No. I run N scale w/o sound. While that may not be in the majority of DCC users, it's what I'm doing on my layout and it's what works for me. I had an opportunity to purchase several of the aforementioned MRC decoders at a very reasonable price and they work very well after I resolved the issue stated in the original post. I merely offered a solution to any other "model rails" that might be interested. For a cost of 20-25% of a Loksound, I have decoders that serve my purpose quite well. No hammer necessary, thank you just the same.
Don't know what's going on here, but it's frustrating. I upload photos and inserted the URLs, but something ain't right. I'll just look elsewhere for assistance. Thanks anyway.
Didn't get the image thing right the first time. This should work.
" alt="Top of decoder #1" width="768" height="576" />" alt="Top of decoder #2" width="768" height="576" />" alt="Bottom of decoder #1" width="768" height="576" />" alt="Bottom of decoder #2" width="768" height="576" />
Thanks for the quick response and my apologies for a somewhat tardy response. I just returned from a 1000 mile road trip to help some friends celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
I realize now that I should have been more exact in my original post. I was frustrated and not attending to detail. Again, my apologies.
I had researched the document you mention on MRC's website. I also reviewed the P42 exploded parts diagram on Kato's website. From the combination of the two, I deduced (perhaps erroneously) as per these photos and wired the decoder in that manner - track leads to the pickups on my locomotive's trucks and motor leads to the two poles of the motor.
I then tested the locomotive on a test track with a current limiting resistor per MRC's instructions. Locomotive ran forward (hurrah), light came on (hurrah), locomotive did not run in reverse (boo). Tested again - same results (hurrah, boo). Tested a third time - no loco movement, no light. Results did not change from there on. Big boo!
I had checked the loco with a meter prior to putting it on the test track. The motor is absolutely isolated from the frame, and there is continuity from the trucks to what I assumed are the track leads.
I checked the loco with a meter after the test track. Motor is isolated from frame, continuity still there for track leads.
I'm hoping someone who has done the before with the MRC 1664 decoder can tell me what I've done wrong and whether or not I've fried the decoder.
There is a manual on the MRC website. There are two touch points for track pick-ups, you need to figure out where they are on the decoder board.
Lee
Doe anyone know how to hardwire the MRC 1664 decoder? I have three that I got for little cost and would like to use them to covert some non-DCC locomotives to DCC. The 1664 was created as a "drop-in" for the Kato P42 & E8/E9. I have to believe there is a way to hardwire it for use in other locomotives. I'm hoping someone can tell me how to do it.