Thanks to eveyone for your help and input.
I now have a few options to explore!
Happy Modeling....
Generally now it seems like the 21-pin versions of sound decoders sell for maybe $10-20 less than the other versions of the same decoder, so even if you have to buy a harness to connect it up it still is a savings.
Early this year I exchanged the motor only decoders in my Bowser / Stewart Baldwin switchers. I used a motherboard made by WVD and an ESU next18 micro decoder. The speaker I got from eBay that sells sugar cube speakers with enclosure for $10. Nice quality speakers with great sound. LED lights I already had on hand. This combination gave me a fantastic small footprint that fit nicely in the shell. The speaker fit above the front truck with just a minimum of filing.
The Next18 micro decoder can handle up to 1 amp stall current and was a great fit in a tight area.
The WVD motherboard is designed for an N scale locomotive. I taped it to a thin piece of styrene to insulate it from the metal frame.
Except for the speaker, Tony's Train Exchange supplied the decoders and boards.
A little larger footprint is the Decoder Buddy mini and 21 pin decoder. This is my go to setup for a lot of locomotives.
Pete.
Drop into Tony's train exchange. They have the different manufacture turners there for dcc 8 pin 9 pin 21 pin stuff plus harnesses and mother boards. You can get 8 pin decoders.
shane
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
I have an old Life-Like/Proto FM "Erie Built" that I had converted to DCC years back by hardwiring in a 9-pin receptacle. I updated it to sound by getting a (IIRC) TCS 9-pin to 21-pin harness, and connecting up a TCS 21-pin Wowsound decoder. I suspect someone makes an 8-pin to 21-pin harness, otherwise you could plug in an 8-pin to 9-pin harness to the 9-pin to 21-pin harness. A bit jerry-rigged, but perhaps a lot easier than taking out the existing board, resoldering connections, etc.
Autonerd You might have to wire for a new decoder, but that isn't the worst thing. Athearn makes (or soon will make) a 21-pin motherboard. Don't know if it would fit the Bowser's existing screw holes, you might have to tape it down, but it does use the plastic clips that eliminate the need to solder if you're not comfortable with that. http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATHG67140 Aaron
You might have to wire for a new decoder, but that isn't the worst thing. Athearn makes (or soon will make) a 21-pin motherboard. Don't know if it would fit the Bowser's existing screw holes, you might have to tape it down, but it does use the plastic clips that eliminate the need to solder if you're not comfortable with that.
http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATHG67140
Aaron
Thanks for the tip Aaron!
Hi Tom,
Thanks for your input, I will also look at the decoder buddy.
Autonerdbut it does use the plastic clips that eliminate the need to solder if you're not comfortable with that.
To anyone reading this thread...
If you don't know or haven't learned how to solder yet, take the time to learn! It's not that difficult and is well-worth learning for a MUCH more reliable electrical connection than plastic clips.
The cost of a good-quality soldering station can be as low as $50 and there should be plenty of YouTube videos that you can watch to teach you how. It's a skill that will pay dividends down the road if you want to install your own decoders.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Hawks,
Personally, for sound I would remove Digitrax from the mix. They just aren't on par with ESU, TCS, and Soundtraxx.
Here's a link to the TCS website for a tutorial for installing a TCS Wow121 decoder in a C630M:
https://tcsdcc.com/installation/ho-scale/1249
Even if you go with Loksound or a Tsunami, it's still good information applicable to the installation. And they have tons of other installation tutorials on their website. Worth bookmarking.
If you want to install a 21-pin decoder, you could always go with a Decoder Buddy, which is similar to the motherboard in the TCS tutorial.
HTH,
Just picked up this nice unit at an Estate sale.
The Loco runs very well in DC and am now looking for an 8 pin sound decoder in DCC.
I understand that Bowser has a retrofit kit for this engine.
I was on their website, since the newer models made after 2012 are 21 pin kits, those are easy to find, but I have not found a store that sells the 8 pin set.
Any suggestions or maybe another decoder from Soundtraxx or DigitraX?