged Head [banghead]  Is there something I may have missed?  Any advise will be of great help, thanks in advance.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 14 posts
Posted by gmh1953 on Sunday, August 31, 2008 9:42 AM

Thanks for reply. 

The problem was at the speakers, a cold soder joint.   The speakers are wired parallel that way I keep the ohm rating at 100 and they work fine. The was an experiment to see if I could increase the volumn levels.  I also have had couple of wires breks off the 8 pin plug so I going to rewire that with a new one.

Agian, thanks for  the reply it is appreciated.

 

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 14 posts
Posted by gmh1953 on Monday, September 1, 2008 10:54 AM
I have two smaller 50 ohm I will wire in series to get the 100 ohm needed.  Thank again for the reply.
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 14 posts
Posted by gmh1953 on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 2:40 PM
Sorry for the confusion.  Lok sound sells two 50 ohm speaker with the encloser.  They are smaller about 1/2 inch in diameter.  I will use these and see what happens.  Again, thanks for the info it is greatly appreciated, I am still a novice at this stuff.
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 14 posts
Posted by gmh1953 on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 9:49 AM

One final update, I wired the two 50 ohm speakers in series from Lok sound and they tested out great.  Theese speakers come with their own baffle and fit perfectly into the bottom of the tender.  All lites and functions are working great now, I only have to tweak the volumn levels an should be ready to roll. 

Again thanks for all the help David B, I am still low on the learning curve.

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
  • 13,757 posts
Posted by cacole on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 10:41 AM

I have the Precision Craft Burlington California Zephyr A-B-A locomotive set with LokSound decoders.  The lead A unit has a decoder and a 50 Ohm speaker, and the B unit plugs into it.  The motor in the B unit is powered by the decoder in the first A unit, and there is a second 50 Ohm speaker in the B that is driven by the A unit's decoder.  The trailing A unit has it's own decoder and separate 100 Ohm speaker.

Even with two separate decoders and 3 speakers, the sound is still very weak, especially the horn.  This seems to be a universal complaint about LokSound decoders.

The motors run very, very smoothly with LokSound decoders, and the sounds are clear; just weak, even with the volume CV set to a high value.

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
  • 13,757 posts
Posted by cacole on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 11:09 AM
 davidmbedard wrote:

Cacole, in your case, all you need is to do is up the sound via the Lok Programmer.  It allows you to push it up to 200%.

David B 

Thanks for the information, but I'm not going to invest in a Lok Programmer just to change the volume on one set of engines if an NCE PowerPro can't do it.  I only own that one set of engines with LokSound.  All my other sound decoders are SoundTraxx (DSD, LC and Tsunami), Digitrax SoundFX, QSI, or BlueLine.  Only the LokSound horn needs to be made louder because the other sounds drown it out.  Do you have any tips on how to do that without the need for the Lok Programmer?  I have the LokSound Technical Reference manual that I downloaded from their web site and have the horn set as loud as possible by their documentation.

Thanks.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 14 posts
Posted by gmh1953 on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 2:40 PM

I had two 100 ohm speaker from previous installs that were two big for my Concord Zypher. I thought I could run these paralell to get a better volumn.  I had also order the smaller 50 ohm pair for the same install but they were to large, had to use a very small oval speaker for that one, so I had these speakers on hand.

After reading your last post and realising that I was actully increasing the current draw I installed the two fifty ohm speakers in series rather than chance damaging the decoder. Sorry for any confusion but when you have parts lying around you find creative ways to use them, unfortunately you can't get to creative with DCC or you will damage something, I know.

Again thanks for everything.

 

 

 

 

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