I don't have any experience with dcc at all and was wondering what kind of decoder do I need for my athearn sd40t-2? I was looking at soundtraxx's tsunami decoders and don't know which type I need. and I was also wondering how you take the shell off of the locomotive since I got it rtr.
I have installed Tsunami's in 3 of my 4 SD-40T-2 (I haven't received the 4th decoder yet). I use the TSU-AT1000 EMD 645(part number 828041 from SoundTraxx website) . The EMD 645 is the correct sounds for the tunnel motors.
I use a RailMaster Hobbies Bass Reflex speaker/enclosure (it comes basically ready to install) I believe it is the 18mmx53mmx14.3mm size. you will have to remove the weight in the rear of the locomotive in order to install the speaker.
To remove the shell, unscrew the screws that hold the couplers on. Then remove the coupler pockets.This will allow you to remove the shell.
Remove the old circuit board. the little black clips just pop off. I would mark each set of wires so you know which are which. Also remove the rear weight in the locomotive. This is held on with two screws. This makes room for the speaker.
you will need to solder a wire to the top copper strip of the motor once you have removed the old decoder. this will connect to the positive motor terminal on the Tsunami decoder
I used a piece of Foam double-sided tape to hold the Tsunami on top of the motor.Make sure the decoder is faced the correct directions per the instructions
The speaker will have to be modified slightly to fit the shell of the locomotive. First remove the mount lugs on both ends. You will find if you try and put the enclosure/speaker in the shell that it will not go all the way to the top of the shell. You will need to sand down the sides of the enclosure to make it fit correctly. I suggest laying out a piece of sandpaper and running the sides of the enclosure over it a few times on each side. The speakers in my locos are press fit in. I didn't glue them in.
Connect all the wires. The instructions are pretty clear where each wire goes. the only tricky one is for the lights. There is a very small hole for a 1.5 volt connection (this is a common connection so one set of leads from all the lights have to connect to it) . I wired a small wire to it and then connected all the leads to that wire and heat shrinked the connection. The other leads go to connections on the end of the decoder. The instructions will direct you on which one to connect to.
Don't forget to connect the speaker wires. They positive and negative leads are marked.
Replace the shell and you are ready to go.
I hope this helps. PM me if you have any further questions
Colorado Front Range Railroad: http://www.coloradofrontrangerr.com/
I agree with David. I fried a decoder trying to do it myself for the first time. Now I found somebody to do all my decoder installs.
Michael
CEO- Mile-HI-RailroadPrototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989
Yes, if your first install of any kind, this is not plug and play for this kind of install. Below is a link with good DCC and sound info. Store the link in Favorites and do a lot of reading. There are many Gotchas for the uninformed.
Look at Installations and Curriculum. especially. He also has a link to a DCC company he use to own.
http://www.mrdccu.com/
Decoders come with instructions. You will have to know how to solder with a fine tipped soldering iron, not a huge solder gun and use a electrical solder. Electrical solder has a Rosin flux core.
Speaker polarity is not important for one speaker. It is for two or more or if in parallel which is usually not done in sound locos. Some have two speakers in series where polarity is important. I have done locos with a single speaker and two speakers in series.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
richg1998 Speaker polarity is not important for one speaker. It is for two or more or if in parallel which is usually not done in sound locos. Some have two speakers in series where polarity is important. I have done locos with a single speaker and two speakers in series. Rich
Uhh, certianly, speaker polarity is important, mostly dependent on the enclosure type in which the speaker is mounted. A speaker should move inwards toward the basket when given a signal in a typical sealed enclosure setup. The sine wave signal dictates the forward or reverse motion the cone will travel, if you have the speaker set up normally in a sealed enclosure, and have the leads opposite of normal, then your sound waves will be 180* out of phase. Is this really a problem for the person? Could be, some people can hear this, some people can't. It's probably not as big of a deal from a model train, as the sounds aren't a continuous repeat (assuming you aren't letting the engine run around a circle of track at constant speed without input from you).
If the speaker is mounted inverted of it's enclosure, then yes, you would switch leads. This would mimick the natural movement of the cone if the speaker were mounted properly. You are relying on the cone pushing against the air in the enclosure to produce the sound, and no matter what, want to keep everything in phase.
If you are using no enclosure (an infinite baffle) or relying solely on the shell to act as your enclosure (brutally far from optimal), then you are right, as there is no pocket of air that you are pushing against. You are moving air, and creating noise, but not what a typical* speaker is built to do. Therefore, whether the cone moves one direction or the other first has no consequence on the sound. However, how many times have you heard people complain about horrid sound from their sound-locos? The typical reason is lack of enclosure. Without it, sound is just not produced correctly.
Coming from an audiophile, I assure you, polarity does matter. Besides, if you have everything there in front of you, and have to hook both leads up, what's the point in crossing them? It's the same amount of work to do it right, or do it backwards.
* there do exist speakers built to be used in free air applications, their applications and numbers are limited though.
