Connection recommendations for Soundtrax decoder in Athearn SD70M

[mbinsewi]

Yep!  Wire locks.  I bought a bunch I won't be using, like so many other things I've aquired over the years!  haha.

Mike.

[BigDaddy]

maxman

Hmmm, doesn't sound right to me. ......(snip)

I'll have to check further.

Urban dictionary has another definition, but that does not support my case.  Still I read it on the Internet so it must be true!

I will settle for wire locks because I won't remember snood past this weekend.

[maxman]

 And if you really want to buy them:

Athearn HO Scale Wire Locks, SD70/SD75 (28 Pieces) ~ G63838

Athearn HO Scale Wire Locks, SD70/SD75 (28 Pieces) ~ G63838

[maxman]

Just looked at the HOSeeker site.  Those things don't appear to be identified on the SD70 diagram.

However, on other diagrams they are identified as wire locks.  One diagram says a "wire lock set", G19260.  Another just identifies it as a wire lock, G63838.

[maxman]

BigDaddy

 

 

betamax

The term I've heard is "snood".

 

 

That's it!

 

Hmmm, doesn't sound right to me.  Definitions I found::

1. an ornamental hairnet or fabric bag worn over the hair at the back of a woman's head:

   "her blonde hair was held in place by a velvet-mesh snood"

   • HISTORICAL
     a ribbon or band worn by unmarried women in Scotland to confine their hair.
2. a wide ring of knitted material worn as a hood or scarf.
3. a short line attaching a hook to a main line in sea fishing:

   "a bit of silver paper wrapped on the snood often triggers a bite"

    

   I'll have to check further.

[BigDaddy]

betamax

The term I've heard is "snood".

That's it!

[richhotrain]

Morpar

I had to solder on speaker wires, but for now used the little clips to put the wires on the decoder. What is the general consensus when doing this kind of install? Use the clips or just solder all of the wires on? I see advantages both ways. I had to change the motor leads around when I tested the unit out, so maybe use the clips for testing then solder afterwards?  

Always toss those litttle black clips and solder the connections. If you do a good job of soldering correctly at the outset, a soldered wire is easily removed if necessary. I have blown decoders by relying on the little black clips while testing. Don't tempt fate!

Rich

[Water Level Route]

I've used the clips with good success, even after vibrating the locomotive around the layout a bunch.  The key is making sure they are pushed on far enough.  Pay attention to how far they are on from the factory, and make sure when you replace the board, they are pushed back on as far on the new one as they were on the factory one.  I think that is where the issues come in with these.  The wire can block pushing them on far enough if you have it twisted up tight to slip through the hole in the pad.  That's my experience anyway.

[betamax]

BigDaddy

There is a name for those little clips, but it escapes me.

I expect a lot of people will say solder, because if you buy a decoder to install in a DC loco, there are no clips.  I see no problem in using clips to make sure you have the correct connections.  If clips were unreliable, I doubt so many manufacturers would use them.

 

 

The term I've heard is "snood". Soldering is a better method of connection. These devices are used to avoid that, allowing unskilled assemblers to quickly connect "this wire to that point".

Crimped on connectors were invented for the same reason, except they allowed an unskilled worker to make a much more reliable connection without solder. 

[mbinsewi]

My experience has been that the clips don't hold as well, once they are removed and put back on.

I soldered any thing I have.  It's quick and easy to "un"solder, and resolder,  if anything needs to come apart.

A lot of the "newer" locos, with the contact strip that is part of the truck side frame assembly, use these clips, which I found was a trouble spot, over time, so I solder.

Mike.

[PennCentral99]

The plastic clips are good for temporary connections, they do not provide a positive and secure connection all the time. As your loco moves around the layout, so does the internal components, vibrations and movement have a tendency to work these plastic connections loose.

Want a positive and secure electrical wire connection? Solder it!

[Mark R.]

I've had more than a couple times a problem was traced back to the wire in that plastic clip not making proper contact with the tab. 

That's one of the first things I do is to scrap those plastic clips and solder the wires. I just solder to the face of the tab.  If you wrap the wire through the tab hole, then solder, it can be a pain to remove if you need to.

Mark.

[BigDaddy]

There is a name for those little clips, but it escapes me.

I expect a lot of people will say solder, because if you buy a decoder to install in a DC loco, there are no clips.  I see no problem in using clips to make sure you have the correct connections.  If clips were unreliable, I doubt so many manufacturers would use them.

[Morpar]

I finally did my first and second decoder installations today since I tweaked my back and knee this week working outside. The first was an Athearn U50 with a built-in 9-pin connector. The hardest part was installing the front speaker and everything worked afterwards. The second was a Genesis SD70M. This one uses the light board style decoder (PNP8 in Soundtrax parlance) with all of the wires held into the holes in the solder pads with black plastic clips. I had to solder on speaker wires, but for now used the little clips to put the wires on the decoder. What is the general consensus when doing this kind of install? Use the clips or just solder all of the wires on? I see advantages both ways. I had to change the motor leads around when I tested the unit out, so maybe use the clips for testing then solder afterwards?