P2k Alco S3 wiring question

[NealR]

Thank you all for your clarifications and help! This is only my 2nd Decoder install and I hadn't encountered having to run a new orange wire and where it has to be soldered to the board. That knowledge is now in my databanks! I believe I can fit the micro speaker and enclosure I'm building from styrene to fit under the new board at the front of the loco. If that doesn't work, it is definitely small enough to fit under the front hood. Again, thanks for all your help!

[richhotrain]

NealR

I recently purchased a Proto 2000 Alco S3 (gray box) and am going to convert it to DCC. I have already run a new orange wire from the lower brush cap. I'm going to install a LokSound Select Direct and had a question concerning wiring. There is a gray wire and orange wire running from the motor. On the LokSound there are designations for Motor - terminal and Motor + terminal. Also 2 common (+ pole). I have no idea which wires go where! I know where the left and right front and rear track wires go but not the orange and gray. I'm sure this has been discussed as nauseum before now, but I can't find any threads on this particular wiring issue. Any help appreciated! 

As others have suggested, the M+ and M- tabs on the decoder are where the orange and gray motor wires connect. On my P2K locos, the orange wire is M+ and the gray wire is M-. Don't solder the connections immediately, but just connect the motor wires to the decoder temporarily as a test. If the loco runs in reverse, then flip the orange and gray wires and then solder the connections.

Rich

[rrinker]

 Orange and gray are the motor + and motor -. All standard NMRA colors. Don;t use all black wire, if you need to extend the wires to reach, use the proper colors. On other locos where you use a decoder with wires, save the excess - the wires are almost always too long and you need to cut some off. Blue is the one I always have to go to the supply of extra because I'm always running out of cut-offs. Blue is the + common for functions, and goes to the + side of the LED lights. The stock lights are NOT LEDs - they are low voltage incandescent bulbs - I would replace them with LEDs.

 I assume you are milling the frame somewhat? No way will a Select Direct fit int here, plus a speaker in an enclsoure, without modifications. They're the same as the S1, of which I have a couple, a TCS MC2 motor only decoder was an easy fit but the full size board of a Loksound Select Direct is I thing too big. it might even be too wide for the narrow hood. Most certainly too tall without modifying the frame.  

                                          --Randy

 

[BigDaddy]

The various online DCC stores sell combo packs of wire of the appropriate size and color.  Or you could go the bachmann route and use black.

[tstage]

Neal,

The common/blue (+) wire will be for your lighting: One for one lead of the front light bulb and one for one lead of the rear light bulb.  For an incandescent bulb it doesn't matter which lead you connect to.  For an LED, it should be the leg opposite the flat side of the LED bulb:

IIRC, the orange wire is the positive (+) lead.  One way to verify that is to connect the wires to a 9V battery.  Even if you get them backwards, you can correct them when you program the decoder using CV29.

Tom

[Edit: Whatever Loksound decoder you might end up with, download the manual for it from the ESU website.  If you're set on sound, the Select Direct Micro might work for you.  The speaker would need to fit in the cab - i.e. if you aren't going to mill the chassis.]

[BigDaddy]

The leads from the board to the motor are one gray and one orange wire. 

If you are saying there is a bi-color wire, maybe it should be considered gray.

Truck wires are red and black.  Lights are blue common and yellow and white.

There is insulation needed. 

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/t/132313.aspx

[NealR]

I recently purchased a Proto 2000 Alco S3 (gray box) and am going to convert it to DCC. I have already run a new orange wire from the lower brush cap. I'm going to install a LokSound Select Direct and had a question concerning wiring. There is a gray wire and orange wire running from the motor. On the LokSound there are designations for Motor - terminal and Motor + terminal. Also 2 common (+ pole). I have no idea which wires go where! I know where the left and right front and rear track wires go but not the orange and gray. I'm sure this has been discussed as nauseum before now, but I can't find any threads on this particular wiring issue. Any help appreciated!