Another question arises while I'm getting into adding decoder & speakers to a DC LifeLike P2K. I have the frame milled for speakers and built the speaker box (3 sugarcubes).
Getting ready to put the decoder in, I today realized I did not understand the track power pickup system. Obviously, one rail feeds the wires atop each truck on the left side. But the right rail power flows through the truck bolster contact to the frame via the top center of the truck, and I guess went through the frame to the (discarded) circuit board above. Not obvious since I took things apart months ago. Shoulda taken pics.
Anyway, I presume the motor is isolated as there is no continuity between anything and the motor, plus the instructions address DCC conversion with a motor decoder.
So, the question is...are the truck bolster pickups on the one rail through the frame, good enough such that I should just tap into the frame for that side? Or should I add pickup wires to that side of the truck;, e.g., where the brass rivets are (or will that melt the plastic)? Note I prefer not to disassemble the truck still on the frame as I have a repaired worm gear clip on it that may fail upon removal.
Advice appreciated!!
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
This loco, like the early FA2's, is a direct clone of Athearn BB - even to the motor being helf together by the clips on the top and bottom. The motor should be isolated, as proven out by the meter. The whole frame is grounded to one rail though. For optimal pickup - yes, an additional pair of wires to the trucks instead of using the body bolster to connect power would be an improvement.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Thanks, Randy. Today I was able to add truck right side pickup wires to the brass rivets, install the decoder. When I had the motor and speakers wired I tried the frame out...program track mfg ID ok, then ran ok, so then proceeded to add the lighting. Used 0603 SMDs in this case as I did not want to mess with the glued in light pipes. They (lights) worked backwards so either the Select chip has backward stuff in the IC at a microscopic level, the sound file is wrong in that respect (do the sound files have such function specifics?) or "someone"(?) may have got the teeny 0603 wires backwards. Fixed this with a simple Function map change. Ran it a bit and so far the epoxied worm gear clip has held.
This is my first one with 3 (vs 2 or 4) sugarcube speakers so I may post a video tomorrow.
Hmm, what do you mean 'backwards'? Like the one you though you connected to F1 was on F2 and vice versa sort of thing? Most of the Loksound sound sets have fairly standard function maps, the wire color mapping is the same as any otehr decoder by default, and the Select ones especially tend to follow the north american convention of F0 for headlight, F1 for bell, and F2 for horn. Some of the OEM sound files may have modified function mappings by design of the OEM. Definitely not 'backwards' meaning having the LED reversed - the blue wire or the common terminal is + just like any other decoder. The board replacement decoders have F0F on the cab end and F0R on the back end if the board is put in the right way - default short hood forward. My P2K Geeps all needed the motor wires swapped - despite the fact that it is properly lettered long hood as F, matching the colors makes it run short hood forward, and rather than possibly confusing myself later with a nonstandard CV29 setting to reverse it, I just wire them backwards.