Now, about parallel or series wiring. Polarity here matters just as much, as they should always be matched, and wired correctly, however when 'focusing' on which way to wire, you are focusing on your ohm load to your amplifier. Series or paralleling your two speakers will effectively double, or halve, your load on your amp. This creates the potentials of either diminishing your output to your speakers cause the ohm load doubled, or killing your amp because your ohm load dropped and over cooked your amp. (adding more speakers in either configuration compounds the problem, and combining both types of configurations compounds your load equations even more.)
A speaker moved both ways, not just middle to in or middle to out. So it really doesn;t matter, when there's only one speaker. In a stero situation, both speakers must be in phase to bass doesn;t cancel out and you get a clear separation. For multiple speakers in a mono setup, like dual speakers in a loco, they also need ot be in phase so that both move out at the same time and both move in. But for one speaker, it matter not at all, particualrly on the tiny speakers in locos.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Thanks for the info and advice guys. I do know how to solder and I've been studying information on dcc. I just needed to know what kind of decoder I needed.
rrinker A speaker moved both ways, not just middle to in or middle to out. So it really doesn;t matter, when there's only one speaker. In a stero situation, both speakers must be in phase to bass doesn;t cancel out and you get a clear separation. For multiple speakers in a mono setup, like dual speakers in a loco, they also need ot be in phase so that both move out at the same time and both move in. But for one speaker, it matter not at all, particualrly on the tiny speakers in locos. --Randy
You talk about the excursion, or xmax of a speaker. Obviously the speaker moves both "in and out", however, there is a correct cycle in which it does, thus being in phase with the signal given (I'm not talking about being in phase with another speaker or more).
I conceited that the tiny speaker in an engine it probably wouldn't matter, as there are many other variables to consider in proper audio configuration that are totally ignored in such a small scale. There are other worlds beyond model railroading however, and proper wiring of a single speaker does matter. Like directional tires, they'll spin both ways, but only one way is proper.
I repeat though, if taking the time to do it, both ways require the same time and effort, why not do it right?
I have a video that will help with your Tsunami install on my youtube channel.
www.Youtube.com/user/LaochWins
Laoch I have a video that will help with your Tsunami install on my youtube channel. www.Youtube.com/user/LaochWins
Hey Laoch where are you dude. www.Youtube.com/user/LaochWins does NOT come up on YouTube now.
???
Thanks
RB
Donald50Soundtraxx Part #885013 is the decoder you need to install in your SD40T-2 with an oval speaker 16 x 35 and soundtraxx also sell them too or you can get from your local hobby shop or Model train stuff online.
Since you necroed this topic started 7 years ago in 2011, it might not hurt to state that those are the newer Tsunami 2 PNP decoder which replaced the old more specific TSU1 old decoder discussed in this topic before it was resurrected from long dead.
These TSU2 PNP are a circuit board format decoder to replace the factory circuit board in many Athearn, Atlas and other HO diesels.
http://www.soundtraxx.com/choose/step1.php?s=HO-Athearn
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
http://tcsdcc.com/installation/ho-scale/athearn-rtr-sd40t-2/wdk-ath-10
http://tcsdcc.com/installation/ho-scale/athearn-sd40t-2/t1
First is a description of a sound installation.
Second is non-sound.
both show the same disassembly procedure.
If there are 4 tabs (clips) at the bottom of the fuel tank, you need to pinch those together. I dont know if your model has this or the screw disassbly shown above, as a dont have any SD40T-2s.
I dont work for TCS, I just find their disassembly photos and instructions wicked convienient.
BMMECNYC http://tcsdcc.com/installation/ho-scale/athearn-rtr-sd40t-2/wdk-ath-10 http://tcsdcc.com/installation/ho-scale/athearn-sd40t-2/t1 First is a description of a sound installation. Second is non-sound. both show the same disassembly procedure. If there are 4 tabs (clips) at the bottom of the fuel tank, you need to pinch those together. I dont know if your model has this or the screw disassbly shown above, as a dont have any SD40T-2s. I dont work for TCS, I just find their disassembly photos and instructions wicked convienient.
Those links are handy. FWIW, you don't even need to disasseble the SD40T-2 for the TCS decoder, just pop off the dynamic brake blister and remove the dummy plug and plug in the TSC T1, I've done it to several of mine.
Athearn will be offering their tunnel motors this fall with sound factory installed - FINALLY!
riogrande5761 BMMECNYC http://tcsdcc.com/installation/ho-scale/athearn-rtr-sd40t-2/wdk-ath-10 http://tcsdcc.com/installation/ho-scale/athearn-sd40t-2/t1 First is a description of a sound installation. Second is non-sound. both show the same disassembly procedure. If there are 4 tabs (clips) at the bottom of the fuel tank, you need to pinch those together. I dont know if your model has this or the screw disassbly shown above, as a dont have any SD40T-2s. I dont work for TCS, I just find their disassembly photos and instructions wicked convienient. Those links are handy. FWIW, you don't even need to disasseble the SD40T-2 for the TCS decoder, just pop off the dynamic brake blister and remove the dummy plug and plug in the TSC T1, I've done it to several of mine. Athearn will be offering their tunnel motors this fall with sound factory installed - FINALLY!
Thats how I did my NS SD40-2, through the removable DB. Have to be sure its not an older one with the tab on the bottom of the motor clip, but other than that should probably be fine.