How difficult of an install is it to put a dcc decoder ( with sound ) in an older Roundhouse kit? I have a 4-6-0 that I built a while back and I'm a novice at dcc decoder installs.
Anyone done this sucessfully before? What decoder did you use?
It would depend mostly on the tender. Is there room for the speaker and decoder? I am installing a Micro-Tsunami in an older old time MDC 2-6-0. The loco has the open frame motor with skewed armature that is like the new Roundhouse motors. Isolating the motor is no big deal. Just one wire. I bought a new tender frame and trucks from Roundhouse. The trucks have all wheel pickup. The MDC tender shell fits the new Roundhouse tender frame. The tender frame is ready for a one inch O.D. speaker. I also bought the loco frame bottom with the driver pickups. I have miniature decoder connectors from Litchfield Station.
I do not know if the 4-6-0 tender frame is the same as the one for the 2-6-0.
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.
Look very closely at the motor and determine if you can electrically isolate the motor from the frame.
Some of the older Roundhouse locos that I have has one of the motor brushes connected to the motor frame which is in contact with the loco frame. If you have this motor the hard part is to isolate the brushes. I did get one to work by replacing one of the brush holders the insulated brush holder from a second motor.
Other Roundhouse locos have both motor leads isolated from the motor frame so the only issues are fitting the decoder and speaker and running the wiring.
It has a can motor so I think I'm all set there. I'm a novice at the whole dcc decoder install thing. I probably sound like an idiot. All my other engine I bought with dcc and sound. This will be my first try...
Not sure how much you know about DCC wiring. Make sure you have a volt, ohms amp meter.
Right rail red wire
Left rail black wire
Motor + is usually top motor lead in the MDC locos orange
Motor - bottom lead usually the lead connected to the chassis goes to gray
I first connect a 9 volt battery to the motor alone. When the loco moves forward, I determine the "plus" motor lead by what the battery plus lead goes to. My older MDC locos and New Roundhouse locos are all the top motor lead.
Purple wires to speaker
All this informatiion is on the decoder packaging.
The loco chassis is the right rail and the tender chassis is the left rail in the older MDC locos.
Insulate all connections.
Good luck.