Hi all,
I am putting a digitrax DH126P decoder in an HO DCC ready Spectrum 2-8-0. I removed the capacitor as directed on the TCS website and recommended by the LHS. When I installed the 8 pin plug that came with the decoder into the factory installed 8 pin receiver, it would only go part way in. There is still probably half the length of the pins that won’t go into the receivers. Thinking that the plug might be “all” the way in, I gave the loco a test run. It did nothing (no buzzing, lights, or anything). I’m guessing this is because the pins weren‘t all the way in, but they won’t go down any farther. Suggestions? Thanks.
Did you give it a good press with your thumb? Sometimes the connection between the 8-pin plug and the 8-pin socket can be fairly snug. Also check to make sure that no pins are bent and are fully aligned with all 8 sockets before pressing it home.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I've had trouble with this decoder also. I tried three of them and finally ripped out the 8 pin socket and hardwired a different decoder. worked great.
Don
It could be that the harness is hitting something. It looks like the harness that comes with the decoder is wider on one side than the other, so perhaps turning the decoder 180 degrees will work? Otherwise I would try another harness. (It's an eight-pin connection to the engine, and a nine-pin connection to the decoder. You can remove the harness and try one from another manufacturer.)
The IP decider he was trying to use has an integrated 8 pin plug, there's noo harness. It is one of those kinds of decoders you just push in the 8 pin plug, no extra wires.
Sometimes the 8 pin socket is relatively shallow and the pins can;t go all the way in - others have holes through the PCB so the decoder can be pushed all the way in.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
OK, when I did a search on DH163P all I came up with were ones with a harness. Either way, if something is blocking the decoder getting plugged in all the way, you can buy an extension 8-pin connector.
Note that a lot of the earlier Spectrum engines came with a receptacle for a "UK" harness, that is, the receptacle is set 90 degrees from the normal US receptacle, so a standard US harness would have the decoder sticking out to the side.
Hey thanks to everyone who lent a hand. Everything is working now and the loco runs great.
Union Pacific 428 the pins weren‘t all the way in, but they won’t go down any farther
So what did you do to get it running, a bigger hammer?
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
I think he left out the I in the original message, a DH126IP. A few messages down, he swapped to a decoder with an 8 pin plug on a harness and it worked fine. Some messages that used to be in this thread appear to have been removed, leading to continuity issues.
Not exactly sure what got it running. I pulled the plug out, tried the decoder/harness combo in a different tender (it worked), then put it back in the original tender. After that it ran fine...
That will be helpful for the next guy who has the same problem. And I am serious with that comment.
Clearly a case of electrical black magic. I am also serious.