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Tsunami and the NEW Roundhouse 2-8-0

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  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Minnesota
  • 50 posts
Tsunami and the NEW Roundhouse 2-8-0
Posted by Birdog on Saturday, December 19, 2009 9:04 PM

Has anyone installed a Tsunami in a new Roundhouse 2-8-0 loco (Not the old kit type).

I bought one last year without the sound and want to put the TSU-1000 in it. I'll do a TSU-750 but would like the 1000 for lack of soldering.

Not a fan of the factory installed sound on the Roundhouse loco's so a went without.

Any help woould be appreciated.

Thanks!

Birdog

Maintain thy airspeed lest the ground rise up and smite thee.....
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
  • 13,757 posts
Posted by cacole on Saturday, December 19, 2009 9:55 PM

 Without seeing the insides of the tender, it's really hard to say what might fit.  Open it up and see what's inside.  If it had been factory equipped with sound it would have been an MRC decoder.  A Tsunami micro might fit if the current draw of the motor is less than 3/4 Amp.

Right now I'm trying to put sound into a Bachmann Spectrum USRA Light 2-10-2 and have had to remove the Bachmann decoder and circuit board in order to fit a TSU-1000 Heavy Steam decoder into it.

  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Western, MA
  • 8,571 posts
Posted by richg1998 on Sunday, December 20, 2009 10:02 AM

I have done this with the Micro. Very tight fit. The connector for the tender light is in the way and has to be moved. I put mine on a short extension.

The wiring for the decoder plug has to be removed. Solder the decoder wires to the PC board.

There is a 9 pin JST connector in the tender that would fit into a standard Tsunami but I have not tried that option as I never bought the standard Tsunami to see if it fits. The 4-4-0. 2-6-0 and 2-8-0 tenders are identical in size.

Others will have ideas.

To open tender

Inside DCC ready

Micro install

Tender modification. Use shorter screw. Screws are Metric


 

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.

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • 15 posts
Posted by MartyG on Sunday, December 20, 2009 9:04 PM

I did one of those last spring .I had bought 2 locos on sale last year and put a TSU 1000 in 1 .I dont belive in ripping everything out to fit something else in .It was great not having to solder it in .I just plugged it in ,wired the speaker and shoe horned it in .If you leave the old board in you dont have to wire in resistors for the lights .With the right speaker it sounds great .I did a TSU-1000 instal in a Bachmann 2-8-4 Birkshire for a friend 2 weeks ago. It had a crap decoder in it and he wanted sound .It was easy as well .The decoder in it had an 8 pin plug .So I left about an inch of wire on the plug and soldered the TSU onto it .Plugged it in ,Wired the speaker and off to the test track.All went well and it ran like a dream and if down the road the decoder craps out he can unplug it and plug in another .It is tight putting a TSU-1000 in a 2-8-0 but it will go .Just becarfull of the wires putting the screws back in the tender .I think my next project will be putting sound in a Bachmann 45 tonner .Let me know how you made out .  MartyG

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Minnesota
  • 50 posts
Posted by Birdog on Sunday, December 20, 2009 10:22 PM

All,

Thanks for the great info and pics.

Rich, great job on the Micro. I had a hunch one needed to cut down the post to lower the board. What size speaker did you use?

Marty,

I think I am headed in the TSU-1000 direction since it seems pretty easy. So you say no resistors if you keep the factory board? Which speaker did you use? Send pics if you have them. There is another 2 -pin plug labled J3 on top of the board, what is that for?

 

Again I want to thank everyone for their time.

Merry Christmas!

Birdog

 

Maintain thy airspeed lest the ground rise up and smite thee.....
  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Minnesota
  • 50 posts
Posted by Birdog on Sunday, December 20, 2009 10:34 PM

Alright it's late and I've had too much MaCallan. The J3 plug is for the back-up light on top of the tender..der! I took the darn thing apart a year ago and forgot where I left off.

Sorry, Birdog

Maintain thy airspeed lest the ground rise up and smite thee.....
  • Member since
    January 2008
  • 15 posts
Posted by MartyG on Monday, December 21, 2009 11:44 AM

Ok .The speaker I used is a Soundtraxx #810054  1 Inch .It fits down to the bottom of the tender floor .Unplug the jumper board and remove the main board .Do not cut the board posts .With the speaker in its place plug in the TSU-1000 .If you do it right it will fit under the main board and on top of the speaker .If you cut the posts it wont work .There is just enough room for it to fit in there .Put the screws back in and you should be good to go .I have run mine for hours on a club layout and no problems with heat from the decoder .I hope this helps .I dont have any pictures ,Sorry .Good luck .  MartyG

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Minnesota
  • 50 posts
Posted by Birdog on Monday, December 21, 2009 2:25 PM
Thnx Marty. You read my mind. I made a mock up of the 1000 with cardboard and that's exactly where it fit. My main concern was with heat dissipation, sounds like it has not been a problem. Thanks again for your time. Have great holiday. Birdog
Maintain thy airspeed lest the ground rise up and smite thee.....

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