Dcc Retro Help,Ideas

[Anonymous]

After twenty years of collecting,building,painting and many move s I'm ready to run on a fledgling layout.Most of my moto stock is Athearn fly-wheel units,some 15 units(,pre) built-in Dcc control. Any ideas,suggestions on manufacturers,of quality electronics?Also does anyone have a feel for the level of skill,tools etc, needed to pull this off. Santa Fe all the way

[nfmisso]

Pretty basic soldering job.

See:
http://www.wiringfordcc.com/ath_pa1.htm
http://www.digitrax.biz/appnote_dash9app.php

I would use a Digitrax DH123D for applications where just 2 functions are sufficient, and the DH163D where you want 6 functions.
http://www.dcctrains.com/products/digitrax_decs_med.htm

[Pennsy58]

Athearn engines are really quite easy. Especially after the first one or two. I've done about 20 of my older engines. Using digitrax and TCS wired decoders. Settled into TCS T-1 decoders as they never fail for me and are quite a bargain usually. Mfg. is a personal issue in the end though. The cheaper the decoder, the less functions. Headlights are all I worry about. Every one of my Athearn's have been converted to LED lamps. Just like the appearance.
Pop the motor out, solder to the motor tabs, place electrical tape under the motor so no power gets sent from the frame to the motor. The only problems at times are getting the shell back on. Moving the decoder location around solves it though.

The web references given here previously are great. They are the same regardless of the model of engine from Athearn.

Just remember, a decoder alone does not improve performance if it ran bad before. While you have the thing in pieces clean up the motor brushes, wheels, and new lub. Some of my old ones that had poor motors without flywheel I replaced the motor with the new style Athearn motor. Big difference.

Soldering iron, some extra wire, shrink tubing, and away you go.

[MisterBeasley]

I've read some posts on DCC retrofits into older engines. One thing they caution about is the high current requirements of the older engines. Some suggest replacing the motors to get newer, more efficient machines. DCC decoders are limited by power, so high-current is not good. After that, you need to be concerned about the total additive current for all engines running at any one time.

Is this really a concern for most people, or just for the very large layouts running a dozen or so engines simultaneously?

I've got a number of "old friends" from the '60s that I'd like to eventually convert to DCC, but I fear that it's cheaper to buy a new engine than than to upgrade the motor, headlights and couplers and then add DCC.

[rrinker]

The answer, naturally, is "It Depends"

Not all old locos are current hogs. Not all NEW ones are low current - one of the runs of Proto2000 E-units comes to mind.
A good many HO decoders cna handle 1.5 amps continuous with 2.0 amps surge. I'd tested a large number of Athearn locos with the golden motors (Blue Box style, from the late 80's/early 90's) and noen of those draw over 1.5 amps stalled at 12 volts. Doesn't mean none of them do, or that if I get one I haven't already checked, i won't check it before installing the decoder. Running freely, most of them draw well under an amp. So if you never lock up the motor so it can't turn.... Stalled, the ones I have all draw from 1.2-1.4 amps on my meter.
So, the motor is within the capacity of the decoder. The second issue is total current load on the booster. Even if every loco is at 1 amp, thus safe for the decoder, if you have 10 locos running, that's 10 amps of total power needed. If those same 10 locos have better motors that draw 1/2 amp, now you only need 5 amps total power to run them all.
Another reason to remotor is for smoother operaton. Better quality motors run better. But the stock Athearn motors can be made to run very nicely with a little TLC, proper lube on the bearings and a little cleaning and polishing of the commutator.
Bottom line - use a good DC supply and a meter to measure the actual stall current of the motors. It's important that the supply voltage remain at 12V even under load for an accurate measurement. Sometimes motor that look like they MUST be current hogs aren't, and ones that look like they won't be actually are.


--Randy

[AntonioFP45]

A friend of mine installed a Digitrax decoder on an Athearn in a short time. Made it look easy.

I'm taking the re-motoring route for several of my Athearns. Two U-Boats and four FP45s.